This bulletin contains information for all registrations and scheduling ofexamination appointments beginning January 1, 2009. Do not discardbefore receiving your test results.

Additional information is available at www.ncsbn.org.

2009 NCLEX® ExaminationCandidate Bulletin

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THE NCLEX® EXAMINATIONS

Questions About... Answers• Registering to take the NCLEX® examination• Authorization to Test (ATT)• Lost Authorization to Test• Acceptable forms of identification• Comments about the test center

• NCLEX examination development• General NCLEX examination information• Unresolved concerns related to examination

administration

• Name or address changes• Name corrections on your Authorization to Test (ATT)• Licensure• Endorsement• Interpretation of results• Candidate Performance Report

• Scheduling an appointment to test• Rescheduling or unscheduling your testing

appointment

• Examination results

Visit: NCLEX® Candidate Web Site,http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex.

Call: NCLEX Candidate Services (Pearson VUE)

United States – Call at (toll-free) 1.866.49NCLEX(1.866.496.2539), Monday - Friday, 7 am to 7 pm, U.S.Central Time.

Asia Pacific Region – Call NCLEX Candidate Services inKuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at (pay number) +603.8314.9605,M o n d ay - Friday, 8:30 am to 6 pm, Universal Ti m e .

Europe, Middle East, Africa – Call NCLEX CandidateServices, at (pay number) +44.161.855.7445, Monday -Friday 8 am - 6 pm, Central European Time.

India – Call NCLEX Candidate Services at (pay number)91.120.439.7837, Monday-Friday 9 am - 6 pm, IT.

All other countries not listed above – Call (pay number)1.952.681.3815, Monday - Friday, 7 am to 7 pm, Central Time.

Candidates with hearing impairments who use aTelecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) – Call the U.S.A. Relay Service at (toll-free) 1.800.627.3529 or the Canada & International Inbound relay service at (pay number) 605.224.1837. These services are available24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Write: NCLEX Examination ProgramPearson Professional Testing5601 Green Valley DriveBloomington, MN 55437-1099

E-mail: pvamericascustomerservice@pearson.com.

Visit: NCSBN Web site, http://www.ncsbn.org

Write: National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.NCLEX® Examinations Department111 E. Wacker, Suite 2900Chicago, Illinois 60601-4277

Call NCLEX® Examinations Department: 866.293.9600

Fax NCLEX® Examinations Department: 312.279.1036

E-mail: nclexinfo@ncsbn.org

Write or call your board of nursing. Links to all boards ofnursing Web sites and contact information is available onthe NCSBN Web site: www.ncsbn.org; click on the linktitled Boards of Nursing.

Wait until you receive your Authorization to Test (ATT).

Follow directions on pages 7-9 of this bulletin.

Examination results are sent to you by your board of nursing.Wait a minimum of four weeks following your examinationfor your results to arrive in the mail.

JANUARY 2009

Table of ContentsWhat is the NCLEX® Examination? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Registration Process Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Examination Fee and Registration Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Registration Time Limit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2How to Register for the NCLEX® Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Registering on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Registering by Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Registering by Telephone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3No Refunds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Failure to Pay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Workforce Exception Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Procedures for Requesting Special Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Directions for Completing the NCLEX® Examination Registration Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Sample Name Entry on an NCLEX® Registration Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Sample Address Entry on an NCLEX® Registration Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

How to Schedule Your NCLEX® Examination Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Authorization to Test (ATT)…. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Scheduling Your NCLEX Examination Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Group Scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Scheduling Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Candidates Seeking Examinations Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Procedure for Changing Your NCLEX® Examination Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Personal Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Acceptable Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Additional Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Examination Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Test Center Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Grounds for Dismissal or Cancellation of Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Confidentiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Day of the Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Additional Information about the NCLEX® Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

NCLEX® Test Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Client Needs Categories Covered on the NCLEX® Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Scoring the NCLEX® Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Examination Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Abbreviations for States, Territories, and Canadian Provinces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

International Country Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Education Program Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18U.S. and Territories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18International. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

The policies and procedures contained within this Candidate Bulletin are subject to change at any time with or without notice. If you have any questions regardingthese changes contact NCSBN at 1-866-293-9600. Candidate results are not reported during any period of time in which the board of nursing to which a candidate hasapplied for licensure is not a member in good standing of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN).

Copyright © 2009 National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN). All rights reserved.

NCLEX®, NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN® are registered trademarks of NCSBN and may not be used or reproduced without written permission from NCSBN. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other-wise now known or to be invented) without written permission from NCSBN.

Address inquiries in writing to NCSBN Permissions, 111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900, Chicago, IL 60601-4277.

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NCLEX® EXAMINATION CANDIDATE BULLETIN

What is the NCLEX® Examination?In April 1994 nurse licensure candidates began taking theNational Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX®) on acomputer at test centers located across the United States andselect international sites. The change to computerizedadaptive testing (CAT) for the nurse licensure examinationcame about as a result of a decision made in August 1991 bythe National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).The NCLEX® examinations are only provided in a comput-erized adaptive testing format.

The NCLEX examination is designed to test knowledge, skillsand abilities essential to the safe and effective practice ofnursing at the entry level. NCLEX examination results are animportant component used by boards of nursing to makedecisions about licensure. Only boards of nursing can releaseNCLEX examination results to candidates.

The NCLEX examination is given on a computer. You are notexpected to know how to use a computer before you take theexamination. A tutorial will be included as part of the exami-nation. The tutorial will instruct you on the use of the mouseand how to record an answer.

Even after the examination starts, you will be able to requestassistance at any time regarding the operation of the computer.In addition to the traditional four option multiple-choiceitems, the tutorial will include information on how to respondto different types of item formats called alternate items.

Another computer function is the on-screen optional calculator.Again, the application of this calculator will be reviewed in thetutorial prior to the beginning of the examination.

The tutorial can be reviewed any time prior to the examina-tion at www.pearsonvue.com/nclex.

Pearson Professional Testing provides test development andtest administration services for the NCLEX examination.

Registration Process Overview1. Submit an application for licensure to the

board of nursing where you wish to be licensed.2. Meet all of the board of nursing’s eligibility

requirements to take the NCLEX examination.3. Register for the NCLEX Examination

with Pearson VUE.4. Receive Confirmation of Registration from

Pearson VUE.5. The board of nursing makes the candidate

eligible to take the NCLEX.6. Receive Authorization to Test (ATT) from

Pearson VUE.If you choose to provide an e-mail address at the time youregister for the NCLEX examination (whether by mail,telephone, or via the internet), please note that all of yourcorrespondence from Pearson VUE will arrive ONLY by e-mail. If you do not provide an e-mail address when youregister, your correspondence from Pearson VUE willarrive ONLY through U.S. mail.

If more than two weeks have passed after you havesubmitted a registration for an NCLEX examination andreceived confirmation from Pearson VUE, and you havenot received an ATT, please call Pearson VUE at theappropriate number listed on the inside front cover.

