Is the NCLEX really changing?

The Next Generation NCLEX

Over the past years, the upcoming changes in the NCLEX, which is the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), has been the talk of the nursing world and it has brought feelings of excitement and anxiety to nurses. 

Nursing educators and candidates would consequently want to assure themselves that they are equipped for whatever is coming brought about by this change.

Let’s take a look at the important information we need to know about NGN. 

What is the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)?

The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) is NCSBN’s enhanced examination designed to ask questions that go beyond assessing knowledge and skills, or what they like to call “BETTER QUESTIONS.” It is meant to determine the ability of nurses to use clinical judgment when faced with various clinical situations.

It has always been the goal of NCSBN to ensure that nurses who enter the medical field are not only competent but also safe to provide care to the general public. For this reason, they continuously study trends and develop ways to improve the method of assessing Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN).

The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) is a change that needed to be done to address the growing concern in nursing errors as a result of poor clinical decisions mostly involving entry level nurses. With the use of NGN, NCSBN wants to produce nurses who are knowledgeable with the right interventions and can respond immediately by using sound clinical judgment (critical thinking and decision making skills) to address specific real world scenarios in order to decrease complications and sentinel events. Moreover, this is a response to the continuously evolving world of healthcare as more complex patient situations arise and as new treatments and managements are developed and made available.

Current research is still being undertaken regarding Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) and NCSBN has clearly stated that it will not happen sooner than 2023. 

WHAT ARE THE CHANGES WE CAN EXPECT IN NGN?

The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) doesn’t wander far from the existing NCLEX. 

Based from the released information from NCSBN, through the NGN, candidate’s clinical judgment are to be assessed through unfolding case studies followed by a series of questions designed to evaluate the individual’s ability to perform clinical decisions. 

Five new question types were approved by the NCSBN and these will be used alongside the case studies. The items types are as follows:

1. EXTENDED MULTIPLE RESPONSE

• This is built on the existing Select All That Apply (SATA) questions wherein more options are provided (around 10-12) and uses partial credit scoring.

2. EXTENDED DRAG and DROP

• This is built on the existing drag and drop questions, however more options are provided and they may or may not include all options in the answer.

3. CLOZE/DROP DOWN

• This is built like a fill in the blank question wherein answers are found in a drop down list and there can be more than one drop down list in an item. Also, the list can be found in sentences, charts and tables.

4. ENHANCED HOTSPOT

• Candidates can select answers, which can be in the form of words, phrases and values, by highlighting information from the given situation which can be within a medical record (Nurses notes, history, etc).

5. MATRIX/GRID

• A group of questions presented in a grid of rows and columns wherein there can be 1 or more correct options per row. This assesses multiple aspect of the situation with a single question. 

HOW IS RACHELL ALLEN PREPARING FOR THE NGN?

The upcoming changes mentioned above are not something to fear.  

Rachell Allen provides NCLEX candidates with the latest updates and information in the nursing world that will help them pass the NCLEX. 

In preparation for the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), the Rachell Allen team is continuously working to provide students with the best foundational knowledge needed so they can navigate their way through answering various types of questions. In addition, we unceasingly keep our topics and methods up-to-date so we can develop ways to incorporate the NGN for the enhancement of our review courses.  

We believe that with the right learning experience and learning platform, we can help nurses pass the NCLEX.

Your success story starts here!

For schedules and prices, please visit www.rachellallen.com or email us at contact@rachellallen.net