NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination - Practical Nurse)

NCLEX-PN stands for National Council Licensure Examination – Practical Nurse.

All US state and territorial boards of nursing require a passing result on the exam for licensure as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN).

To create this guide, we’ve collected information from some of our amazing Nurse Career Promotion instructors and a few recent graduates who passed the exam. This information will provide the background information you need, along with some tips on how to prepare for the NCLEX-PN.

Let’s get into it.

The NCLEX-PN is a test that measures your knowledge and expertise of the essential skills that are required to safely enter the field of practical nursing. The exam is updated every three years to ensure it is current with the latest techniques and practices in the nursing profession and the medical world.

Steps to register for NCLEX-PN exam

The official steps to register for the NCLEX-PN exam are as follows:

Step 1:
Submit an application for licensure/registration to the nursing regulatory body (NRB) where you wish to be licensed/registered.

Step 2:
Meet all of the NRB’s eligibility requirements to take the NCLEX exam.

Step 3:
Register for the NCLEX with Pearson VUE.

Step 4:
Receive NCLEX Registration Acknowledgement email from Pearson VUE.

Step 5:
Confirm NRB eligibility in the Pearson VUE system.

Step 6:
Receive Authorization to Test (ATT) email from Pearson VUE.

Step 7:
Schedule your exam with Pearson VUE.

What Types of Questions Are on the NCLEX-PN Exam?

1. Safe Effective Care Environment

Coordination of Care

Safety and Infection Control

2. Health Promotion and Maintenance

3. Psychosocial Integrity

4. Physiological Integrity

Basic Care and Comfort

Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

Reduction of Risk Potential

Physiological Adaptation

How Many Questions Are on the NCLEX-PN Exam?

The NCLEX-PN exam is a computer adaptive test (CAT) that can consist of anywhere between 85 to 205 questions.

Regardless of how many questions you answer, you will be given 25 “experimental” questions that will not count towards your score.
These questions are used to create questions for future editions of this exam. You cannot tell which questions are these experimental questions, so you need to treat every question with the same focus.

The variability in test length can seem odd, especially when compared with the tests you’ve taken to complete your practical nurse coursework. A CAT is different for every test taker.

The test uses an algorithm to continually track your answers. It starts with a relatively easy question. If you answer that correctly, the computer selects a slightly more difficult question. If you missed the first question, a slightly easier question is given. This give and take proceeds through the test, and this allows the computer to determine your level of competence.

The better you perform, the fewer the questions you’ll be required to complete to pass the exam. The minimum number of questions you could answer to pass the NCLEX-PN is 85 questions. The average number of questions given is 112.

How Long Is the NCLEX-PN Exam?

You are allotted a total of 5 hours to complete the NCLEX-PN exam, regardless of the number of questions you’re given.

Prior to the exam, you’ll watch a short instructional video.

During the exam you will be given two optional breaks:

1. One break is available 2 hours into the exam.

2. A second break can be taken after 3.5 hours into the exam.

The test will automatically stop on its own once you’ve answered the minimum number of questions required to pass the NCLEX-PN exam.

How Much Does the NCLEX-PN Cost?

It costs $200 to take the NCLEX-PN exam.

There may be additional licensure fees that are determined by the individual State Boards of Nursing. You can pay this fee online or over the phone using a credit, debit, or prepaid card.

How is NCLEX – PN different from NCLEX – RN?

Both RNs and PNs must have the same basic understanding of nursing practice and knowledge. Both tests include similar topics, such as health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity and a safe, effective care environment. The emphasis on each section may be different, however, as RNs and LPNs have different responsibilities depending on their scope of practice.

The LPN must work under the supervision of an RN or physician, for instance. In the safe, effective care component, for example, 17 to 23 percent of the NCLEX-RN items focus on management of care.

In the same area, the NCLEX-PN focus is on coordination rather than management of care, and 13 to 19 percent of the test items are on that topic.

The requirements of NCLEX exams varies according to the scope of practice for RNs and LPNs. RNs manage total parenteral nutrition and administer blood and blood products, so the NCLEX-RN contains questions about both of those topics.

The NCLEX-PN, however, does not. Both RNs and LPNs provide assistance in daily living activities, however, and the content in both NCLEX exams covers topics such as personal hygiene, nutrition and promoting rest and sleep.

In some cases, a question will be exactly the same on both exams, as RNs and LPN would be expected to perform the same way. Chest compressions in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, for example, are the same no matter who is performing them.

Click here to learn more about NCLEX – RN.