Examination Fee and Registration Information FeeThe fee for taking the NCLEX® examination is $200. You may also have to pay other fees for licensure required bythe board of nursing in the jurisdiction in which you areapplying. You must check with your board of nursing to findout about these fees. If you choose to schedule your NCLEXexamination at a test center outside of the United States*, youwill have to pay an international scheduling fee of $150, andwhere applicable, a Value Added Tax (VAT). These fees willbe charged when you schedule your examination appointment.

Registration Time LimitAll NCLEX examination registrations will remain open for a 365-day time period during which a board of nursing may determine the candidate’s eligibility. The time periodbegins when the board of nursing receives the candidate’sregistration from the test service. Once a candidate is madeeligible, he or she must test within the validity dates printedon the Authorization to Test (ATT).

* United States includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.

3

JANUARY 2009

If the board of nursing is unable to make you eligible withinthe 365-day time period, you must wait until your currentregistration expires before re-registering. A candidate may nothave two NCLEX examination registrations (of the same examtype) open at the same time. If you re-register before yourcurrent registration expires, your second registration will beprocessed and denied, and the fee collected is non-refundable.

Candidates who are not made eligible by their board ofnursing within the 365-day time period will forfeit their registrations, including the registration fee. Candidates whowish to take an NCLEX examination will need to re-registerand re-pay the examination fee.

How to Register for the NCLEX® Examination1. Submit an application for licensure to the board of

nursing where you wish to be licensed. Be sure to meetthat board of nursing’s application deadline.

2. Register for the NCLEX examination using one of the following methods.

If you provide an e-mail address when registering for the NCLEX examination, all subsequent correspondencefrom Pearson VUE will arrive ONLY BY E-MAIL. If you donot provide an e-mail address, all your correspondencewill arrive ONLY through the U.S. mail.

Registering on the InternetGo to the NCLEX Candidate Web site(www.pearsonvue.com/nclex) and select one of the followingregistration options:1. Paying by credit card:❏ Answer each question as directed. Use pages 4-7 of this

bulletin as a guide in answering the questions.❏ You must pay for your registration by credit or debit card,

using one of the following: VISA, MasterCard orAmerican Express. Have your credit card ready when you begin your registration.

2. Paying by money order, cashier’s check or certified check:❏ Answer each question as directed. Use pages 4-7 of this

bulletin as a guide in answering the questions.❏ Upon completion follow directions to print

confirmation document.❏ Mail the confirmation document and a certified check,

cashier’s check or money order (made payable to theNational Council of State Boards of Nursing) for $200 inU.S. currency drawn on a bank in the United States. Mail to: NCLEX Operations, PO Box 64950, St. Paul,MN 55164-0950.

❏ Personal checks, cash, foreign currency, stamps, receipts orproofs of payment will not be accepted.

Registering by Mail❏ You must enclose a certified check, cashier’s check, or

money order (made payable to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing) for $200 in U.S. currencydrawn on a bank in the United States with your registra-tion. Use the enclosed envelope to return your registra-tion form and payment. Mail to: NCLEX Operations, PO Box 64950, St. Paul, MN 55164-0950.

❏ Personal checks, cash, foreign currency, stamps, receipts orproofs of payment will not be accepted.

❏ Credit cards cannot be used when registering by mail.

NOTE: Registrations that are not properly completed and/orare not accompanied by the proper payment will be returnedto you and will delay your testing.

Registering by Telephone❏ Call NCLEX Candidate Services at one of the numbers

listed on the inside front cover of this candidate bulletin.❏ Before you call, complete the registration form; the

customer service representative will ask you to provide the information collected on the registration form.

❏ You must pay by using a valid VISA, MasterCard, orAmerican Express credit or debit card.

❏ Have your credit card ready when you make your tele-phone call. You must supply the name shown on the cred-it card, the credit card number, and the expiration date.

❏ Credit cards will be verified before registrations are processed. Delays may be encountered if credit cards cannot be verified.

No RefundsThere will be no refund of registration fees (mail,telephone, or via the internet) for any reason.

If you have not received a confirmation of your registrationwithin one week of submitting your registration form, callNCLEX Candidate Services at one of the telephone numbers listed on the inside front cover of this candidatebulletin to check the status of your registration. Do notsubmit another registration and fee before calling.

If you decide to submit an additional registration, first stop payment on the original payment submitted. If youregister twice for either the NCLEX-RN® or the NCLEX-PN®

examination, both registrations will be processed and both fees collected. However, you will not be allowed to have more than one active registration for the sameexamination.

No registration fees will be refunded, not even feesreceived from duplicate registrations.

There will be no refund of the $150 international scheduling fee or VAT for any reason.

Failure to PayA candidate may not take the NCLEX examination if theregistration fee has been stopped, cancelled, or otherwiserevoked, either by the candidate or a financial institution.If payment is stopped after the candidate takes the examination, NCSBN and the boards of nursing reservethe right to hold and/or revoke the candidate’s result.

Workforce Exception ProgramNursing schools, agencies or employers may register and adminis-tratively pay for the NCLEX examination on behalf of thecandidate. This is considered a Workforce Exception. If yourregistration is accompanied by such a payment, you will not usethe enclosed envelope to return your registration and payment.Please follow the instructions below:

Write ‘Workforce Exception’ on a post-it note (or any note),place it on the $200 check (made payable to NCSBN), andmail both the NCLEX registration form and check to:

NCLEX Workforce ProgramPearson VUE5601 Green Valley Drive, Room 220Bloomington, MN 55437

NOTE: NCSBN and Pearson VUE have established specificguidelines for this provision (Workforce Exception). Failure toadhere to the guidelines will result in the rejection and asignificant delay of the registration.

Procedures for Requesting Special AccommodationsTesting accommodations for otherwise qualified candidatescan be provided only with the authorization of your board of nursing.

❏ Request information from your board of nursing concerning its requirements for requesting testing accommodations. This should be done before submitting your NCLEX examination registration.

❏ Make a request for accommodations to your board of nurs-ing. Your request must comply with requirements estab-lished by your board of nursing for candidates requestingtesting accommodations.

❏ Send your request to your board of nursing as early as possible so that, if approved by the board of nursing, the special accommodations can be made in a timely manner.

Directions for Completing the NCLEX® ExaminationRegistration FormThe registration scan form that is in the envelope enclosedwith this candidate bulletin includes all of the questions thatyou must answer if you register via the internet, by mail or bytelephone. If you submit your registration form by mail, yourregistration form will be read by a computer and must becompleted accurately to ensure timely and efficient processing.

You will be sent a confirmation indicating that your registra-tion was received. Incomplete forms and forms received with-out the correct fee will be returned.

Page 1 of the Registration FormFor any of the three registration methods (internet, mail ortelephone) you will be asked to supply the following information:

Examination FeePlease enter the number of your check or money order in theboxes provided.

1. Examination for Which You Are RegisteringFill in the circle next to the NCLEX examination for whichyou are registering, either Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN® e x a m i-nation) or Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN® e x a m i n a t i o n ) .

Once the registration has been submitted, candidates whowant to change the type of examination requested or theboard of nursing where licensure was requested must contactNCLEX Candidate Services and will be required to pay a$50 change fee.

Once a board of nursing declares you eligible to test, neitherthe board of nursing where licensure was requested nor thetype of examination can be changed.

