NCLEXPN

NCLEXPN, commonly referred to as the NCLEX-PN, is the licensure examination for practical nurses in the United States. It is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and is used to determine whether an applicant has the competencies required for entry-level practice under supervision. Licensure decisions are made by individual state boards, not by the exam itself.

The exam is a computer-based, adaptive test. It consists of 85 to 205 items, including a small number of pretest questions. Candidates have up to five hours to complete the exam, with optional breaks; the exact number of questions varies with performance. Passing is determined by a minimum passing standard established through standard-setting processes, and results are reported as pass or fail by the state board rather than by the testing company.

Content areas align with four major client needs categories: Safe and Effective Care Environment; Health Promotion and Maintenance; Psychosocial Integrity; and Physiological Integrity. The emphasis covers safety, infection control, pharmacology and procedural knowledge, and core nursing care across diverse healthcare settings.

Eligibility and administration involve completing an approved PN program, applying to the state board of nursing, and meeting any background-check requirements. Candidates register with Pearson VUE to schedule testing. After testing, unofficial results may be available briefly through candidate status reports, with official licensure decisions issued by the state board within days to weeks. Preparation resources include practice exams, review courses, and official candidate materials from NCSBN.