The NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) is a standardized examination designed to test knowledge, skills, and abilities deemed essential for entry level nursing practice. Graduates of the BSN and ABSN program options must take this exam in order to practice as a registered nurse. The NCLEX-RN exam is administered by state boards of nursing, as well as boards in the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These boards have a mandate to protect the public from unsafe and ineffective nursing care, and each board has been given responsibility to regulate the practice of nursing in its respective state. The NCLEX is also referred to as "The Boards" or "State Boards."
Graduates of the Nursing program must pass the NCLEX in order to practice as a registered nurse.
Links
Frequently Asked Questions about NCLEX-RN
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) provides information on licensure, testing, and the field of nursing in general, as well as links to state boards of nursing.
The NC Board of Nursing provides information on licensure, practice, education, discipline, legislation, and compliance in the state of North Carolina.
Social Media
The NCSBN Examinations department created official Facebook and Twitter pages to give the public information they need about the NCLEX, National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) and Medication Aide Certification Examination (MACE). Facebook and Twitter users can become fans of the Facebook pages and follow NCLEXInfo on Twitter to find current information about the examinations, updates and direct links to the Examinations websites.
Facebook: NCSBN NCLEX-RN & NCLEX-PN Examinations, NCSBN NNAAP & MACE Examinations
Twitter: NCLEXInfo
NCLEX Review and Preparation
NCLEX REVIEW RESOURCES
Here are some current review materials to help you prepare for NCLEX. An NCLEX review book is a helpful tool to have throughout the curriculum as it provides additional practice with multiple choice test items.
Tips for Buying NCLEX Review Materials
Review Courses
The Academic Counselors strongly recommend that all students take some type of NCLEX review course. The following are the best-known courses and ones that our students have used in the past with very good success.
Comprehensive Live Review
This 3-4 day course provides review for all essential content areas and includes testing strategies, critical thinking exercises, and Q & A practice with over 500 new online questions available.
Virtual ATI
ATI offers a web-based NCLEX review program in which students can utilize their current ATI products (review modules and on-line practice exams) along with individualized assistance and guidance from an experienced ATI instructor. The instructor assists students to develop and follow a detailed timeline for NCLEX preparation. Students have access to an additional 500 online practice questions.
Classroom or online NCLEX-RN review courses are available through Kaplan. Information on classes and on-line review are available through the Kaplan nursing website or the Chapel Hill Kaplan office (phone: 919-960-4600).
Hurst offers live review courses lasting four days as well as online review courses.
NCSBN offers an online self-paced NCLEX review course through the NCSBN Learning Extension. The course provides content review, practice questions, online review exercises, and instructor feedback through discussion boards and email. Students subscribe for a specific period of time ranging from 3 weeks to 15 weeks. The cost varies with the enrollment period.