Your Name2. NameEnter your name exactly as it is printed on the pictureidentification that you will present at the test center.Do not change the spelling and do not change the order ofyour names.

Print your last (family) name, first name, and your middlename in the spaces provided and completely fill in the corre-sponding circles. Print one letter clearly in each box. Leaveblank spaces between each part of your name. If any of yournames are too long to fit in the boxes provided, print as muchas will fit. If you have had a name change, and have beenmade eligible by your board of nursing, you must submit thename change to your board of nursing and request a new ATT

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NCLEX® EXAMINATION CANDIDATE BULLETIN

5

from the NCLEX Call Center. Do not call or write NCLEXCandidate Services with this information.

NOTE: The name on the ATT must match the name onthe identification you will present at the test center.

See page 5 for a sample name entry on an NCLEX registration form.

Page 2 of the Registration Form3. Mother’s Maiden NamePrint your mother’s maiden name and fill in the correspondingcircles. Maiden name is the last (family) name your motherused at birth before marriage. Only the last name is needed,not the full name. Your registration will not be processedwithout this information. If you have questions please contactNCLEX Candidate Services at one of the numbers located onthe inside front cover of this bulletin.

4. Your Date of BirthFill in the circle next to the month in which you were born.Print the day and year in which you were born and completelyfill in the corresponding circles. For birth dates that are lessthan 10, enter zero in the first “day” box (for example, if youwere born on April 2, 1966, you would fill in the circle next to“April” and then enter 02 for the day and 1966 for the year).Incomplete birth dates will delay processing.

5. U.S. Social Security NumberPrint your United States Social Security number, if you haveone, and fill in the corresponding circles. This information isoptional but may be used by the board of nursing to link yourNCLEX examination results to your application for licensure.

6. Ethnic InformationIndicate the appropriate ethnic information by filling in thecorresponding circle. This information is used for statistical purposes only. Your compliance to this question is voluntary.

7. SexIndicate your sex by filling in the corresponding circle. This information is used for statistical purposes only. Yourcompliance to this question is voluntary.

8. Telephone Number (Home/Mobile)Print your home/mobile telephone number and fill in thecorresponding circles. This number will be used if it isnecessary to contact you about your registration.

9. Telephone Number (Work)Print your work telephone number and fill in the corresponding circles. This number will be used if it isnecessary to contact you about your registration.

10. E-Mail AddressIf you have an e-mail address, print it in this space if you wishto receive all of your subsequent correspondence (confir-mation of registration, ATT and confirmation of examinationappointment) from Pearson VUE by e-mail ONLY. If you donot provide an e-mail address, your correspondence fromPearson VUE will arrive ONLY through U.S. mail.

Page 3 of the Registration Form11. Your Maiden NamePrint your maiden name and fill in the corresponding circles.Maiden name is the family name given to you at birth beforemarriage.

JANUARY 2009

Sample Name Entryon an NCLEX®

Registration Form

12. Another Last Name You Have UsedPrint any other last name you have used when registering forthe NCLEX examination or applying for licensure to a boardof nursing. Fill in the corresponding circles. The name youenter must be the name you used immediately prior to thename you currently use.

13. Last Date Other Name Was UsedFill in the circle next to the month. Print and completely fillin the corresponding circles of the year for the last date thatyou used the name entered in number 12.

14. Primary LanguageFill in the circle next to the option that best describes yourlanguage proficiency. This information is used for statistical purposes only.

15. Education Program CodeUsing the list of Education Program Codes beginning on page 18, enter the five-digit code of the program from which you received your nursing education and fill in thecorresponding circles. If educated outside the U.S.*, use the international education codes on page 40.This information is required and must be filled in.

If the name of your program is not on the list or if you are takingthe licensure examination as a result of equivalency, pleasecontact your board of nursing to find the correct code to use.

16. Graduation DateFill in the circle next to the month of your graduation fromyour nursing program. Print the year of your graduation andfill in the corresponding circles. (For example, if yougraduated in June 1997, you would fill in the circle next to“June” and then enter 1997 for the year.)

17. Do You Have CGFNS Certification?Indicate whether or not you have received certification from CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign NursingSchools). A current CGFNS certificate indicates that you have passed the pre-licensure examination that testsnursing knowledge and English skills for graduates of foreignnursing schools.

18. CGFNS Certification NumberIf you have CGFNS certification, print your certificationnumber in the spaces provided and fill in the correspondingcircles. Otherwise leave this section blank and go on toquestion 19.

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Sample AddressEntry on an NCLEX®

Registration Form

NCLEX® EXAMINATION CANDIDATE BULLETIN

* United States includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Page 4 of the Registration Form19. Board of Nursing From Which You Are

Seeking LicensureFill in the circle next to the name of the board of nursingwhere you applied for licensure. This information is requiredand must be filled in. If a board of nursing is not selected,this form will be returned to you.

Once the registration form has been submitted, candidates whowant to change the board of nursing where licensure wasrequested or the type of examination requested must contactNCLEX Candidate Services and will be required to pay a $50 change fee. The board of nursing where licensure wasrequested or the type of examination requested cannot bechanged once that board of nursing declares you eligible to test.

20. Your Current Mailing AddressPrint the street address, city, state, territory or Canadian provincewhere you want your registration and scheduling information tobe mailed. (If you choose to provide an e-mail address, please notethat all of your correspondence from Pearson VUE will arriveO N LY by e-mail. If you do not provide an e-mail address yourcorrespondence will arrive only through U.S. mail.) Fill in thecorresponding circles. To indicate a space in your address, leave ablank box and fill in the corresponding circle. The state, territoryand Canadian province abbreviations are located on page 17. Ifyou live outside of the United States, its territories or Canada,leave the section marked “State, Te r r i t o r y, or Province” blank.

20a. U.S. Zip CodeIf you live in the United States or its territories, print your U.S. zip code and completely fill in the corresponding circles.

20b. Country CodeOnly if your mailing address is outside the United States andits territories, use the International Country Code list on page 17 to complete this item. Print the three-digit countryc ode and completely fill in the corresponding circles. There is no country code for U.S. addresses.

20c. Foreign Postal CodeIf you live outside the U.S., please print your internationalpostal code in this space. All testing at Pearson ProfessionalCenters is subject to U.S. government trade regulations andrestrictions regarding embargoed countries, some of which areapplicable to the provision of testing services in the U.S. andits territories. You must supply an international postal cod ewhen providing your address and make sure that such reference is consistent with the address on your identificationthat you present at the testing center.

SignatureSign (do not print) in pencil or ink your full name and fill in thedate. Before you mail your registration form and examinationfee in the enclosed envelope, make sure that you have signedyour form and checked it for accuracy. Be sure that the propercircles are filled in, that there are no stray marks and that yourform is complete and accurate.

How to Schedule Your NCLEX®

Examination AppointmentAuthorization to Test (ATT)After your board of nursing declares you eligible, you will receive your ATT.

You must have your ATT to schedule an appointment totake the NCLEX® examination and you must present yourATT at the test center on the day of your examination to beadmitted to the examination. You will not be admitted tothe examination without your ATT and will be required tore-register and re-pay to take the examination.

