NCLEX-RN Process

1. NCLEX-RN Process NUR 420 Professor Brenda Rowe

2. General Information • www.ncsbn.org • www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/rn • http://faculty.mercer.edu/hodges_hf • www.pearsonvue.com/nclex

3. Application Process • Apply for licensure with Board of Nursing ($40 for GA) • Register for NCLEX-RN ($200) (if provide email all communication will be by email): May register online, mail, or telephone • Georgia Board requests that both applications be submitted at approximately same time • Get Board of Nursing approval • Receive ATT: Name on ATT must match ID

4. Accommodations • Different application • Need to apply now

5. New NCLEX-RN Blueprint • Effective April 2007 • Based on 2005 Practice Analysis • Passing standard raised

6. Changes (Implemented April 2007) • Percentage for Client Needs Categories stayed the same from 2004. • Safe Effective Care Environment 13-19% • Health Promotion 6-12% • Psychological Integrity 6-12% • Physiological Integrity • Basic Care & Comfort 6-12% • Pharmacological & Parenteral 13-19% • Reduction in Risk Potential 13-19% • Physiological Adaptation 11-17%

7. Pharmacology • Increased pharmacology questions in 2004 • Will tell you trade/generic • Know the expected outcomes of meds

8. Changes from 2004 • In 2004 more questions at the application and/or analysis level

9. Changes from 2004-2007 • Safe and Effective Care • Management of Care 13-19 % • Added Information Security & Information Technology • Safety and Infection Control 8- 14% • Added Ergonomic Principles

10. Passing Rate for BSN graduates, First Time US Educated • 2008 89.4% • Passage rate for all programs 88.2%

11. What is CAT? • First item is relatively easy • Subsequent items better target test taker • Computer re-estimates the test taker’s ability every time an item is answered. • Test taker should have a 50-50 chance of answering the item correctly. • “Be aware that both passers and failers tend to answer approximately 50% of items correctly.” • Key is the difficulty of the questions

12. How score is determined Candidate passes or fails when have 95% certainty that candidate’s ability is above or below the standard

13. Testing Security • Digital fingerprint, signature and photo will be taken at test center • Will be observed at all times • Can take nothing into testing room • Must provide a fingerprint each time enter and exit the testing room.

14. General Information • Two preprogrammed optional breaks: first after 2 hours of testing, breaks included in time, may take additional breaks • 265 questions; 6 hours • Re-test in GA – must wait 90 days • National retesting time is 45-90 days

15. Personal Preparation • Know thyself • Get your planner and make a plan • After you make your appointment • Drive to the testing site. • Go in the building. Find the office suite • Sleep/eat • Drive safely • Wear comfortable clothing ( although it says no jackets can wear a sweater and have t-shirt under so can be comfortable)

16. Personal Preparation • When you arrive will get a number…they’ll call you to take the test • Need one form of acceptable ID (i.e. driver’s license) • Need your ATT • May not want to go with someone…pressure to finish same time

17. Test Taking Strategies • Read each question carefully • What is the question asking? • Look for operative words • No penalty for an educated guess except better to run out of time than do “rapid guessing” • Be POSITIVE • Focus • Deep Breathing • Use ear plugs if noise distracts you – they will provide

18. Tips from Former Students • Do not wait for a long time (Research has demonstrated that the longer a graduate waits the probability of failure increases) • Take as many practice questions as possible (thousands & thousands)!! • Use mental rehearsal • Think about what works for YOU!!!

19. Online Survey • Tell students that no one came away from NCLEX thinking they passed. • Make sure that you take time with each question. • More emphasis on the seriousness of this test. Encourage and emphasize either taking some kind of review class or intensive self study. • Tell students how strict they are with the fingerprinting and checking IDS & taking your picture.

20. Online Survey (cont.) • I was surprised that I had a large portion of questions that asked the side effects of medications and the signs and symptoms of certain diseases/disorders. • There were a lot of which patient would you see first questions. • Tell students that you start when you arrive and have registered.

21. Online Survey (cont.) • They really are serious about locking everything up and finger printing every time you enter or leave the room • There were bold words like first and priority • There are other types of testing going on & some of the tests requires test taker to type an essay so lots of keyboard noise • They do provide ear plugs but they are big and bulky

22. Online Survey (cont.) • You cannot wear a watch into testing area. • I should have been more relaxed because all that anxiety only made me tired. I needed to be more confident. • People at the center were very nice and accommodating. • Forgot ATT, had to go to Kinko’s and print it off.

23. Online survey (cont.) • Questions, Questions, Questions, the best book I found was the NSNA Review guide, and I used Kaplan, Rayfield, Lippincott, and Saunders. • Know signs and symptoms of diseases and drug interactions • I wish someone would have told me that waiting for results was the worst 2 days of my life.

24. Online Survey (cont.) • It can be cold or hot at the testing center. Air conditioning broken with I took. Advise students to prepare for anything! • I wish someone had told me that it is much quicker to register online rather than mailing NCLEX application.

25. Online Survey (cont.) • “I wish I hadn’t taken a break from studying…it was really hard to get back into the testing mindset.” • All comfortable with online testing

26. May 07 Statistics • Average test time Passers: 152 Failers: 272 • Average Number of questions Passers: 135 Failers: 235

27. Advice to Faculty • Do more tests during the last semester. • Include a review course in 420. • Need to review some basic care info that we learned at the beginning of school (crutch walking etc.) • Reinforce the importance of doing lots of practice questions.

28. Advice to faculty • I believe that the Kaplan book, the review course, and doing two hours of studying a night for 1 plus month helped me pass. • Students should know all lab values, all ABGs, all basic health assessments, and pharmacology. As soon as I started I wrote down things Nagle’s Rule, lab values, etc. on dry erase board. You cannot erase anything on board but if you need another you can get one.

29. Surprises? • Much more pharmacology than I expected • Lot of select all that apply questions • Probably 20-30 questions out of 75 were “Which of these patients would you see first after receiving report.” • Yes. I had 6 questions on peritoneal dialysis. • I had a lot of infection control questions • I had so many teaching questions!

30. Surprises (cont.) • I had 7 alternate item format questions! • “No, I was well prepared to see everything and that was exactly what happened!”

31. May 08 Feedback from Survey • Mosby’s flashcards very helpful – “mirrors the NCLEX question style”- $38.95 @ Barnes and Noble or Borders • Rayfield CDs were “awesome to reinforce material” • Had “at least 10-15 alternate format questions”. • “There were LOTS of select all that apply.”

32. May 08 feedback (cont.) • “Do lots of questions and take a review course.” • “Don’t over stress. Do LOTS of questions. Review some content, but questions are most important!” • “Prepare, prepare, questions more than content and pray.”