how are nclex questions picked?

RN508 · Jun 15, 2008

If i remember correctly. NCSBN collects data from brand new students to get material for questions that new nurses will need/encounter in their practice. Then they hire Item writers ( usually nurses) to write items for the exam. When you take NCLEX there are so many questions that are test items that are not scored, these items are then evaluated and used as scored items in the future( or not).

Something like that, im sure someone can explain it better

MikeyJ, RN · Jun 15, 2008

Yup, the poster had it correct. A few of our professors have been invited to write NCLEX questions.

Essentially what happens is that the questions are collectively written (usually by nursing professors from around the country). After they are written and agreed that they should be used, they are put into the NCLEX database. However, they are randomly given to test takers but do not count for or against the test-taker. Statistics are compiled after a certain amount of people took the question and based on that information they either use the question and put it in the NCLEX database or they are discarded.

Psqrd · Jun 15, 2008

In addition to the above, the questions once written and then selected are put through a process where people who take the NCLEX will get a chance to answer them. For every NCLEX given, 15 questions that the tester will answer are potential future questions. As the test taker you have no idea which ones they are and they are not used to assess your performance.

P2

ahh, I guess someone just said the same thing sooo ditto hehe!