NCLEX-RN Process

1
NCLEX-RN Process

• NUR 420
• Professor Brenda Rowe

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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

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General Information

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

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Accommodations (GA)

• Additional application
• Application sent with Board of Nursing Application

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New NCLEX-RN Blueprint

• Effective April 2007
• Based on 2005 Practice Analysis
• Passing standard raised

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Changes from 2004

• In 2004 more questions at the application and/or
  analysis level

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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

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Alternate Item Format Questions

• What are they?

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Pharmacology

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

10
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

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Passing Rate for BSN graduates, First Time US
Educated

• 2008 87.5
• Passage rate for all programs 86.7

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What is CAT?

• First item is relatively easy
• Subsequent items better target test taker
• Computer re-estimates the test takers 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

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How score is determined

• Candidate passes or fails when have 95 certainty
  that candidates ability is above or below the
  standard

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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.

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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
• Quick Results (not all states participate but
  Georgia does)

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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)

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Personal Preparation

• When you arrive will get a numbertheyll call
  you to take the test
• Need one form of acceptable ID (i.e. drivers
  license)
• Need your ATT
• May not want to go with someonepressure to
  finish same time

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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

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Tips from Former Students

• Do not wait for a long time (Research has
  demonstrated that after a period of time 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!!!

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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.

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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.

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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

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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 Kinkos and print it off.

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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.

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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.

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Online Survey (cont.)

• I wish I hadnt taken a break from studyingit
  was really hard to get back into the testing
  mindset.
• All comfortable with online testing

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May 07 Statistics

• Average test time
• Passers 152 minutes
• Failers 272 minutes
• Average Number of questions
• Passers 135
• Failers 235

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May 08 Statistics

• Average test time
• Passers 123 minutes
• Failers 212 minutes
• Average number of questions
• Passers 100
• Failers 171

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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.

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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 Nagles
  Rule, lab values, etc. on dry erase board. You
  cannot erase anything on board but if you need
  another you can get one.

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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!
• No, I was well prepared to see everything and
  that was exactly what happened!

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May 08 Feedback from NCLEX-RN Online Survey

• Mosbys flashcards very helpful mirrors the
  NCLEX question style- 38.95 _at_ 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.

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May 08 feedback (cont.)

• Do lots of questions and take a review course.
• Dont over stress. Do LOTS of questions. Review
  some content, but questions are most important!
• Prepare, prepare, questions more than content
  and pray.

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Post NCLEX-RN

• Call us and let us know your good news!
• Go to Dr. Hodges website and complete the
  NCLEX-RN Online Survey
• Remember determine a study plan that works for
  you and then do it!