Can someone please explain the NCLEX?

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I will finish my RN program in December and I am trying to understand what the NCLEX is like. I know you will have 75-265 questions, but how does it determine if you pass or fail? For instance do you have to get 65 out of 75 correct or what? I have been told you have to get 75 total questions correct to pass but if you only get 75 questions that seems near impossible. I have also been told if you miss 75 in a row you automatically fail. So can someone clue me in please! TIA!!

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Specializes in Psych.

basically it doesnt matter how many you get right or wrong. It's not based like that. Its pretty much designed to make you miss about half. There is a standard that everyone must meet. The computer asks you a question either right on/slightly above or slightly below the standard. If you get it right the next question is harder, if you get it wrong it is easier. When the computer determine that it is asking you questions that you are getting around 50 percent right/wrong if the type of questions you are being asked are above the line you pass, below the line you fail. If the computer cannot determine when you are at that 50 percent point (aka your bouncing above and below the line a lot) you will be asked all 265 questions if time allows. If your last question is an above the line question you pass, if its a below the line question you fail.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho, Acute Care Rehab.
basically it doesnt matter how many you get right or wrong. It's not based like that. Its pretty much designed to make you miss about half. There is a standard that everyone must meet. The computer asks you a question either right on/slightly above or slightly below the standard. If you get it right the next question is harder, if you get it wrong it is easier. When the computer determine that it is asking you questions that you are getting around 50 percent right/wrong if the type of questions you are being asked are above the line you pass, below the line you fail. If the computer cannot determine when you are at that 50 percent point (aka your bouncing above and below the line a lot) you will be asked all 265 questions if time allows. If your last question is an above the line question you pass, if its a below the line question you fail.

^^^Great job in explaining this...:yeah:

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Check the NCSBN website out

https://www.ncsbn.org/1216.htm

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This is a topic that should be discussed in your nursing program. Bring it up.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Rehab.

You can also think of it like this: the harder questions are assigned more weight. The easier questions are not weighted as heavily. If you answer more difficult questions correct, you get to the "magic passing score" faster. That's not really how it works but it helped me explain it to lay-people better.

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