Call NCLEX Candidate Services at one of the telephonenumbers listed on the inside front cover of the CandidateBulletin to report a lost ATT or if it has been two weeks sinceyou registered and have not received your ATT.

The ATT contains your test authorization number, candidateidentification number, and an expiration date. Each ATT isvalid for a period of time specified by the state board ofnursing (varies from 60 days to 365 days; however, the averageis 90 days). Once the board of nursing declares you eligible totest and your ATT is issued, you must test within the validitydates of your ATT. These validity dates cannot be extendedfor any reason. If you do not test within these dates youwill have to re-register and pay again.

Scheduling Your NCLEX® Examination AppointmentWhen scheduling your examination appointment, you shouldplan for a testing session that may last a maximum of six hoursif you are taking the NCLEX-RN® examination, or five hoursfor the NCLEX-PN® examination. Candidates should makeappointments to test as soon as possible after receiving theirATTs even if they do not want to test immediately.

WARNING: Test centers may fill up quickly because of highvolumes and previously scheduled special events. Waiting to callto schedule your testing appointment may significantly limit thedates the center can seat you. Additionally, if you wait until yourATT is close to expiring, Pearson Professional Centers may notbe able to seat you prior to its expiration. If this occurs, you willbe required to re-register and re-pay to take the examination.

You must test within the validity dates of your ATT.As stated previously, these validity dates cannot be extendedfor any reason.

First-time test takers must be offered an appointment within30 days of the call to schedule an appointment, and repeatcandidates must be offered an appointment within 45 days. If you wish, you may decline the appointment offered andschedule later than the 30 or 45 days.

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Group Scheduling Group scheduling (5 or more candidates) must be donethrough the Pearson VUE group scheduling coordinator.For further information please send a fax to the attention ofGroup Scheduling Coordinator at 952-681-3080.

Scheduling ProcedureFollow these procedures to schedule your NCLEX examinationa p p o i n t m e n t .

1. You may take the examination at any approved Pearson Professional Center (PPC). You can find Pearson Professional Center locations and addresses on the NCLEX Candidate Web site (www.pearsonvue.com/nclex). You may schedule an appointment to take your NCLEXexamination at any center. You do not have to take theexamination in the same jurisdiction in which you areseeking licensure.

2. If you choose to schedule your examination at a test centeroutside of the United States*, you will be charged an addi-tional non-refundable scheduling fee of $150. If applicable,a Value Added Tax (VAT) may be charged for this exami-nation. Please be aware that once you have an appoint-ment at a test center outside of the United States*, andyou decide to re-schedule to a test center in the U.S.,American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands orthe US Virgin Islands, you will not receive a refund forthe $150 scheduling fee.

Please also be aware that the list of available test centersoutside of the United States is subject to change withoutprior notice. You will be notified in the event that the testcenter at which you are scheduled to take your examinationbecomes unavailable. You may reschedule the examinationat another available test center. If, under these circum-stances, you choose to reschedule the examination at a testcenter in the United States, your $150 scheduling fee willbe refunded.

3. Examination appointments at test centers in the U.S.,American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands or theU.S. Virgin Islands can be scheduled through the NCLEXCandidate Web site or by calling NCLEX CandidateServices at one of the telephone numbers listed on theinside front cover of this Candidate Bulletin. You canonly schedule an appointment for test centers outside ofthe United States* by telephone through the NCLEXCandidate Services. Walk-ins will not be accepted at testcenters outside of the United States.*

You cannot schedule your examination appointmentuntil you receive the ATT. Have your ATT availablewhen you schedule.

4. If you are using the NCLEX Candidate Web site to schedule, you will be asked to supply your user ID and password, which you will receive with yourAcknowledgement of Receipt of NCLEX® ExaminationRegistration. You also will be asked your preference fordate and time of testing at the Pearson ProfessionalCenter of your choice.

5. If you schedule via the telephone, you will be asked tosupply your name and your ATT number, along with otherinformation to verify your identity. You also will be askedyour preference for date and time of testing at the PearsonProfessional Center of your choice.

6. If your first-choice date or time is unavailable, you will beoffered an alternative as close to your first choice as possible.

7. On the bottom of your ATT, make a note of when and atwhich Pearson Professional Center you have been sched-uled for the examination. Be sure to ask for directions ifyou need them.

8. A confirmation of your appointment will be sent to youfrom Pearson VUE. Verify that all the information is cor-rect. Call or go online to check that your appointment hasbeen scheduled or re-scheduled if you do not receive a confirmation. Contact NCLEX Candidate Services immediately to correct any errors to your appointment.

Candidates Seeking ExaminationAccommodationsTesting accommodations for otherwise qualified candidates will only be provided with the authorization from your board of nursing.

Do not schedule an appointment to take the NCLEXexamination until you have received written confirmationof your accommodations and your ATT indicating“Accommodations Granted.”

Candidates approved for testing with special accommoda-tions must schedule their testing appointment through theN C L E X Accommodations Coordinator by calling N C L E XCandidate Services at one of the telephone numbers listedon the inside front cover of this Candidate Bulletin and asking for the N C L E X Accommodations Coordinator.

Candidates with accommodations may not test as walk-ins.

Please note: Candidates who seek to test with accommo-dations cannot schedule their appointments through theNCLEX Candidate Web site.

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* United States includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Procedure for Changing YourNCLEX® Examination AppointmentIf you need to change your appointment date, time orlocation, you may go to the NCLEX Candidate Web site(www.pearsonvue.com/nclex) or call NCLEX CandidateServices one full business day (24 hours) as described below:

For examinations scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday call at least 24 hours prior to theday and time of your appointment.

For examinations scheduled on Saturday, Sunday, orMonday, call no later than Friday at least 24 hours inadvance of your appointment time.

Candidates with appointments at test centers outside of theUnited States* must call NCLEX Candidate Services to changetheir appointment. Candidates who have appointments at a testcenter outside the U.S. may re-schedule to another test centeroutside the U.S. without forfeiting their $150 scheduling fee. Ifyou choose to re-schedule your examination to a test centerwithin the United States*, you will forfeit your $150 fee.

If you have an appointment at one of the test centers in theUnited States* and choose to re-schedule to a test centeroutside the U.S., you will be charged a non-refundable $150scheduling fee and any applicable Value Added Tax (VAT).

If you are a candidate receiving special accommodations, askfor the NCLEX Accommodations Coordinator in order tochange your appointment.

If you fail to arrive for your examination appointment or failto re-schedule/unschedule without giving the appropriatenotice (as outlined on this page), you will forfeit your exami-nation fee (and scheduling fee if applicable) and your AT Twill be invalidated. You will be required to re-register and re-pay the examination fee of $200. Your failure to take theexamination will be reported to the board of nursing whereyou have applied for licensure.

NOTE: Leaving a message on an answering machine doesnot constitute giving the required notice for re-scheduling orunscheduling your testing appointment. You must either re-schedule or unschedule your appointment on the NCLEXCandidate Web site or by speaking with an agent at NCLEXCandidate Services.

