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."
The NCLEX has only one purpose: to determine if it is safe for you to begin
practice as an entry-level nurse.
You must pass the NCLEX in order to practice as a registered nurse.
Links
NCLEX Review and Preparation
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 those that students have used in the past.
- Virtual ATI:
ATI offers an internet-based NCLEX review program in which students can utilize their current ATI products (Review Modules, DVD's and Online Practice Assessments) along with individualized assistance and guidance from one of ATI's experienced online instructors. Virtual ATI provides additional online assessments that include over 500 questions. The ATI instructor assists students to develop and follow a detailed timeline for NCLEX preparation.
- Kaplan: Classroom or online NCLEX-RN review courses are available through Kaplan. Information on classes and on-line reviews are available through the Kaplan office in Chapel Hill (phone: 919-960-4600) or through the Kaplan website.
- The National Council of State Boards of Nursing: An online self-paced NCLEX review course is available through the NCSBN Learning Extension. The course provides content review, practice questions, on line review exercises, and instructor feedback through discussion boards and email. Students can subscribe for a specific period of time ranging from 3 weeks to 15 weeks.
- The Hurst Review: Live reviews and online review courses are offered by Hurst. They also offer a DVD review course.
NCLEX Review Resources :
Here are some current review materials to help students as they prepare for NCLEX. An NCLEX review book is a helpful tool to have throughout the curriculum as it provides practice with multiple choice test items.
- *Saunders Q & A Review for NCLEX RN Examination 3rd Edition by Silvestri--$39.95
- *Saunders Comprehensive Review NCLEX-RN Examination 4th Edition by Silvestri--$49.95
- *Mosby’s Comprehensive Review of Nursing for the NCLEX RN Exam 18th Edition--$44.95
- Lippincott’s Q & A Review for NCLEX-RN 9th Edition by Billings—$39.95
- Kaplan NCLEX-RN 2007-2008 Edition--$35.00
- Hurst Reviews NCLEX-RN--$34.95
- Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN Reviews and Rationales by Hogan--$37.95
- NCLEX Exam Prep by Rinehart, Stoan and Hurd--$44.99
- Practice Questions for NCLEX-RN by Gauwitz--$37.95
- NCLEX-RN for Dummies by Coonan--$31.99
- Complete Review for NCLEX-RN by Gauwitz--$41.95
- NCLEX-RN Review made Incredibly Easy 4th Edition by Springhouse--$39.95
- NCLEX Review 3500 Study Software for NCLEX-RN by Springhouse--$50.95
*indicates best sellers at the Health Affairs Bookstore
TIPS FOR BUYING NCLEX REVIEW MATERIALS:
- Make sure your review book includes alternate item questions
- Books with practice questions will help you be comfortable with NCLEX style questions
- Question and answer books should include rationale for each answer to help you understand the answers to the questions
- ATI Nurses Notes are available at the Health Affairs Bookstore and at atitestin.com. They can give you extra help with you most difficult subjects
Use your ATI materials and the online tests available to you for FREE!
