Anatomy of NCLEX Day (part 4): Rules and Regulations (during and after the test)

Please note that this blog is the fourth in a six part series.  You can read the earlier posts here: Part 1: How to make sure you’re ready for anything, Part 2: Operationally Speaking, and Part 3: the BIG day.

Rule 6 – Adhere Strictly to all Test Site Rules and Regulations

To ensure that all candidates’ NCLEX results are earned under comparable conditions and represent fair and accurate measurement, it is necessary to maintain a standardized testing environment. The following regulations are designed to help ensure such an environment.   Please note that if you do not follow the rules or the instructions of the test administrator (TA), your examination result may be withheld or cancelled, your examination fee may not be refunded and NCSBN and your licensing board may take other action, up to and including license revocation and criminal prosecution.

Examples of prohibited, irregular behavior include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Cell/mobile/smart phones, pagers or other electronic devices may not be accessed at all during your examination appointment (including breaks).
• To ensure a high level of security you will be monitored at all times. Both audio and video will be recorded.
• You may not bring or access any educational, test preparation or study materials to the testing center at any time during your examination.
• You may not seek help from any other party in answering items (in person, by phone, text or by email) during your examination (including breaks).
• You may not disclose or discuss with anyone, including instructors, information about the items or answers seen in your examination (this includes posting or discussing questions on the Internet, social media websites).
• You may not take the examination for somebody else.
• You may not tamper with the computer or use it for any function other than taking the examination.
• You may not engage in disruptive behavior at any time while in the test center.
• Personal items are not allowed in the testing room and in some cases, not allowed in the testing center during your examination (including breaks). Personal items not allowed include, but are not limited to:
  • Cellular/mobile/smart phones/PDA, or pagers/hand-held computers
  • Cameras of any kind
  • Lip Balm
  • Any electronic devices
  • Coats/Hats/Scarves/Gloves
  • Bags/Purses/Wallets
  • Food or Drink
  • Watches
  • Books/Study Materials
  • Gum/Candy
  • Weapons of any kind
  • Medical aids/devices
  • All personal items must be stored in your locker. Note: certain personal items may be accessed during breaks, like medications, medical aids/devices or food/beverages.
  • Pearson Professional Centers are not responsible for lost, stolen or misplaced personal items.
  • The TA will provide you with an erasable note board and marker before you enter the testing room.
  • You may not write on the note board until after the tutorial is complete. Any writing before or during the tutorial is considered “brain dumping” and will result in an incident report, and results being placed on hold.
  • A clean note board can be requested during your examination by raising your hand. The erasable note board and marker may not be removed from the testing room during the examination except by the TA, and these items must be returned to the TA after the examination.
  • You will be given the opportunity to take a `scheduled’ break after approximately two hours, and again after approximately three and a half hours of examination testing time. Instructions will appear on your computer screen at the appropriate times.
  • To request a break, or to exit the testing room for any other reason, raise your hand for the TA and wait to be escorted out of the testing room. A palm vein scan will be taken when you leave, and again when you re-enter the testing room. The TA will resume the exam for you upon your return. The exam clock will not stop while you are on a break.
  • If you experience hardware or software problems during the examination, notify the TA immediately by raising your hand.
  • Earplugs are available from the TA upon request; it is not acceptable to bring your own earplugs.
  • Exam data is encrypted and transferred electronically to your licensing board. Please refrain from asking the TA about exam content and/or results. If you have questions about the examination, please contact NCSBN.
  • NCSBN may cancel or withhold your results if there is a basis to question the validity of the results for any reason, notwithstanding the lack of any evidence of your personal involvement in irregular activities and/or for your failure to adhere to the Confidentiality Agreement. Evidence of invalid results may include, but are not limited to, unusual response patterns, unusual score increases from one exam to another, failure to obey exam administration rules, or observed irregular behavior.
  • NCSBN reserves the right to cancel or withhold any test results when, in its judgment, a testing irregularity occurs; there is an apparent discrepancy in, or falsification of, a test-taker’s identification; a test-taker engages in misconduct, or irregular behavior, or violates NCLEX® Examination Candidate Rules.

GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR CANCELLATION OF RESULTS

A candidate who violates the test center regulations or rules, or engages in irregular behavior, misconduct and/or does not follow the TA’s warning to discontinue inappropriate behavior may be dismissed from the test center, and the exam fee will not be refunded.