No RefundsThere will be no refund of the $200 examination fee forany reason. This policy also applies to the scheduling fee of$150 and VAT (if applicable). See page 3 for details.

Personal IdentificationBecause of the importance of the NCLEX® examination,several security measures will be enforced during the administration of the examination. Strict candidate identification requirements have been established.

Your NameThe printed name on your identification must match exactly theprinted name on your AT T. If your name with which you haveregistered is different from the name on your identification, youmust bring legal name change documentation with you to thetest center on the day of your test. The only acceptable forms of legal documentation are: marriage licenses, divorce decreesand/or court action legal name change documents. Alldocuments must be in English and must be original documents.Candidates wishing to make a legal name change, addresschange or e-mail address change must contact their board of nursing. This cannot be done at the test center.

Identification RequirementsWhen you arrive at the test center, you will be required topresent one form of acceptable identification from the listbelow. You will also be required to present your valid ATT.You will not be admitted to the examination withoutacceptable identification and your ATT; if either of theserequirements is not met, you will be turned away; if youarrive without these materials, you will be required to re-register and re-pay the examination fee of $200. If you paidthe scheduling fee of $150, that will be forfeited as well.

Acceptable IdentificationThe only acceptable forms of identification in test centersin the United States* are:

• U.S. driver’s license (if expired, a renewal slip mustbe presented in order to be admitted) (Department ofMotor Vehicle-issued)

• U.S. state identification (Department of MotorVehicle-issued)

• passport • U.S. Military Identification

The only identification acceptable in test centers outsideof the United States* is:

• passport

Candidates with identification from a country on the U.S.government’s embargoed countries list will not be admit-ted to test.All identification must be valid and not expired with signature and photograph. All identification must be inEnglish and signed in English.Driver’s or learner’s permits are not acceptable as identification for admittance to the NCLEX examination.Only the identifications listed above will be accepted.

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* United States includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.

Additional PrecautionsAdditional security measures that will be taken at the testcenters include:

o A digital fingerprint, signature and photograph will be takenat the test center and will accompany your examinationresult. Your fingerprint, signature and photograph may be usedto confirm your identity by the board of nursing to which youhave applied for licensure. You cannot be tested without having your fingerprint, signature and photograph taken.

o You will be observed at all times while taking the exami-nation. This process will include direct observation by testcenter staff as well as video and audio recording of yourexamination session.

Examination Security andCandidate RulesTest Center Regulations To ensure that all candidates’ NCLEX® examination resultsare earned under comparable conditions and represent fairand accurate measurement, it is necessary to maintain a stan-dardized testing environment. The following regulations aredesigned to help ensure such an environment.

All candidates must adhere to these regulations:

o No study aids (textbooks, notebooks, classroom notes, etc.)are allowed anywhere in Pearson Professional Centers.

o No papers, books, food, pens, purses, wallets, watches,beepers, cell/mobile phones or any other electronicdevices are allowed in the testing room.

o No cameras, photographic equipment or devices, orweapons (i.e. guns, knives, swords, daggers, etc.) areallowed in the test center.

o No hats, scarves or coats may be worn in the testing room.Religious apparel worn as part of the doctrinal or traditionalobservance of the religious faith practiced by the candidatemay be allowed in the testing room.

o Eating, drinking or use of tobacco is not allowed in thetesting center.

o Scratch paper may not be brought into the testing room.

o Note boards and markers will be provided by the test centerstaff. Note boards may not be removed from the test center.

o Candidates may not leave the testing room without thetest administrator’s permission.

o Candidates must provide a fingerprint each time theyenter and exit the testing room.

o Candidates may not leave the Pearson Professional Centerbuilding during break times.

o Candidates may not access any study aids or seek assis-tance of any third party in answering items (in person,by phone or e-mail) after the start of the exam.

Grounds for Dismissal or Cancellation of ResultsAn examinee who violates the test center regulations or rules,or engages in irregular behavior, misconduct and/or does notfollow the administrator’s warning to discontinue inappropriatebehavior may be dismissed from the test center and your examfee will not be refunded. Additionally, your exam result may bewithheld or cancelled and your licensing board may take otherdisciplinary action such as denial of a license and/or disqualify-ing you from future registrations for licensure. Behaviors thatare considered to constitute irregular behavior or misconductinclude but are not limited to:

o Giving or receiving assistance of any kind.o Using any prohibited aids. Prohibited aids are any devices

or materials that will be helpful in taking the NCLEXexamination. Examples of aids that are prohibited areelectronic devices (i.e. cell/mobile phones, PDAs, handheld computers, etc.), handheld calculators, conversiontables, dictionaries, etc.

o Attempting to take the examination for someone else.o Bringing any NCLEX examination study aids (textbooks,

notebooks, classroom notes, etc.) to the testing center oraccessing or attempting to access such study materials atany time after the start of the examination administration,including, but not limited to, break times.

o Failing to follow testing regulations or the instructions ofthe test administrator.

o Creating a disturbance of any kind.o Copying, reconstructing or removing examination items

and/or responses (in any format) or notes about the exami-nation from the testing room or attempting to do the same.

o Tampering with the operation of the computer or attempting to use it for any function other than taking the examination.

ConfidentialityCandidates should be aware and understand that the disclosureof any examination materials including the nature or contentof examination items, before, during, or after the examinationis a violation of law. Violations of confidentiality and/or candi-dates’ rules can result in criminal prosecution or civil liabilityand/or disciplinary actions by the licensing agency includingthe denial of licensure.

If you are aware of, or have observed an attempt to compro-mise the NCLEX examination process, please report it to theNCLEX Test Security group.

Candidates may report any suspicious behavior in the following ways:

o Call Pearson VUE at 1.866.496.2539o E-mail Pearson VUE at

pvtestsecurity@pearsonvue.comor go to www.pearsonvue.com/contact/security/and complete the form.

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The Day of the ExaminationThe staff members at each Pearson Professional Center followdesignated procedures to ensure that the operation of the testcenter meets NCSBN criteria for standardized testing.

The following are procedures that will be followed when youarrive at the Pearson Professional Center for your NCLEX®

examination appointment.

1. Plan to arrive at the Pearson Professional Center atleast 30 minutes before your scheduled testing time. Ifyou arrive more than 30 minutes after your scheduledappointment, you may be required to forfeit yourNCLEX examination appointment.

If you forfeit your examination appointment you will berequired to re-register and re-pay the examination fee.Your failure to take the examination will be reported tothe board of nursing where you have applied for licensure.

2. Friends, relatives or children who accompany you to thetest center will not be permitted to wait in the test centeror contact you while you are taking the examination.

3. You will be required to present your ATT and a validacceptable ID with your photo and signature in English.

4. You will be asked to provide your signature, and you willhave your fingerprint and photograph taken. Hats, scarvesand coats may not be worn in the testing room or whileyour photograph is being taken.

5. You will be required to leave your personal belongingsoutside the testing room. Secure storage will be provided.Storage space is small, so candidates should plan appropri-ately. Pearson Professional Centers assume no responsibili-ty for candidates’ personal belongings.

