Passing the NCLEX-RN
You have studied long and hard to become a nurse, you have graduated from a recognized nursing program and met all the requirements of the board of nursing in your state. Now there is just one more hurdle you have to jump before you can begin your career as a registered nurse: pass the NCLEX-RN, otherwise known at the National Council Licensure Examination.
This examination is created and administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and assesses the skills, abilities, and knowledge that are necessary to safely and effectively practice nursing at the entry-level. To ensure public safety, those who want to practice nursing are required to pass this examination, which is provide in a CAT, computerized adaptive testing, format. This testing format selects questions based on the examinee's answers to previous questions, so if a difficult question is answered correctly the examinee is presented with a more difficult question, but if a difficult question is answered incorrectly a simpler question is asked of them.
The exam covers content that is based on patient needs, such as safe effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, and psychosocial and physiological integrity. Content on safe effective care environment includes topics like management of care and safety and infection control. Content on physiological integrity includes topics such as basic care and comfort, reduction of risk potential, physiological adaption, and pharmacological and parenteral therapies.
Test questions will require that you apply your knowledge through the use of cognitive abilities such as memorization, recalling, analysis, and application. While the majority of items on this exam are multiple choice questions, items also include broader questions that do not have multiple choice answers. Some of these questions may ask you to look at a picture of a body part and identify a particular area of it that is relevant to the question, or ask a question related to medication dosage that requires you to make a mathematical calculation and input an answer. Other types of questions may deal with medical or nursing procedures and ask you to arrange actions in the correct order.
Although it can be scary knowing that you only have three chances to pass the NCLEX-RN, passing rates are typically positive. In 2009, 88.42 percent of the students educated in the United States who took the NCLEX-RN passed it the first time they took it, and 55.87 percent passed it when they repeated it. Of the students who passed the examination on their first try, 89.49 percent had earned their baccalaureate degree, 87.61 percent earned their associate degree, and 90.75 had earned a diploma.
Top Online Nursing Programs
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University of Phoenix - RN to BSN. 27 Nursing Degrees. Students interested in reaching their career goals in the healthcare industry as a nurse will reach them at the University of Phoenix. University of Phoenix allows working adults the convenience of taking classes when they can.
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South University - A.S. in Allied Health Science. As an accredited online college, South University offers a respectable Associate’s Degree in Allied Health Science for those seeking to pursue a career in healthcare. The program is offered completely online, allowing students to learn in their own time without sacrificing their current responsibilities.
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LA College - A.A. in Health Care Administration. With a handful of online health programs, LA College is a great choice for students seeking entry-level positions in the healthcare industry. Their Associate’s degree in Health Care Administration will provide students with the basis for a multitude of job opportunities in hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, and many others.
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Post University - BS in Mgmt. For Registered Nurses. Post University is dedicated in helping students achieve their personal and professional goals in a timely manner, allowing them to pursue their careers in healthcare more quickly. The Bachelor of Science in Management for Registered Nurses degree will prepare nurses to obtain administrative and management roles that require critical-thinking, decision-making, and leadership skills.
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Herzing University - BSN-Bridge Program. With nursing constituting as the largest healthcare occupation today, Herzing University has created quality nursing programs to fulfill the increasing demand in the industry. At Herzing, students receive hands-on training in order to help them enter the workforce with confidence.
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The College Network - 10 universities offering Nursing Degrees. The College Network is one of the nation's top providers in providing high quality nursing degrees online. Students have the opportunity to pursue a variety of HealthCare degrees that that will allow them to further their career in Nursing.
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Jones International University - B.A. in Health Care Mgmt. Jones International University offers a Bachelor’s program in Health Care Management that will help students become skilled and effective managers in the healthcare industry. Students could work in a variety of different settings upon completion of the program.
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Virginia College - BS in Health Services Management. Virginia College is dedicated in helping students achieve their goals and aspirations to advance in the health care industry. Their Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Management will prepare students for a variety of career options in assistant management or administrative positions within a healthcare facility.
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Western Governors University - B.S. in Nursing. Western Governors University is an accredited online university offering a variety of nursing and healthcare programs for students of all ages. Their Nursing program will incorporate patient education, health promotion, nursing roles, technology, and many other health related subjects.
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Baker College - B.S. in Nursing. Baker College allows students to complete their Nursing degree completely online, at their own pace and time. Their program provides current registered nurses with the opportunity to advance and continue their growth.
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Keiser University - B.A. in Health Services Administration. With several degree options in the healthcare field, Keiser University prepares students for a variety of positions in any healthcare setting. Their mission is to help students develop skills and knowledge that will prepare them for leadership positions upon graduation.
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Indiana State University - LPN to BSN. Students looking to jump start a career will find accredited an accredited RN to BSN nursing degree from the Indiana State University. Indiana State University was originally founded in 1865 and over this time has prepared thousands of students for new, exciting careers.
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