What this course covers
- 1Topic 1: NCLEX-RN Overview & Exam Format (US & Canada)
- 2Topic 2: Clinical Judgment, Prioritization & Delegation
- 3Topic 3: Safety & Infection Control
- 4Topic 4: Pharmacological & Parenteral Therapies
- 5Topic 5: Reduction of Risk & Physiological Adaptation
- 6Topic 6: Health Promotion, Psychosocial Integrity & Basic Care
1.1 What the NCLEX-RN is and who needs it
What the NCLEX-RN Is and Who Needs It
The NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) is the exam you must pass to practise as a Registered Nurse. It is developed by the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing) and delivered at Pearson VUE test centres.
One exam, two countries
| United States | Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| RN licensure exam | NCLEX-RN | NCLEX-RN (since January 2015) |
| Regulated by | Your State Board of Nursing (BON) | Your provincial/territorial regulator |
| Exception | — | Québec uses its own exam (not NCLEX) |
| Practical nurse exam | NCLEX-PN | REx-PN (Ontario & BC) or CPNRE (other provinces) — not NCLEX-PN |
Key point: the RN exam content is the same in the US and Canada — the same test plan, the same item bank. What differs is the licensing body you apply through, not the test.
The licensure pathway
United States
- Graduate from an approved nursing program.
- Apply for licensure to a State Board of Nursing.
- Register with Pearson VUE and pay the exam fee.
- Receive your Authorization to Test (ATT) — note the validity window.
- Sch
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