Once every three years The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) reviews the test plan and passing standard for the NCLEX-RN® examination. In 2012, the NCSBN voted on the changes to the 2013 NCLEX-RN® Test Plan and Passing Standard. These changes are based on empirical data collected from newly licensed nurses by the NCSBN. The changes will go into effect on April 1, 2013 and will remain in effect through March 31, 2016.
The Changes in the Test Plan:
1) Management of Care -Increased by 1%
2) Safety and Infection Control –Increased by 1%
3) Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies –Decreased by 1%
4) Reduction of Risk Potential –Decreased by 1%
While it is important to know that the percentages have changed, the content on the exam will remain consistent, and these changes will not have a great impact on students taking the exam.
The Change to the Passing Standard:
The passing standard will increase from -0.16 logits to 0.00 logits. (A logit is defined as a unit of measurement to report relative differences between candidate ability estimates and item difficulties.)
Based on previous data, the change in the passing standard will impact candidates. In the past, National Council stated that when the passing standard increases, it expects the pass rate for first-time US-educated nurses to decrease by 3% –5%.
There was a decrease in the pass rate in 2010 (the date of last change in the passing standard). During the first 2 quarters after the new passing standard was implemented, the pass rate for first-time US-Educated nurses decreased by 2% over the same time in 2009.
In 2007 (when the previous change in the passing standard occurred), the pass rate for first-time US-educated nurses decreased by 3.5% over the same quarters in 2006.
Student will have to answer slightly more difficult questions in order to pass the exam. In addition, candidates typically take slightly longer examinations. Another outcome of the increased passing standard is there is a slight decrease in the number of candidates taking a 75-question examination.
**Why did the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Increase the Passing Standard?
The purpose of the NCLEX-RN® examination is to ensure that entry-level nurses are minimally competent to practice nursing. Due to the continuous changes in U.S. health care and nursing practice and the increase in client acuity, the NCSBN has determined that effective entry-level RN practice requires a greater level of knowledge, skills and abilities than was previously required to safely care for clients in the health care delivery system, resulting in the passing standard increase.
How has Kaplan Nursing prepared for these changes?
Kaplan Nursing anticipated these changes. Class questions have been updated to reflect the new percentages of the NCLEX-RN® test plan. Kaplan Nursing has also increased the level of difficulty of the class questions. In addition, Kaplan is adding 50 more alternate-style questions to the Qbank so students can now take a linear quiz of alternate items. This is in addition to the alternate items that are already integrated into the Qbank exams.
We have also updated our seminars and events in order to provide students with accurate information about the changes to the test plan and passing standard. Change has the potential to increase test anxiety, and we want to make sure students don’t let misinformation create unnecessary obstacles on the way to success.
Additional Sources:
Barbara Irwin, MSN, RN, Executive Director of Kaplan Nursing
2013 Test Changes explained by Barbara Irwin
2013 Passing Standard Increase explained by Barbara Irwin
Website (discussing Client Needs categories in the test plan)
**The schools know what impact an increase in the passing standard has on them. They do not need to be told.
NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN® are registered trademarks of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
