Resource Center

The NCSBN Examinations Operations team demonstrates the NCLEX registration process and highlights online resources NCSBN has available to educators and students. This video shows what candidates can expect before, during and after the exam.

The NCLEX-PN examination test plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories along with details about the administration of the exam as well as NCLEX-style item writing exercises and case scenario examples.

This annual publication provides data on candidate performance on the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN Examinations and also includes data on the candidates who have been able to take the NCLEX-RN for purposes of licensure/registration in Canada since January 5, 2015. This publication provides a brief overview of how Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) works, how the passing standard is set, and how the pass/fail decision is made at the beginning. The main part of the publication is a detailed breakdown of candidate performance for 2019 and includes the pass rates by candidate type, degree type and country. In addition, the publication contains NCLEX historical data (e.g., pass rates, passing standards, and volume) since CAT administration started in 1994.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, NCLEX candidates have had to wait longer or travel farther to take their exams. NCSBN has worked to reopen NCLEX test centers and expand time slots while following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and recommendations. This webinar for educators reviews NCSBN's efforts to restore testing capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary testing sites and what candidates need to know. 

Part one of this webinar will highlight the behind-the-scenes security measures at testing centers, incident documentation via case reporting, result score holds as well as NCSBN’s result cancellation process. Part two will summarize the NCLEX testing accommodation process, including the roles of candidates, NCSBN, Pearson VUE and Nursing Regulatory Bodies. It will also highlight an NCLEX Admin system update.

The reliability of the NCLEX examination is assessed via a decision consistency statistic. This statistic is used instead of a traditional reliability statistic because it captures the reliability of dichotomous pass/fail decisions rather than the reliability of continuous scores or ability estimates.

Summary data for multiple categories of candidates, U.S. and international, is provided for performance on NCSBN's two nurse licensure examinations, the NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN.

NCSBN and Pearson VUE worked together to allow for the continued testing of NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN candidates on a limited basis, subject to state and local requirements. NCSBN hosted a 30-minute webinar to answer questions educators have about the modified exam and testing procedures in place.  

This webinar will discuss how NCSBN sets the passing standard for the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN examinations. Topics covered will include:

• How the judges are selected;
• What method is used in setting the passing standard; and
• What a standard setting workshop looks like.

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 re-evaluate their respective passing standards triennially. In this session, NCSBN staff will discuss the steps involved in setting NCLEX passing standards.

In addition to developing the NCLEX, the NCSBN Examinations Department provides daily operational, security and customer service support for NCLEX candidates, educators, and Nursing Regulatory Bodies (NRBs). During this session, we will explore the NCLEX registration process, online resources, and exam security measures, highlighting what candidates can expect before, during and after the NCLEX. The session will conclude with a summary of the NCLEX testing accommodation process, including the roles of candidates, NCSBN, Pearson VUE, and NRBs.