Next Gen NCLEX Demystified: What's Tested?

There are many rumors and myths about the NCLEX, including that the test is a secret, questions are based on textbook material, or that you'll be tested on every little detail from nursing school. However, none of these are accurate. The NCLEX is based on real-world nursing practice and is designed to test your ability to provide safe entry-level care within your first year of practice.

The NCLEX Test Plan

The NCLEX Test Plan is a comprehensive outline of the content and skills that will be tested on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). It includes the categories of client needs and the specific topics within each category that will be tested.

The categories of client needs include:

• Safe and Effective Care Environment
• Health Promotion and Maintenance
• Psychosocial Integrity
• Physiological Integrity

These categories cover a wide range of nursing topics, including infection control, patient communication, pharmacology, and emergency procedures. The NCLEX Test Plan is reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that it reflects current nursing practices and the needs of the healthcare industry.

Additionally, the NCLEX Test Plan provides the framework for the computerized adaptive testing (CAT) system used for the NCLEX examination. The CAT system uses algorithms to select questions for the individual test taker based on their responses to previous questions. This means that the examination will be unique for each test taker, providing a customized and fair assessment of their knowledge and skills.