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There are two forms of the NCLEX or the National Council Licensure Examination, the NCLEX PN and the NCLEX RN. Each is designed differently for RN’s or registered nurses and PN’s or practical nurses (though the NCLEX PN is also for VN’s or vocational nurses). Even if these are different exams, the format is the same. Both exams are taken using a computer and can vary in length. How long it takes for examinant to finish an exam depends on how they respond to the questions found within the test. Testing length and the questions found in the test is different on a person-to-person basis. Once the examinee has answered the minimum number of questions. The exam results are then evaluated to pass or fail. The checking mechanism can determine result with a certainty of 95%. The NCLEX PN can take five hours to complete and the NCLEX RN exam can take up six hours to complete. Although this time allotted includes any breaks and pre-exam preparation or instruction that the examinee might need. The questions in the test also vary in number. The NCLEX RN test questions range from 75 to 265. NCLEX PN tests meanwhile have between 85 to 205 questions. Each exam has pretest questions, which are not recorded in the final score. The NCLEX RN exam has 15 pretest questions while the NCLEX PN exam has 25.

 

In the test, examinees are to answer all the questions presented in the test. In the event that they do not know the answer, examinees are told to make a good guess. Though the types of question can vary in the exam, the majority of the test is presented in a multiple-choice format. The exam itself can be quite difficult however there are many institutions that can provide NCLEX Practice in the form of NCLEX practice questions. One such institution is the Kaplan nursing program.


Both of the NCLEX exams categories are based on the four major needs of clients, with sub-categories. The NCLEX PN exam, the categories are safe and effective care environment, whose sub-categories are coordinated care and safety and infection control. Health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity whose sub-categories are basic care and comfort, pharmacological therapies, reduction of risk potential and physiological adaptations.

 

The NCLEX RN has different categories as well. The client needs categories on the NCLEX RN test are safe and effective care whose sub-categories are management of care and safety and infection control. Health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity, whose sub-categories are basic care and comfort, pharmacological and parenteral therapies, reduction of risk potential, and physiological adaptations.

 

Though there are many categories that need to be prepared for, prospective examinees can go to higher education centers with a nursing program such as Kaplan nursing. These programs can give NCLEX practice to examinees that would want to prepare. The NCLEX practice questions in these practices are a good representation of questions that can be found in the NCLEX.

NCLEX Practice Test Review

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