What is the NCLEX Exam?
If you're planning a career as a nurse, you'll find yourself responsible for a number of important things, including medical decisions for the patients in your care. In addition, you may be in a position to supervise nursing assistants, as well as administer medications and treatments ordered by the attending physician you work with. You'll also be expected to recognize certain medical conditions that require emergency intervention and provide treatment for many different types of medical symptoms.
Because significant areas of patient wellness are within your control, you'll need to demonstrate sufficient knowledge and experience to become board certified as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The National Counsel Licensure Exam (NCLEX) is designed to test your medical skills, as well as give the nursing board an indication of whether you are qualified to be licensed in a specific area of nursing. As you might expect, this exam is somewhat difficult and requires a great deal of preparation to pass.
Individuals that must take the NCLEX Exam
If you want to be an RN or an LPN, you must take one of the NCLEX exams – the NCLEX-RN is for individuals that want to be licensed as registered nurses, while the NCLEX-PN is administered to individuals that want to be designated as LPNs. For the most part, you'll want to take your exam as soon as possible after graduating from your nursing program so that you retain as much information as possible from your education. Therefore, it's crucial to apply for the exam as soon as you are eligible to do so.
Materials covered on the NCLEX
Because there are so many different branches of medicine, you may want to become board certified in a specific area of nursing. For example, if you're interested in pediatric nursing, you could take your NCLEX exam on this topic. That said, you'll still find general questions on the exam related to other areas of specialty. In some cases, you may find that you can choose between LPN and RN certification in each area of expertise.
NCLEX test administrators
Even though you must apply to the state you'd like to work in for board certification, the NCLEX is administered by an independent testing group – Pearson VUE. Therefore, you'll need to register with the Pearson VUE testing network in order to be assigned a date for taking the exam and a test center location where you'll be seated for the exam. However, the testing network will not assign a date until they receive approval from the state, so it's important to have all your paperwork in order. At the same time, the state board will also require you to take the exam within a specific time period.
Today, many high school vocational programs and community colleges offer degrees in nursing. Once you've completed the educational requirements, you'll need to apply to the nursing board in order to receive your license. While the NCLEX exam may be difficult, it's your key to a recession-proof career. While many other parts of the economy are being downsized, there's a severe shortage of nurses and there will always be a need for their services. As a result, if you're able to pass your NCLEX exam, you'll be able to make a living under many types of difficult economic circumstances.
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