Do not take textbooks or notebooks containing NCLEXexamination study materials to the test center as suchitems are considered prohibited testing aids; doing so mayresult in dismissal or cancellation of your testing results.

6. The test administrator (TA) will provide you with an erasablenote board that may be replaced as needed during testing. Yo umay not take your own note boards, scratch paper or writinginstruments to the examination, nor may you remove thenote board from the testing room at any time. Turn in yournote board to the TA after you complete testing.

7. You will have up to six hours to complete the NCLEX-RN® Examination, and five hours to complete theNCLEX-PN® Examination; total examination timeincludes a short tutorial, two preprogrammed optionalbreaks and any unscheduled breaks you may take. Thefirst optional break is offered after two hours of testing.The second optional break is offered after three and one-half hours of testing. The computer will automatically tellyou when these scheduled breaks begin.

All breaks count against testing time.

When you take a break, you must leave the testing room,and you will be required to provide a fingerprint beforeand after your break.

8. The TA will give you a short orientation and then willescort you to a computer terminal. You must remain inyour seat during the examination, except when authorizedto leave by test center staff. You may not change yourcomputer terminal unless a TA directs you to do so.

NOTE: On rare occasions, technical problems may require re-scheduling of a candidate’s examination. If circumstancesarise causing you to wait more than 30 minutes after yourscheduled appointment time, or a restart delay lasts longer than30 minutes, you will be given the choice of continuing to waitor re-scheduling your appointment without an additional fee.

❏ If you choose to wait, you may later change your mind atany time prior to beginning or restarting the examination.

❏ If you choose not to re-schedule, but rather test after adelay, you will have no further recourse and your testingresults will be considered valid.

❏ If you choose to re-schedule your appointment or theproblem causing the delay cannot be resolved, you will beallowed to test at a later date, at no additional charge.

Every attempt will be made to contact candidates if technicalproblems are identified prior to a scheduled appointment.

9. Raise your hand to notify the TA if you:❏ Believe you have a problem with your computer.❏ Need to change note boards.❏ Need to take a break.❏ Need the administrator for any reason.

10. After your examination is finished, you will be asked tocomplete a brief computer-delivered questionnaire aboutyour testing experience.

11. When you have finished the questionnaire, raise yourhand to summon the TA. The TA will collect and inven-tory all note boards. The TA will dismiss you when allrequirements are fulfilled.

12. If you believe there was an irregularity in the administra-tion of your test or the associated test conditions that youbelieve adversely affected the outcome of your examina-tion, you should notify the proctor or TA before you leavethe test center.

1 3 . You may ask the TA for a Confidential Comment Sheet forany narrative information about your testing session youwant to provide to NCSBN, the Pearson ProfessionalCenters or NCLEX Candidate Services.

NOTE: Pearson Professional Centers administer many typesof examinations including some that require essay-typeresponses. Pearson Professional Centers have no control overnoises made by candidates typing during another exami-nation. Typing noise is considered a normal part of thecomputerized testing environment, just as the noise of turningpages is a normal part of the paper-and-pencil testingenvironment. Earplugs are available upon request.

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Questions About Your Testing SessionIf you have questions about your testing session, please contactNCSBN within two weeks of your testing appointment.

Test Security IssuesNCSBN strives to report results that accurately reflect theability of each test taker. Accordingly, our standards and proce-dures for administering tests have two related goals: giving test-takers comparable opportunities to demonstrate their abilitiesand preventing any test-takers from gaining an unfair advantageover others. To promote these objectives, NCSBN reserves theright to cancel or withhold any test results when, in itsjudgment, a testing irregularity occurs; there is an apparentdiscrepancy in, or falsification of, a test-taker’s identification; atest-taker engages in misconduct, irregular behavior, violates thecandidate rules or otherwise breaches his/her ConfidentialityAgreement; or the results are believed to be invalid for anyother reason, notwithstanding the absence of any evidence of ac a n d i d a te’s personal involvement in irregular activities.

Invalid ResultsNCSBN may cancel or withhold a candidate’s results if, inNCSBN's judgment, there is a good faith basis to question thevalidity of the results for any reason, notwithstanding theabsence of any evidence of a candidate’s personalinvolvement in irregular activities. Evidence of invalid resultsmay include, but are not limited to unusual answer patterns orunusual score increases from one exam to another. If acandidate's result is cancelled, revoked or invalidated withouta finding that the candidate engaged in irregular behavior, thecandidate may appeal the decision and/or will be offered afree retest. An appeal is the candidate's exclusive means ofredress with regard to NCSBN's decision to take this action.

Results ReportingFor quality control purposes, every computerized NCLEXexamination is scored twice; once by the computer at the testcenter and then the result is verified after the examinationrecord has been transmitted to Pearson VUE.

Although the examination is scored as the candidate completeseach item, NO RESULTS are released at the test center. In fact,test center staff do not have access to the examination results.Examination results are available ONLY from the boards ofnursing and will be mailed to candidates approximately onemonth after taking the examination. DO NOT CALL yourboard of nursing, NCLEX Candidate Services, the PearsonProfessional Centers or NCSBN for examination results. You can also get your “unofficial” results within two businessdays through our quick results service available on the NCLEXCandidate Web site or by calling 1-900-776-2539. Note: Quick results are not available in all states and there is a fee for this service.

Candidate Performance ReportWhen a candidate fails, the board of nursing sends thecandidate a Candidate Performance Report (CPR). This reportidentifies the performance as failing, provides the number ofitems administered to the candidate, and a summary of thec a n d i d a t e ’s relative strengths and weaknesses based on the testplan. It is hoped that failing candidates can use this informationto help guide their study before retaking the examination.

Retake PolicyCandidates must wait a minimum of 45 or 90 days between eachexamination. The policy of determining the minimum frequencywithin which a candidate may retake the examination is estab-lished by each individual board of nursing and NCSBN.

Additional Information About theNCLEX® ExaminationExamination LengthBoth the NCLEX-RN® and the NCLEX-PN® are variablelength adaptive tests. The NCLEX® examinations are notoffered in paper-and-pencil or oral examination formats. An NCLEX-RN examination can be anywhere from 75 to265 items. Of these items, 15 are pretest items that are notscored. Regardless of the number of items administered, thetime limit for this examination is six hours. An NCLEX-PNexamination can be anywhere from 85 to 205 items. Of theseitems, 25 are pretest items that are not scored. The time limitfor this examination is five hours. It is important to note thatthe time allotted for the examination includes the tutorial,the sample items, all breaks (restroom, stretching, etc.) andthe examination. All breaks are optional.

The length of your examination is determined by your responsesto the items. Once the minimum number of items has beenanswered, testing will stop when the candidate’s ability is deter-mined to be either above or below the passing standard with 95percent certainty. Depending upon the particular pattern ofcorrect and incorrect responses, different candidates will takedifferent numbers of items and therefore use varying amounts oftime. The examination will stop when the maximum number ofitems has been taken or when the time limit has been reached.R e m e m b e r, it is in the candidate’s best interest to maintain areasonable pace of spending only one or two minutes on eachitem. The candidates should select a pace that will permit themto complete the examination within the allotted time shouldthe maximum number of items be administered.

