The NCLEX

The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) has one purpose: to determine if it's safe for you to begin practice as an entry-level nurse. It is significantly different from any test that you took in nursing school. Nursing school exams are knowledge-based. The NCLEX, however, is application-based. You will be tested on how you can use critical thinking skills to make nursing judgments.

The NCLEX is organized according to the framework, "Meeting Client Needs." There are four major categories and ten subcategories. All of the questions on the exam involve integrated nursing content. Many nursing programs are based on the medical model where students take separate medical, surgical, pediatric, psychiatric, and obstetric classes. However on the NCLEX, all content is integrated.

Client Need 1:  Safe and Effective Care Environment

Subcategories:   Management of Care Safety and Infection Control.

Client Need 2:  Health Promotion and Maintenance

Subcategories:   Growth and Development Prevention and Early Detection of Disease

Client Need 3:  Psychosocial Integrity

Subcategories:   Coping/Adaptation Psychosocial Adaptation

Client Need 4:  Physiological Integrity

Subcategories:   Basic Care and Comfort Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies Reduction of Risk Potential Physiological Adaptation