Resource Center

This webinar provides a brief overview of the accommodations, misconduct and re-entry processes. An Operations Exam Specialist walks you through a detailed session where you learn about the accommodations process, candidate rule-violation and misconduct procedure and the re-entry process for previous passing candidates.

• NCSBN’s Journal of Nursing Regulation: Celebrating 15 Years of Knowledge Research & Impact
• A Steward of Purpose: Reflecting on My Leadership Journey with NCSBN
• 2025 NCSBN Annual Meeting Recap
• Congratulations to Our 2025 NCSBN Awardees
• Member Engagement Update: Two New Awards Debut at 2025 NCSBN Annual Meeting
• Congratulations to Joey Ridenour!

The NCLEX is a variable-length computerized adaptive test (CAT). It resorts to modern psychometric theory coupled with the state-of-the-art computer-driven administration to deliver a psychometrically sound, standardized exams for evaluating candidates’ performance with the passing standard required to conduct safe, entry-level nursing practice. This session l describes the background and algorithms behind the NCLEX CAT methodology.

Standard setting is a process used by testing professionals to determine the passing score on a test. It is an important step in establishing the validity and legal defensibility of an exam program. The NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams are re-evaluated for their respective passing standards triennially. In this session, NCSBN staff discusses the steps involved in setting NCLEX passing standards.

The current NCLEX examinations score items using one of three scoring rules: 0/1 scoring rule, +/- scoring rule or the rationale scoring rule. This session explores each of these three scoring rules by using examples that cover all eligible item types on the NCLEX exam. Additionally, the session covers general information about using the partial credit model to convert the item scores onto the NCLEX scale.

This session will focus on recent research projects related to the development of the NCLEX exam

Newly licensed nurses require skills such as clinical judgment to make consistent and effective clinical decisions that support client safety. This session presents exemplary approaches to clinical judgment, highlighting the use of simulation in failure-to-rescue situations, as well as the application of a clinical judgment model in an emergency department nurse residency program.

In addition to developing the NCLEX, NCSBN provides daily operational, security and customer service support, dedicated by the Consolidated Services and Customer Experience departments, for NCLEX candidates, educators, and nursing regulatory bodies (NRBs). During this session, we explore the NCLEX registration process, online resources and exam security measures, highlighting what candidates can expect before, during and after the NCLEX. The session concludes with a summary of the NCLEX testing accommodation process, including the roles of candidates, NCSBN, Pearson VUE and NRBs.

NCSBN has been conducting research to determine whether clinical judgment and decision making in nursing practice can be reliably assessed through the use of innovative item types. This session gives an update on the NCLEX Examinations.