1.5 Nursing Education and the NCLEX
Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN)
Now that we have discussed various settings where nurses work and various nursing roles, let’s review levels of nursing education and the national licensure exam (NCLEX).
Nursing Education and the NCLEX
Everyone who wants to become a nurse has a story to tell about why they want to enter the nursing profession. What is your story? Perhaps it has been a lifelong dream to become a Life Flight nurse, or maybe you became interested after watching a nurse help you or a family member through the birth of a baby, heal from a challenging illness, or assist a loved one at the end of life. Whatever the reason, everyone who wants to become a nurse must do two things: graduate from a state-approved nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Exam (known as the NCLEX).
Nursing Programs
There are several types of nursing programs you can attend to become a nurse. If your goal is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse/Vocational Nurse (LPN/VN), you must successfully complete a one-year nursing program, pass the NCLEX-PN exam, and apply to your state Board of Nursing to receive an LPN license.
If you want to become a Registered Nurse (RN), you can obtain either a two-year associate degree (ADN) or a four-year baccalaureate of science in nursing degree (BSN). Associate degree nursing graduates often enroll into a baccalaureate or higher degree program after they graduate. Many hospitals hire ADN nurses on a condition they complete their BSN within a specific time frame. A BSN is required for military nursing, case management, public health nursing, and school-based nursing services. Another lesser-known option to become an RN is to complete a three-year hospital-based diploma program, which was historically the most common way to become a nurse. After completing a diploma program, associate degree, or baccalaureate degree, nursing graduates must successfully pass the NCLEX-RN to apply for a registered nursing license from their state’s Board of Nursing.
NCLEX
Nursing graduates must successfully pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to receive a nursing license. Registered nurses must successfully pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) must pass the NCLEX-PN exam.
The NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN are online, adaptive tests taken at a specialized testing center. The NCLEX tests knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to the safe and effective practice of nursing at the entry level. NCLEX exams are continually reviewed and updated based on surveys of newly graduated nurses every three years.
Both the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN are variable length tests that adapt as you answer the test items. The NCLEX-RN examination can be anywhere from 75 to 265 items, depending on how quickly you are able to demonstrate your proficiency. Of these items, 15 are unscored test items. The time limit for this examination is six hour