• Survey of LP/VNs current entry level practice requirements
• The Test Plan is then written taking in to consideration the variations in the scopes of practice between state boards of nursing
• Finally the test is comprised of questions in various areas of practice and based on a test pool of available questions

The current Test Plan specifies that the following areas should be measured for beginning practice knowledge and competency:

1. Safe & Effective Care Environment
   1. Coordinated Care - 11-17%
   2. Safety and Infection Control - 8-14%
2. Health Promotion and Maintenance - 7-13%
3. Psychosocial Integrity - 8-14%
4. Physiological Integrity
   1. Basic Care and Comfort - 11-17%
   2. Pharmacological Therapies - 9-15%
   3. Reduction of Risk Potential - 10-16%
   4. Physiological Adaptation - 12-18%

Integrated within these four areas are questions that help measure:

• Nursing Process
• Caring
• Communication and Documentation
• Teaching and Learning

The NCSBN believes "Nursing is both an art and a science. It is a learned profession based on an understanding of the human condition across the life span and the relationships of an individual with others and within the environment. The nature of
nursing is continually evolving. Nursing practice is founded on a professional body of knowledge that integrates concepts from the biological, behavioral and social sciences. The goal of nursing is to promote comfort and quality health care. The nurse assists individuals throughout their life spans to attain optimal levels of functioning by
responding to the needs, conditions and events that result from actual or potential health problems."

If you'd like to read the full copy of the NCLEX-PN Test Plan, you can download it in PDF form by clicking here.  This link leads directly to the form at the NCSBN website.  Once you have opened the document, you can print it out to your printer for easier reading.  PDF files are designed to print documents correctly regardless of the printer brand or model.

If you have comments that you would like to submit regarding the NCLEX-PN Test Plan, please feel free to send them to us, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Click here to download the NCLEX-PN Test Plan (PDF File)