NCLEX-RN Exam Overview
What is the NCLEX-RN?
The NCLEX-RN, which stands for the National Council Licensure Examination [for] Registered Nurses (RN), is a computer adaptive test that is required for nursing graduates to successfully pass to be licensed as a Registered Nurse in the US and Canada. In other words, anyone who wants to become a Registered Nurse in either the US or Canada, must pass the NCLEX-RN.
Eligibility & Licensure Requirements are determined by the individual State Board of Nursing where the candidate will practice.
Test Plan (Curriculum)*
Client Need Categories (Subjects)
% Distribution
Management of Care
20%
Pharmacological and Parental Therapies
15%
Physiological Adaptation
14%
Reduction of Risk Potential
12%
Safety and Infection Control
12%
Health Promotion and Maintenance
9%
Psychosocial Integrity
9%
Basic Care and Comfort
9%
*To be updated in April 2023
NCLEX-RN examinations are administrated in a computer adaptive form. Therefore, the length format may vary based on a candidate-specific ability. Due to possible variations in exam lengths, Client Need Categories (Subjects) distributions of the individual exam may differ up to ± 3% in each category.
What’s the difference between
the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN?
The NCLEX-RN is the test to become a licensed Registered Nurse while the NCLEX-PN is the test to become a Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse. While both nurses will work in similar settings, their scope of practice will differ. One difference is that RN’s will assess patients and situations while LPN’s will collect data. For further information, please refer to each Nursing Regulatory Body in the state of licensure for The Nurse Practice Act that outlines the laws and related rules.
What does NGN stand for? What does it mean?
NGN stands for Next Generation NCLEX. The NGN is a planned revision to go in effect April 2023, where 10% of the NCLEX exam will include new, long form question types that will test a nursing graduates clinical reasoning skills.
These new question types will include the below:
-
Extended Multiple Response
-
Extended Drag and Drop
-
Cloze
-
Enhanced Hot Spot
-
Matrix/Grid
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
2020
86.57%
2021
(through the first 3 quarters)
83.75%
*2020 NCLEX Pass Rates and 2021 NCLEX Pass Rates: https://www.ncsbn.org/1237.htm
*Restrictions apply. Visit PrincetonReview.com/legal/guarantee for details.
**The Princeton Review is solely responsible for the Pass or get your money back guarantee. NCSBN has no affiliation to this promotion.
*NCSBN®, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE BOARDS OF NURSING™, LEARNING EXTENSION™ and NCLEX-RN® are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
