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chapter 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE NCLEX-PN

C ongratulations! If you are reading this book, you have graduated or are about to graduate from an accredited licensed practical nurse program and are interested in preparing for the Practical/Vocational Nurses (NCLEX-PN ) examination, which will enable you to become a licensed practical nurse (the term used here for both licensed and vocational practical nurses). One of the most important ways to begin preparing for the NCLEX-PN is to become familiar with the format of the exam, the process of registering for the exam, what to expect on test day, the subjects the exam covers, and so on. This chapter will help you get started. While the information in this chapter is current as of the date of publication, some details may change. For the most recent information, refer to the official National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) NCLEX website, www.ncsbn.org/nclex.

Overview of NCLEX-PN

NCLEX-PN is a computer-based exam that tests the knowledge, skills, and abilities youll need to practice safely and effectively as an entry-level licensed practical nurse (LPN). The test is administered in a computerized adaptive testing (CAT) format, which allows the computer testing program to evaluate your abilities more effectively and efficiently than more traditional approaches to testing. While the procedure the program uses is complex and will adapt to each individuals abilities, the general principle is fairly simple. With each answer you record, the computer reassesses your competencies and continues to ask additional questions until it is virtually certain that your abilities are above or below the level required.

Given the tests adaptability, the number of questions it asksanywhere from 85 to 205 itemsis different for each individual. Of this number, 25 are pretest questions designed to help test producers develop new types of questions; these are not considered in your assessment. The exam is not divided into sections corresponding to content areas, though it is important that you understand what content areas are covered to help you prepare (see What Skills Are Tested). There is a time limit of five hours, no matter what number of questions you are given.

Registering for the Exam

Registration for the NCLEX-PN is a two-part process: applying for licensure with the board of nursing in the state or territory from which you are seeking your license, and registering for the exam with Pearson VUE, which administers the test. It is advisable to start both phases at once, so that both can proceed simultaneously.

You must meet all your nursing boards requirements for taking the NCLEX-PN exam. (For a complete list of the boards of nursing and links to their websites, go to www.ncsbn.org/contactbon.htm.) The nursing board will certify to Pearson VUE that you are eligible to sit for the exam. This results in your Authorization to Test (ATT) letter, which must be shown the day of the exam. The ATT is valid for a time periodfrom 60 to 365 daysdetermined by your board of nursing. This time frame cannot be extended. For this reason, it is important that you schedule your appointment for the exam as soon as possible after receiving your ATT.

Step-by-step, the registration process looks like this, as outlined in the 2012 NCLEX Examination Bulletin:

Submit an application for licensure to the board of nursing where you wish to be licensed.

Meet all the board of nursings eligibility requirements to take the NCLEX .

Register for the NCLEX with Pearson VUE.

Receive Acknowledgement of Receipt of Registration from Pearson VUE.

The Board of Nursing makes you eligible to take the NCLEX .

Receive Authorization to Test (ATT) letter from Pearson VUE.

Schedule your exam with Pearson VUE.

Source: 2013 NCLEX Examination Bulletin, page 2;

available at www.ncsbn.org/2013_NCLEX_Candidate_Bulletin.pdf.

The non-refundable fee to register for the exam is $200. You must also pay fees associated with the licensure application required by your nursing board. The registration is valid for a 365-day period, during which the nursing board will establish your eligibility. If a candidate doesnt meet the boards eligibility requirements within that time period, the registration fee is forfeited.

Failing to appear at the scheduled examination time will also result in the forfeiture of your registration fee and in the invalidation of your ATT, unless you reschedule at least one full business day before your scheduled time. If you dont pass the exam on your first try, you can retest based on a minimum waiting period45 or 90 daysdetermined by your state nursing board.

More specific information about registration and scheduling can be found in the 2013 NCLEX Examination Bulletin,

available at www.ncsbn.org/2013_NCLEX_Candidate_Bulletin.pdf. This document and others found at the NCSBNs website should be checked to confirm details, which may change after the publication of this book.

What to Expect at the Test Center

NCLEX-PN is administered at one of the Pearson Professional Centers (PPCs); there are over 200 of them in the United States with 18 locations outside the United States.

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your test is scheduled to begin. Make sure to bring, in addition to your ATT letter, an acceptable form of personal identification (ID). The only IDs considered acceptable are a U.S. drivers license (Department of Motor Vehicles-issued); U.S. state identification (Department of Motor Vehicles-issued); passport; and U.S. military identification. For test centers outside of the United States, only a passport is acceptable.

In addition to the ID you bring with you, other secure forms of identification will be taken during the check-in process, such as a digital signature and a palm vein scan. For further information on security procedures at the test site, refer to the 2013 NCLEX Examination Bulletin,

available at www.ncsbn.org/ 2013_NCLEX_Candidate_Bulletin.pdf.

During the Test

The test begins with a brief tutorial, during which you are instructed on how to use the computer youre testing on. As you enter the testing room, the test administrator (TA) will give you an erasable note board and a marker to be used for calculations and note taking. You cannot write on the note board until after the tutorial is finished; writing on it before is considered a serious violation and can result in an incident report and your results being placed on hold. If you need another note board during the test, you can raise your hand and ask the TA to provide you with one. The computer youll be testing on also has an onscreen calculator to help answer questions requiring calculations.