It is important to understand that the length of your examination is not an indication of a pass or fail result. A candidate with a relatively short examination may pass orfail just as a candidate with a long examination may pass orfail. Regardless of the length of the examination, each

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candidate is given an examination that conforms to therespective NCLEX test plan (RN or PN) and has ampleopportunity to demonstrate his or her ability.

The Passing StandardThe NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN are separate examinationsthat reflect different scopes of practice. Accordingly, theseexaminations are scored on separate scales and have separatepassing standards. The NCSBN Board of Directors re-evaluates these standards once every three years. Thecriterion that the Board uses to set the standard is theminimum level of ability required for safe and effective entry-level nursing practice.

To assist the Board of Directors in making this decision, theBoard is provided with information on: (1) the results of astandard setting exercise performed by a panel of experts withthe assistance of professional psychometricians; (2) the historicalrecord of the passing standard with summaries of the candidateperformance associated with those standards; (3) the results of astandard setting survey sent to educators and employers; and (4) information describing the educational readiness of highschool graduates who express an interest in nursing.

Once the passing standard is set, it is imposed uniformly onevery test record according to the procedures laid out in theScoring the NCLEX Examination section on page 15. To passan NCLEX examination, a candidate must perform above thepassing standard. There is no fixed percentage of candidatesthat pass or fail each examination.

Similar ItemsO c c a s i o n a l l y, a candidate may receive an item that seems to bevery similar to an item they received earlier in the examination.This could happen for a variety of reasons. For example, severalitems could be about similar symptoms, diseases, or disorders, yetaddress different phases of the nursing process. Alternatively, apretest (unscored) item could be about content similar to anoperational (scored) item. It is i n c o r r e c t to assume that asecond item, which is similar in content to a previously admin-istered item, is administered because you answered the first itemi n c o r r e c t l y. Always select the answer you believe to be correctfor each item administered. All examinations conform to theirrespective test plan (NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN).

Reviewing Answers and GuessingThe items are presented to you one at a time on a computerscreen. You can view each item as long as you like, but youcannot go back to a previous item once you have selected youranswer and confirmed it by pressing the < N E X T > button. Yo umust answer every item even if you are not sure of the righta n s w e r. The computer will not allow you to go on to the nextitem without answering the one on the screen. If you areunsure of the correct answer, make your best guess and moveon to the next item. After you select an answer to an item,

you do have a chance to think about your answer and changeit as many times as you like. However, once you confirm youranswer and go on to the next item, you will not be allowed togo back to any previous item in the examination.

Answering Alternate Item TypesTo answer some alternate item types, you may need to performadditional tasks in order to complete an item. In multiple responseitems you may need to select one or more responses, but if youchange your mind, you can change your selection by clicking onthe answer you gave (so it will disappear) and selecting anotherbefore you move on to the next item. For e x h i b i t items, additionalinformation is provided by selecting the exhibit item buttonshown on the screen. You should click on this button to get theadditional information to answer the item, but you will not beprevented from answering an item without opening an exhibit.For fill-in-the-blank calculation items you will need to perform amathematical calculation to answer the item. An on-screencalculator is provided if you click on the ‘Calculator’ button.Once you have calculated your answer, type it into the boxprovided. The item tells you how many decimal places should bein your answer. Do not type the unit of measure in the box – itwill always be provided. Drag and drop items require that youmove statements from one column to another, placing them inthe correct order according to the item. Again, as long as you donot move to the next screen you can reorder your responses asmuch as you like. Finally, on hot spot items you will click tomark an area that you want to represent your answer, but if youclick on another area, the first response will disappear and yournew response will be marked. When you are satisfied with youra n s w e r, you can confirm it by pressing the <NEXT> button.

N O T E : Rapid guessing can drastically lower your score. Sometest preparation companies have realized that on certain penciland paper tests, unanswered items are marked as wrong. Toimprove the candidate’s score when they are running out oftime, these companies sometimes advocate rapid guessing(perhaps without even reading the item) in the hope that thecandidate will get at least a few items correct. On any adaptivetest, this can be disastrous. It has the effect of giving thecandidate easier items, which they also get wrong. The bestadvice is to: (1) maintain a reasonable pace, and (2) carefullyread and consider each item before answering.

NCLEX® Test PlansThe 2007 NCLEX-RN® and the 2008 NCLEX-PN® Test Plansare documents that describe the scope and content of theexaminations.

Obtaining the Detailed NCLEX® Test PlanA candidate version of the NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN®

Detailed Test Plans can be downloaded at no cost by accessingthe NCSBN Web site at: w w w. n c s b n . o r g.

JANUARY 2009

Test ContentThe practice of nursing requires knowledge of the health needsof clients as well as an understanding of integrated processesfundamental to nursing practice. Client Needs are used as theframework for both RN and PN test plans. NCLEX-RN andNCLEX-PN examinations may include items written at variouscognitive levels.1,2 The majority of items are written at theapplication or higher levels of cognitive ability. In general, ifthe age or age category of the client is not stated in an item, itcan be understood that the client is an adult. The percentagesof items relating to the various aspects of the test plan arepresented in the tables below.

Developing the ExaminationSteps in the development of the NCLEX® examination areoutlined below.

1. To determine the basis for safe and effective entry-levelnursing practice, NCSBN conducts a practice analysis of entrylevel nurses every three years. The legal scope of nursing prac-tice and results of the practice analysis are used to develop anNCLEX test plan. Test plans, which outline the content cate-gories and percentage of test items allocated to the categories,reflect the job-related knowledge, skills and abilities requiredfor safe and effective entry-level job performance.

2. Item writers are practicing nurses who write items that testentry-level nursing practice for the RN or PN examination.

3. A second expert panel of practicing nurses then reviewsthe newly-written items. The second review is to ensure thateach item reflects current entry-level nursing practice as wellas the correct answer (one for multiple choice items, but maybe more than one in multiple response items).

4. All items used in an examination have been pretested andare shown to have met NCSBN statistical criteria before beingused as operational (scored) items.

DefinitionsFor NCLEX-RN, Client = individual, family or group.

For NCLEX-PN, Client = individual, family or significant other.

Nursing Diagnosis = A classification of client needs and/orproblems according to presumed natural relationships; e.g., use of North American Nursing Diagnoses Association(NANDA) Definitions and Classifications.

Prescription = Orders, interventions, remedies or treatmentsordered or directed by an authorized health care provider.

E x h i b i t = Denotes a client chart or medical record type of item.The item stem and response options are the standard multiplechoice. Additional information available behind tabs listed onthe screen. Click on a tab to review the additional information.

