All the information that will be sufficient to supply enough of what to know about Next Generation NCLEX is provided here in this article following careful research and study of the great NCLEX.
The NCLEX is the world’s premier licensure exam and uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT) technology to deliver the exam, ensuring a valid and reliable measurement of nursing competence. It uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to administer the exam. CAT is a method that uses computer technology and measurement to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the exam process.
The goal of the NGN project was to better measure nursing candidates’ clinical judgment and decision making abilities through the use of innovative item types.
A Short Background
The NGN launched on April 1, 2023 to better measure nursing candidates’ clinical judgment and decision making abilities through the use of innovative item types. The need to measure this stemmed from information gathered during the 2013-2014 NCSBN Strategic Practice Analysis, which showed newly licensed nurses are increasingly expected to make complex decisions while caring for patients.
Students started taking the Next Generation NCLEX in 2023. As of this date, the NCSBN is administering the Next Gen NCLEX exam to every test taker regardless of their nursing school graduation year. After April 1st, you cannot take the old version of the NCLEX; the NGN will be the only licensing exam available for aspiring nurses.
The New Generation NCLEX
As part of the NGN project, NCSBN conducted several phases of research that are shown in the model. If the evidence during any individual step indicated that potential innovations would not support the rigor and quality of the NCLEX, the project was reexamined at all levels. The NCLEX now includes next generation features, using real-world case studies to measure a nurse’s ability to think more critically and make the right decisions.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) decided to update the current NCLEX to adapt to the evolving demands of the healthcare system and to better assess students’ clinical judgment skills. As a result, you should expect to see some critical changes on the Next Gen NCLEX. These updates to the NCLEX include conceptual changes emphasizing clinical judgment, five new item (question) types on the exam, and a new scoring system that allows for partial credit.
Beliefs and Concepts
According to the NCSBN, clinical judgment is linked to 46% of all tasks performed by entry-level nurses, but, recent research has identified a lack of clinical judgment ability amongst novice nurses. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, and only one-fifth of employers are satisfied with new nurses’ decision-making ability. In a 2011 report, some groups of researchers reported that nearly 50% of novice nurses are involved in a nursing care error.
Steps to follow in making clinical judgments with the new New Generation NCLEX:
- Recognize cues
- Analyze cues
- Prioritize hypotheses
- Generate solutions
- Take actions
- Evaluate outcomes
Read Also: How Long Does It Take to Study for NAPLEX?
Grading System
The Next Generation NCLEX also has an updated scoring system. The previous version of the exam used a dichotomous scoring method, meaning NCLEX items were scored as either correct or incorrect. Moving forward, the NGN will use a polytomous scoring method to allow for partial credit on certain items. This new scoring system allows for more precise measurement and takes into consideration the complexity of the new NGN item types.
Extras on what you need to know on the NCLEX model of scoring:
- 0/1 Scoring Rule
The answer is either correct or incorrect. Candidates get one point for answering correctly and zero points if they answer incorrectly. The best example of this is multiple choice items.
- +/- Scoring Rule
Candidates earn points by selecting the correct options, but they lose points by selecting incorrect options. The score for this question is tallied by adding up the correct option points, then subtracting the incorrect option points. If candidates answer more options incorrectly than correctly, the lowest score they can receive is a zero.
Exam Format and Content
With the introduction of Next Gen questions, the minimum length of the exam will be 85 questions (70 scored and 15 unscored) and the maximum 150 questions (135 scored and 15 unscored). Within the minimum-length exam, there will be 52 stand-alone questions and 3 case studies (each case has six questions for a total of 18 questions) that will be scored and contribute to the pass/fail decision.
However, candidates may receive up to two more unscored case studies (total of 5) as part of the pre-test questions. After the minimum-length exam, candidates have a 10% chance of receiving a clinical judgment stand-alone item administered alongside the traditional items until one of the stopping rules is applied and they pass or fail the exam.
- Types of the New Generation NCLEX exam items:
In addition to the current item types found on the exam, the Next Generation NCLEX will introduce unfolding case studies and stand-alone clinical judgment items. Each case study includes a clinical scenario, supporting information, and six questions that require candidates to make multiple decisions.
The items are presented in sequential order so candidates progress through all six steps of the NCJMM. Any of the traditional or new Next Generation Nclex item types, except for bowtie, can be used in the case studies.
Clinical judgment stand-alone items also include a diagnosis and supporting information and use either the bowtie or any of the NGN item types. The new stand-alone item types are trend and bowtie. These are different from traditional stand-alone items because they assess the candidate’s understanding of one or more steps within the NCJMM.
The NCSBN has approved these new item types:
- Extended Multiple Response
- Extended Drag and Drop
- Cloze (Click or drag answer options to fill in the blank)
- Highlight Text
- Matrix/Grid
- Bowtie
- Trend
