What's the Big Deal about the NCLEX?

But what is the NCLEX really about?

 

The NCLEX is a nationally based state required board examination from the Kentucky Board of Nursing to provide licensure upon graduation from an approved nursing college.   There is an NCLEX exam for both practical nurses and registered nurses, both of which are challenging exams ensuring graduates are prepared for the field. The Nurse Practice Act in every state mandates that individuals must have passed the NCLEX in order to carry out nursing duties.

 

Besides clinical knowledge needed for the job, the test ensures nurses are prepared in other vital areas. The same critical thinking process that is used to think through and answer a NCLEX question is the same process that is used to assess and determine what is wrong with a patient and then to develop the plan of treatment for that patient.  The discipline of learning how to take critical thinking tests is the same discipline that a nurse must have to perform his or her duties.  This test is a great measure of a nurse’s knowledge and ability to be active in the field with patients and their families, along with doctors and other medical practitioners. 

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, it’s quite a responsibility being in charge of the nursing program development, academic curriculum and the many instructors that provide quality nursing education. Being a nursing educator may be heavy with responsibilities, but it is also a privilege.   I am a part of a system that generates qualified, compassionate and vital members of the health care team in our country.    Having our first class of practical nursing students pass the national benchmark on field preparedness on the first try is incredibly satisfying. 

 

Tim Curl, MSN

Dean of Nursing, Beckfield College