What Is the NCLEX and What Does NCLEX Stand For?
Nurseclex Editorial Team · Updated · 7 min read · Written around the NCSBN test plan
Short answer
NCLEX stands for National Council Licensure Examination. It is the licensing exam created by NCSBN (the National Council of State Boards of Nursing) that nursing graduates take to become licensed. The NCLEX-RN is for registered nurses, and the NCLEX-PN is for practical or vocational nurses (LPN/LVN).
Key takeaways
- NCLEX stands for National Council Licensure Examination.
- NCSBN develops the exam. Your nursing regulatory body grants the license.
- There are two versions: the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN.
- It measures whether you are ready for safe, entry-level practice.
- The exam is computer adaptive and uses the Next Generation format.
What NCLEX stands for
NCLEX stands for National Council Licensure Examination. NCLEX-RN refers to the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, and NCLEX-PN is the version for Practical Nurses, called LPNs or LVNs depending on the state.
The exam is developed and owned by NCSBN, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Individual nursing regulatory bodies decide who is eligible and issue the license once you pass.
NCLEX is a registered trademark of NCSBN. Study resources such as Nurseclex are independent and not endorsed by NCSBN.
What the exam measures
The NCLEX measures whether a new nurse has the knowledge and clinical judgment needed for safe, effective, entry-level practice.
Content follows the published NCSBN test plans, organized by client-needs categories such as Management of Care (RN) or Coordinated Care (PN), safety, pharmacology and physiological adaptation.
Since April 2023, the exam has used the Next Generation format, which adds clinical judgment case studies.
Who takes the NCLEX
Graduates of approved nursing programs take the NCLEX after their regulatory body confirms they are eligible. Internationally educated nurses may also take it to practice in participating jurisdictions.
You register with Pearson VUE and apply to your regulatory body, then receive an Authorization to Test before you can schedule your exam.
Check your regulatory body's rules, because the steps vary.
Exam format at a glance
The NCLEX uses computerized adaptive testing, which selects each item based on your earlier answers. NCSBN lists 85 to 150 items and a five-hour limit for the current exam.
Item types include multiple choice, select all that apply and Next Gen formats such as matrix, highlight and bowtie.
See the Nurseclex guides on exam length and Next Gen items for more detail.
Practice questions
1. Which organization develops the NCLEX?
Answer and rationale
Correct: B. NCSBN develops the NCLEX. Pearson VUE delivers the exam, and regulatory bodies issue licenses.
2. Which exam does an LPN/LVN candidate take?
Answer and rationale
Correct: B. Practical and vocational nurse candidates take the NCLEX-PN.
3. A newly licensed nurse notices a client's IV site is red and swollen. What should the nurse do first?
Answer and rationale
Correct: B. Signs of infiltration or phlebitis call for stopping the infusion and assessing the site.
Frequently asked questions
What does NCLEX stand for?
National Council Licensure Examination.
What does NCLEX-RN stand for?
National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
Who gives you the nursing license?
Your nursing regulatory body (state board of nursing), after you meet its requirements and pass the NCLEX.
Is Nurseclex the official NCLEX site?
No. Nurseclex is an independent study resource. Official information is at nclex.com and ncsbn.org.
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Sources
All practice questions are original and are not actual exam items. NCLEX® is a registered trademark of NCSBN, which does not endorse this site.