National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. 111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900 Chicago, IL 60601-4277
Contact Information: Contact: Dawn M. Kappel Director, Marketing and Communications 312.525.3667 direct 312.279.1034 fax
NCSBN Raises Passing Standard for the NCLEX-PN(R) Examination
| Source: NCSBN
CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - December 10, 2007) - The National Council of State Boards of
Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN®) www.ncsbn.org voted at its Dec. 5-7, 2007 meeting
to raise the passing standard for the NCLEX-PN® examination (the National
Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses). The new passing
standard is -0.37 logits on the NCLEX-PN logistic scale, 0.05 logits higher
than the previous standard of -0.42. The new passing standard will take
effect on April 1, 2008, in conjunction with the 2008 NCLEX-PN® Test
Plan.
After consideration of all available information, the NCSBN Board of
Directors determined that safe and effective entry-level LPN/VN practice
requires a greater level of knowledge, skills, and abilities than was
required in 2005, when NCSBN established the current standard. The passing
standard was increased in response to changes in U.S. health care delivery
and nursing practice that have resulted in entry-level LPN/VNs caring for
clients with multiple, complex health problems.
The Board of Directors used various sources of information to guide its
evaluation and discussion regarding the change in passing standard. As part
of this process, NCSBN convened an expert panel of 10 nurses to perform a
criterion-referenced standard setting procedure. The panel's findings
supported the creation of a higher passing standard. NCSBN also considered
the results of a national survey of nursing professionals including nursing
educators, directors of nursing in acute care settings and administrators
of long-term care facilities.
In accordance with a motion adopted by the 1989 NCSBN Delegate Assembly,
the NCSBN Board of Directors evaluates the passing standard for the
NCLEX-PN examination every three years to protect the public by ensuring
minimal competence for entry-level LPN/VNs. NCSBN coordinates the passing
standard analysis with the three-year cycle of test plan evaluation. This
three-year cycle was developed to keep the test plan and passing standard
current. A PDF of the 2008 NCLEX-PN® Test Plan is available free of
charge from the NCSBN Web site
https://www.ncsbn.org/2008_PN_Test_Plan_Web.pdf.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN) is a
not-for-profit organization whose membership comprises the boards of
nursing in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S.
territories.
Media inquiries may be directed to the contact listed below. Technical
inquiries about the NCLEX examination may be directed to the NCLEX
information line at 1.866.293.9600 or nclexinfo@ncsbn.org.
The definition of a logit may be found on NCSBN's Web site at
https://www.ncsbn.org/02_18_05_brief.pdf.
Mission: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), composed
of Member Boards, provides leadership to advance regulatory excellence for
public protection.