The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused disruption to nearly every part of our daily lives, including test preparation for the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN exams.
But with demand for nurses higher than ever before, testing is still taking place, and your entry into the nursing profession is more important than ever.
If you are a student preparing to sit for your NCLEX exam, here are some current ways the testing has changed in response to COVID-19.
First of all, know that testing is still being held.
After early cancellations and testing postponements, the NCSBN announced that NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN testing would resume beginning March 25, 2020. However . . .
Testing is being offered in a limited capacity.
Pearson VUE has reopened Testing Centers in some large metropolitan areas. Log in to your Pearson Vue account for test center availability in your area.
Testing sites are taking every precaution to keep staff and students safe.
Sites are being thoroughly disinfected after each testing session. Testing center personnel are being screened for COVID-19 upon entry to the testing facility, and test-takers are also being screened before they sit for their exams.
There have been some changes to the NCLEX exam.
Due to testing capacity and the high demand for new nurses, the NCSBN has announced changes to the NCLEX exam during this pandemic. A few things to keep in mind:
- The minimum number of questions is now 60 questions
- The maximum number of questions is now 130 questions
- Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) will still be used
- The pretest items and the experimental Next Generation NCLEX sections have been removed
As of right now . . .
Currently, these limited testing sites and revised exams are expected to be in effect through July of 2020. However, this is subject to change depending on the results of social distancing and society’s ability to flatten the curve. Find more about COVID-19 and the NCLEX®.
UWorld, the leading test-prep provider for high-stakes exams such as the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN has announced subscription extensions through May and will evaluate the need for more extensions at that time.
UWorld offers a premium online learning tool that over 600,000 nursing students have used to prepare for their NCLEX exams since they launched their nursing product in 2015. Learn why UWorld Nursing is the students’ choice for exam prep.