Resource Center

The NCLEX, a pivotal tool in our profession, is designed to evaluate the fundamental knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for safe, effective nursing at the entry level. At the heart of this endeavor is a shared understanding of entry-level nurses' evolving characteristics and attributes. As the practice of entry-level nursing continues to evolve, it is crucial to grasp the prevalence of entry-level nurse characteristics and practice behaviors, as well as their duration. This essential exploration supports the attainment of an appropriate match with the exam and examinee. The session will discuss the study conducted to and assess the duration of entry-level nurse characteristics and thus define the nursing entry-level period.

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. 

Fact sheets provide volume and pass rate data for both U.S. and international candidates. Information is provided for performance on NCSBN's two nurse licensure examinations, the NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN. 

As nursing practice evolves, periodic reviews of the NCLEX passing standard are part of the test validation efforts in aligning the NCLEX passing standard with the current entry-level scope of nursing practice. This webinar will provide an overview of what standard setting is and our current practice in setting the NCLEX passing standard. The Examinations Measurement and Testing team will present the webinar.

• An Analysis of Nursing Program Self-Study Reports at the Texas Board of Nursing
• Transitioning to Competency-Based Nursing Education
• Q&A: State’s Curriculum Requirements for Nurse Licensure
• Empowering Nurse Educators: Unleashing the Power of Next Generation NCLEX
• Practice Experiences in Entry-Level Post-Licensure Nursing Programs
• Fraud Detection: Guidance for Employers and Educators
• The NCSBN Regulatory Scholars Program: Developing Future Educators and Regulators

Entry-level nurses face a myriad of challenges, from navigating increased care complexities to serving an aging client population. The persistent knowledge-to-practice gap further complicates their role. In this context, the entry-level nurses’ lack of confidence and client experience can lead to practice errors. This session will shed light on these challenges and the crucial role of effective clinical judgment in delivering safe nursing care.

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 will describe 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 will discuss 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 will cover general information about using the Partial Credit Model to convert the item scores onto the NCLEX scale.

This session focuses on recent research projects related to clinical judgment.