Additionally, your exam result may be withheld or cancelled and your licensing board may take other disciplinary action such as denial of a license and/or disqualifying you from future registrations for licensure. Behaviors that are considered to constitute irregular behavior or misconduct include but are not limited to:

• Giving or receiving assistance of any kind.
• Using, accessing, or attempting to access any prohibited aids. Prohibited aids are any devices or materials that will be helpful in taking the NCLEX. Examples of aids that are prohibited are electronic devices (i.e. cell/mobile phones, PDAs, hand held computers, etc.), handheld calculators, conversion tables, dictionaries, etc.
• Attempting to take the examination for someone else.
• Bringing any NCLEX study aids (textbooks, notebooks, classroom notes, etc.) to the testing center or accessing or attempting to access such study materials at any time after the start of the examination administration, including, but not limited to, break times.
• Failing to follow testing regulations or the instructions of the test administrator.
• Creating a disturbance of any kind.
• Copying, reconstructing or removing examination items and/or responses (in any format) or notes about the examination from the testing room or attempting to do the same.
• Tampering with the operation of the computer or attempting to use it for any function other than taking the examination.

BREAKS

• You will have up to six hours to complete the NCLEX-RN Examination, and five hours to complete the NCLEX-PN Examination; total examination time includes a short tutorial, two pre-programmed optional breaks and any unscheduled breaks you may take.
• The first optional break is offered after two hours of testing. The second optional break is offered after three and one half hours of testing.
• The computer will automatically tell you when these scheduled breaks begin.
• You must leave the testing room during both scheduled and unscheduled breaks.
• It is strongly advised that you not leave the test center during breaks.
• When you take a break, all personal items accessed (including purses, wallets, etc.) may be inspected by the TA.
• You will be required to provide a palm vein scan before and after your break.

Note: Candidates are not allowed to access any of the prohibited personal items during breaks

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Occasionally, technical problems may require rescheduling of a candidate’s examination. If circumstances arise causing you to wait more than 30 minutes after your scheduled appointment time, or a restart delay lasts longer than 30 minutes, you will be given the choices of continuing to wait or rescheduling your appointment without an additional fee.

• If you choose to wait, you may change your mind at any time prior to beginning or restarting the examination.
• If you choose not to reschedule, but rather test after a delay, you will have no further recourse and your exam results will be considered valid.
• If you choose to reschedule your appointment or the problem causing the delay cannot be resolved, you will be allowed to test at a later date, at no additional charge. Every attempt will be made to contact candidates if technical problems are identified prior to a scheduled appointment.

TESTING ENVIRONMENT

Pearson VUE administers many types of examinations including some that require essay-type responses. Test centers have no control over noises made by candidates typing during another examination. Typing noise is considered a normal part of the computerized testing environment, just as the noise of turning pages is a normal part of the paper-and-pencil testing environment. Earplugs are available upon request.

WHEN THE EXAM IS FINISHED

After your examination is finished, you will be asked to complete a brief computer-delivered questionnaire about your testing experience.  When you have finished the questionnaire, raise your hand to summon the TA. The TA will collect and inventory all note boards. The TA will dismiss you when all requirements are fulfilled.  If you believe there was an irregularity in the administration of your exam or the associated test conditions that you believe adversely affected the outcome of your examination, you should notify the proctor or TA before you leave the test center.

RESULTS REPORTING

For quality control purposes, every NCLEX is scored twice; once by the computer at the test center and then the result is verified after the examination record has been transmitted to Pearson VUE. Although the examination is scored as the candidate completes each item, no results are released at the test center. In fact, test center staff does not have access to the examination results.

• Examination results are available only from the boards of nursing and will be mailed to candidates approximately one month after taking the examination. Do not call Pearson VUE NCLEX Candidate Services, the PPCs or NCSBN for examination results. If more than 4 weeks has passed and you have not received your results, contact your board of nursing.
• You can also get your “unofficial” results after 48 business hours through the quick results service available on the NCLEX Candidate website at www.pearsonvue.com/nclex or by calling 1-900-776-2539.
• Note: Quick results are not available in all states and there is a minimal fee for this service.

CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE REPORT

When a candidate fails, the board of nursing sends the candidate a Candidate Performance Report (CPR). This report identifies the performance as failing, provides the number of items administered to the candidate, and a summary of the candidate’s relative strengths and weaknesses based on the test plan. This CPR is intended for failing candidates to use to help guide their study before retaking the examination.

RETAKE POLICY

Candidates must wait a minimum of 45 or 90 days between each examination. This retake time frame is determined by each individual board of nursing and NCSBN.

Author’s note: this blog is the fourth in a six part series.  Continue reading the additional posts here:

Part 5: Academically Speaking

Part 6: Text Anxiety