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Percentage of Items From Each Category/

NCLEX-RN Client Needs Subcategory

Safe Effective Care Environment■ Management of Care 13-19%■ Safety and Infection Control 8-14%

Health Promotion and Maintenance 6-12%

Psychosocial Integrity 6-12%

Physiological Integrity■ Basic Care and Comfort 6-12%■ Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies 13-19%■ Reduction of Risk Potential 13-19%■ Physiological Adaptation 11-17%

Percentage of Items From Each Category/

NCLEX-PN Client Needs Subcategory

Safe and Effective Care Environment■ Coordinated Care 12-18%■ Safety and Infection Control 8-14%

Health Promotion and Maintenance 7-13%

Psychosocial Integrity 8-14%

Physiological Integrity■ Basic Care and Comfort 11-17%■ Pharmacological Therapies 9-15%■ Reduction of Risk Potential 10-16%■ Physiological Adaptation 11-17%

For the 2008 NCLEX-PN® Test Plan For the 2007 NCLEX-RN® Test Plan

Client Needs Categories Covered on the NCLEX® ExaminationsFour major “Client Needs” categories organize the content of the 2007 NCLEX-RN® and the 2008 NCLEX-PN® Test Plans.In the 2007 NCLEX-RN® and the 2008 NCLEX-PN® Test Plans, two of the categories are divided into a total of six subcate-gories. “Health Promotion and Maintenance” and “Psychosocial Integrity” do not have subcategories. The following processesare integrated into all “Client Needs” categories of the 2007 NCLEX-RN® Test Plan: Caring, Communication andDocumentation, Nursing Process, and Teaching and Learning. For the 2008 NCLEX-PN® Test Plan, the integrated processes are:Clinical Problem Solving Process (Nursing Process), Caring, Communication and Documentation, and Teaching and Learning.

1Bloom, B.S. (ed). (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification ofEducational Goals, Handbook 1. Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co, Inc.

2Anderson, L.W., Krathwohl, D.R. (eds).(2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, andassessing. A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: AddisonWesley Longman, Inc.

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JANUARY 2009

Scoring the NCLEX® ExaminationComputerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)The NCLEX® examination is different than a traditional“pencil-and-paper” examination. Ty p i c a l l y, pencil-and-paperexaminations administer the same items to every candidate,thus ensuring that the difficulty of the examination is the sameacross the board. Because the difficulty of the examination isconstant, the percentage correct is the indicator of thec a n d i d a t e ’s ability. One disadvantage of this approach is that itis inefficient. It requires the high ability candidates to answerall the easy items on the examination. Obviously, asking highability candidates easy items provides very little informationabout their ability. Another disadvantage is that guessing canartificially inflate the scores of low ability candidates. Thishappens because low ability candidates will be given somedifficult items. In the case of multiple-choice items, candidatescan answer these items correctly 25 percent of the time forreasons that have nothing to do with their ability (there areonly four choices). Instead, the NCLEX examination usesComputerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) to administer theitems. CAT is able to produce test results that are more stableusing fewer items by targeting items to the candidate’s ability.Although everyone’s first item is relatively easy, subsequentitems are better targeted. This is accomplished by re-estimatingthe candidate’s ability every time an item is answered. Usingthe candidate’s most current ability estimate, the computersearches the item bank for an item that has a degree of diffi-culty that is approximately equal to that ability estimate. As aresult, the candidate should have a 50-50 chance of answeringthis item correctly. After the candidate answers this item, thecomputer re-estimates the candidate’s ability and selects thenext item using the same procedures.

This process continues until it is clear (with 95 percentcertainty) that the candidate’s ability is above or below thepassing standard. Be aware that both passers and failers tendto answer approximately 50 percent of the items correctly.This is because the computer presents all candidates withitems that are matched to their ability.

The candidate’s ability estimate is based upon both thepercentage of items answered correctly (approximately 50 percent in most cases) and the difficulty of the items thatwere administered. Imagine the items lined up, from easiest tomost difficult. If we asked candidates the easiest items, theywould answer most of them correctly. If we asked them themost difficult items, they would probably answer most ofthem incorrectly. Somewhere between those two extremes is apoint at which the candidate goes from getting more answersright than wrong. This is the point at which each candidateanswers 50 percent correctly. Items harder than that wouldprobably be answered incorrectly; items easier than thatwould probably be answered correctly. CAT procedures permitthat point to be found for each candidate without having toask all the items in the extremes.

Pretest ItemsOf course for CAT to work, the difficulty of each item mustbe known in advance. The degree of difficulty is determinedby administering the items as pretest items to a large sampleof NCLEX candidates. Because the difficulty of these pretestitems is not known in advance, these items are not includedwhen estimating the candidate’s ability or making pass-faildecisions. When enough responses are collected, the pretestitems are statistically analyzed and calibrated. If the pretestitems meet the NCLEX statistical standards, they can beadministered in future examinations as scored items. Thereare 15 pretest items on every NCLEX-RN® examination and25 on every NCLEX-PN® examination. It is impossible todistinguish operational items from pretest items, so do yourbest on every item.

Additional ConstraintsIn addition to targeting items to the candidate’s ability, thecomputer implements two additional constraints. First, itprevents a candidate from receiving for a second time any itemthat they have seen within the last year (on a previousattempt). Second, it ensures that the items administered to thecandidate meet the test plan specifications with regard to theproportion of items that must be from the different test plancategories. Every test must meet the test plan specifications.

Passing and FailingAs mentioned earlier, to pass the NCLEX examination, thec a n d i d a t e ’s performance on the examination must be abovethe passing standard. Ideally, NCSBN wants to be at least 95 percent certain of pass-fail decisions. Therefore, after theminimum number of items has been answered, the computerwill stop when it is 95 percent certain that the candidate’sability is above or below the passing standard. If they areabove the standard, they pass; if they are below the standard,they fail. Candidates with very high or very low abilities tendto receive minimum length tests.

However, some candidates will have a true ability that is soclose to the passing standard that even 1,000 items would not be enough to arrive at a decision with 95 percent confi-dence. It would also be impractical to administer 1,000 items.Therefore, a maximum number of items has been established(see Examination Length) for each type of examination.When candidates answer the maximum number of items,their ability estimates are rather precise, but not preciseenough to make a decision with 95 percent certainty. Becausethe precision is quite good in these cases the 95 percentcertainty requirement is waived. If their ability estimate isabove the passing standard, they pass; if it is at or below thepassing standard, they fail.

If the examination ends because time runs out, it means thatthe candidate has not demonstrated with 95 percent certaintythat they are clearly above or below the passing standard, nor

has the candidate answered the maximum number of items.Because the primary mission of boards of nursing is to protectthe public, it can be argued that candidates should not passwhen they have not demonstrated that they are competent.However, the response patterns for some of these people haveindicated that there are candidates that appeared to have a“true ability” that is above passing and who have beenperforming consistently above the passing standard. Amechanism is provided for these candidates to pass. The keyword here is “consistently.” If a candidate’s performance hasbeen consistently above the passing standard, then he or shewill pass, despite having run out of time.

Scoring ItemsThe majority of NCLEX examination items are multiple-choice, but there are other formats as well. All item types arescored as either right or wrong. There is no “partial credit.”

Examination ItemsDuring the administration of the NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN® examinations, candidates will be required torespond to items in a variety of formats. The majority of theitems are multiple-choice, but there are other formats. Allitem formats may include charts, tables, or graphic images.

For more information, please access:

1) the NCSBN Web site at www.ncsbn.org to review theInformation about Alternate Item Formats and

2) the Pearson VUE Web site at www.pearsonvue.com/nclexto review the Candidate Tutorial.

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