What this course covers
- 1Topic 1: NCLEX-PN Overview & Exam Format
- 2Topic 2: Coordinated Care
- 3Topic 3: Safety & Infection Control
- 4Topic 4: Health Promotion & Maintenance
- 5Topic 5: Psychosocial Integrity
- 6Topic 6: Basic Care & Comfort
- 7Topic 7: Pharmacological Therapies
- 8Topic 8: Reduction of Risk Potential
- 9Topic 9: Physiological Adaptation
1.1 What the NCLEX-PN is, the CAT format & the LPN/LVN scope
NCLEX-PN: Format and the LPN/LVN Scope of Practice
The NCLEX-PN is the US licensure exam for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) / Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN). (Canada licenses practical nurses through the REx-PN or CPNRE, not the NCLEX-PN.)
Computer-adaptive test (CAT)
- The test adapts to your ability: a correct answer tends to bring a slightly harder item next.
- Variable length: a minimum of 85 items up to a maximum of 150 (including unscored pretest items), within a 5-hour limit.
- Pass/fail is decided by a confidence rule, the maximum-length rule, or the run-out-of-time rule — not by a fixed percentage.
Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)
The exam includes clinical-judgment item types (e.g., Select All That Apply, extended multiple response, matrix/grid, drop-down) that test how you recognize and respond to client cues.
The LPN/LVN scope — the single most useful exam lens
The LPN works under the direction of an RN or provider. On the NCLEX-PN:
- The LPN collects data (observations, vital signs, focused checks) — the RN performs the comprehensive assessment and its interpretation.
- The LPN **reinforce