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Career Development Denise Alexander
Pursuing a degree in nursing can feel like setting sail on an amazing journey. Filled with both challenges and triumphs, you can quickly find yourself in uncharted waters, where exciting and rewarding endeavors await. But as we know, educational journeys are not always smooth sailing. Even the strongest ships encounter challenging storms, and for nursing students, one significant challenge in front of them is preparing for and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) exam.
Just as storms test the resilience of ships, the NCLEX exam assesses the strength and endurance of future nurses. The exam requires a thorough understanding of healthcare concepts learned in the classroom while testing students on their ability to apply them to real-world scenarios. Because this test can help determine your readiness in the field, proper preparedness is essential.
To prepare for this test, nursing students must equip themselves with the knowledge, strategies and resilience needed to not just pass the NCLEX but emerge strong and more capable because of the work they put into readying for it.
The NCLEX comes in two distinct forms: NCLEX-RN for registered nursing candidates and NCLEX-PN for practical nursing candidates. While they share a common foundational assessment, they differ in their testing focus. The RN exam focuses on care management and advanced practice, while the PN exam puts greater importance on care coordination.
The NCLEX involves a variable question format, adapting to the test takers' performance. As a test taker progresses through the exam, the computerized adaptive testing (CAT) system adjusts the level of difficulty, ensuring that the questions become more or less challenging depending on the accuracy of previous responses. The RN exam is comprised of 74-145 questions, including 15 pre-test questions. While the PN exam consists of 85-205 questions, including 25 non-scored questions, both within a five-hour time limit. Please note that this is subject to change.
The adaptive nature of the NCLEX exam makes it a unique challenge. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions, select-all-that-apply, fill-in-the-blank and hotspot items. Hotspot items are interactive questions where test takers identify specific areas on an image or graphic, adding a layer of complexity to the test. Each question is an opportunity to confidently demonstrate knowledge and critical thinking skills in real-world nursing scenarios.
Because the difficulty of questions fluctuates throughout the exam, time management is critical during the NCLEX. With a maximum of six hours to complete the exam, pacing is essential. Striking a balance between thoroughness and efficiency is the key to success.
To conquer the NCLEX, candidates must prioritize specific content areas. The exam is divided into four major categories, each with subtopics and each requiring a specific study approach. The categories include:
With a fuller understanding of the exam itself, here are actionable steps you can take to be as prepared as possible when your turn arrives:
With the right preparation and attitude, you are more than capable of flourishing in the NCLEX exam, and for the rest of your nursing career. Herzing University is here for you every step of the way, from the time you enroll, long after graduation. Remember, the journey to becoming a nurse is challenging, but with dedication and the right approach, success is within reach. You’ve got this!
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
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