Overview
NCSBN is pleased to present its annual NCLEX Virtual Conference. A one-day, educational conference that provides NCLEX program updates offered by the experts that develop and administer the exam. The 2026 NCLEX Conference also provides the opportunity to ask questions about the NCLEX program.
Conference Objectives
- Discuss the role of standardized testing in assessing entry-level practice-ready nurses.
- Analyze current trends and challenges in entry-level practice and the use of clinical judgment
- Interpret the various entry-level clinical judgment approaches that an educator or clinician may use.
Event Presentations
NCLEX Overview: Exam Development
- Presented by
- Joselin Cyriac, RN, Content Development Associate I, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 11:54
A Novel Approach to Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation: Curricula Integration to Support Communication, Teamwork and Multi-patient Management to Support Practice Readiness
- Presented by
- Megan Honaker, DNP, RN, Director of Undergraduate Programs, Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing
- Length
- 14:38
The Use of Virtual Reality Simulation to Improve Clinical Judgment in Undergraduate Nursing Students
- Presented by
- Amy Pizzulo, DNP, RN, Assistant Professor, Ramapo College of New Jersey
- Length
- 13:56
Strengthening Clinical Judgment Through Virtual Patient Simulations (VPS): A Multimodal Analysis of Student Performance in Mental Health Scenarios
- Presented by
- Mamta Shah, PhD, Instructor, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
- Length
- 17:04
Q&A: Reimagining Clinical Judgment Through Innovation
- Presented by
- Moderator: Nicole Williams MBA, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, Director, Content & Test Development, Examinations, NCSBN; Megan Honaker, DNP, RN, Director of Undergraduate Programs, Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing; Amy Pizzulo, DNP, RN, Assistant Professor, Ramapo College of New Jersey; Mamta Shah, PhD, Instructor, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
- Length
- 16:42
Psychometric Overview
- Presented by
- Joe Betts, PhD, EdS, MMIS, Director, Measurement & Testing, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 14:05
NCLEX Q&A
- Presented by
- Moderator: Nicole Williams MBA, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, Director, Content & Test Development, Examinations, NCSBN; Joselin Cyriac, RN, Content Development Associate I, Examinations, NCSBN; Joe Betts, PhD, EdS, MMIS, Director, Measurement & Testing, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 13:31
Ctrl+Alt+Sim: Rebooting Clinical Judgment Development Through AI-Driven Simulation and Intelligent Tutoring Systems
- Presented by
- Natalya Pasklinsky, DNP, ACNP-BC, CHSE, FNYAM, Assistant Dean of Simulation and Associate Professor of Nursing, Columbia University School of Nursing
- Length
- 14:50
Competency-Based Clinical Judgment Teaching in Fundamentals Using Progression Indicators
- Presented by
- Rebecca Toothaker, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice, University of West Florida
- Length
- 15:25
Assessment of Clinical Judgement Using High-Stakes Simulation Scenarios
- Presented by
- Jennifer Jessen, EdD, MSN, RN, CNOR, FNAP, Associate Professor, Creighton University College of Nursing
- Length
- 17:58
Bridging the Gap: Strategies for Aligning Academic Preparation with Clinical Practice
- Presented by
- Valarie Thomas, DNP, RN, CMSRN, CNE, Assistant Professor, Tuskegee University
- Length
- 14:08
Q&A: Learning Experiences to Build Clinical Judgment
- Presented by
- Moderator: Nicole Williams MBA, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, Director, Content & Test Development, Examinations, NCSBN; Natalya Pasklinsky, DNP, ACNP-BC, CHSE, FNYAM, Assistant Dean of Simulation and Associate Professor of Nursing, Columbia University School of Nursing; Rebecca Toothaker, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice, University of West Florida; Valarie Thomas, DNP, RN, CMSRN, CNE, Assistant Professor, Tuskegee University; Jennifer Jessen, EdD, MSN, RN, CNOR, FNAP, Associate Professor, Creighton University College of Nursing
- Length
- 16:27
From Oversight to Outcomes: A Regulatory Approach to Improving Practice Readiness
- Presented by
- Joy Pennington, MSN-ED, Executive Nurse Academic Officer, Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Length
- 12:05
NCLEX Overview: Operations
- Presented by
- Nick Barnes, Exams Specialist II, Consolidated Services, NCSBN
- Length
- 10:08
Bridging the Gap: A Workforce-Readiness Nursing Education Model to Enhance Clinical Judgment and Early Practice Success Among Newly Licensed Nurses
- Presented by
- Andrea Doctor, PHD, RN, CNE, FNE-A, CCRC, Associate Professor, University of the District of Columbia
- Length
- 11:50
Promoting Entry-to-Practice Readiness Through Early Self-Care and Resiliency Education for Undergraduate Student Nurses
- Presented by
- Donna Gillis, RN, Clinical Nurse Educator, Nova Scotia Health
- Length
- 12:38
Aligning Academic Preparation with Practice: Stakeholder-informed Strategies for Competency-based Nursing Education
- Presented by
- Abbygale Hackenberger, DNP, RN, CCRN-K, CNE, Associate Teaching Professor, The Pennsylvania State University
- Length
- 14:30
Q&A: Foundations of Clinical Judgment for Entry‑Level Nurses
- Presented by
- Moderator: Nicole Williams MBA, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, Director, Content & Test Development, Examinations, NCSBN; Andrea Doctor, PHD, RN, CNE, FNE-A, CCRC, Associate Professor, University of the District of Columbia; Abbygale Hackenberger, DNP, RN, CCRN-K, CNE, Associate Teaching Professor, The Pennsylvania State University; Donna Gillis, RN, Clinical Nurse Educator, Nova Scotia Health
- Length
- 11:51
NCLEX Update
- Presented by
- Joe Betts, PhD, EdS, MMIS, Director, Measurement & Testing, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 15:34
Sensitivity and Differential Item Functioning (DIF)
- Presented by
- Melissa Biskupic, RN, LNHA, Content Development Associate I, Examinations, NCSBN; Hyung Jin Kim, PhD, Senior Psychometrician, Measurement & Testing, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 19:34
Voices of the Participants: Polling Insights
- Presented by
- Moderator: Nicole Williams MBA, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, Director, Content & Test Development, Examinations, NCSBN; Joe Betts, PhD, EdS, MMIS, Director, Measurement & Testing, Examinations, NCSBN; Joselin Cyriac, RN, Content Development Associate I, Examinations, NCSBN; Cathy Doan, Exams Manager, Consolidated Services, NCSBN
- Length
- 14:09
Final Questions & Closing
- Presented by
- Moderator: Nicole Williams MBA, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, Director, Content & Test Development, Examinations, NCSBN; Brittany McClendon, MBA, MSN, RN, Content Development Associate I, Examinations, NCSBN; Cathy Doan, Exams Manager, Consolidated Services, NCSBN; Joe Betts, PhD, EdS, MMIS, Director, Measurement & Testing, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 15:08
2024 NCLEX Practice Analyses and 2026 NCLEX Test Plans
- Presented by
- Brittany McClendon, Content Development Associate I, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 31:59
Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)
- Presented by
- Shu-Chuan Kao, Senior Manager, Measurement & Testing, Examinations
- Length
- 15:44
Item Scoring
- Presented by
- Will Muntean, PhD, Principal Research Scientist, Innovation & Measurement Research, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 24:15
Standard Setting
- Presented by
- Cary Lin, Manager, Measurement & Testing, Examinations, NCSBN
- Length
- 11:34