Questions regarding the NCLEX

riri rn · Apr 3, 2011

Once you pay ur $200 for nclex you will recieve your ATT letter and you can register for the NCLEX, which will give you a list of test centers. you can take the exam every 45 to 90 days depending on the state your in. some states do have a limit, like illinois is up to 3years.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Apr 3, 2011

You apply to your state as well as pearsonvue and you can not sit NCLEX until you have graduated and your school has notified the BON you have graduated. Each state varies on time between sitting exam if you fail but will be either 45 or 90 days. Once you obtain your ATT from pearsonvue (they will not issue it until notified by the state BON) you can check out the schedule and arrange date.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Apr 3, 2011

Hopefully your school gives you some insight on the application process....

but anyway, you need to submit an application to whatever state you are applying to. Some states let you do this online; others you have to print and send in. You'll have to pay initial licensure fees. These vary from state to state. You will also have to have fingerprints done and submit to a criminal background check. The fingerprints may be digital or the traditional ink/paper ones. Most states seem to be going with the digital but if you're from out of state you might have to do the ink/paper ones and send them into the BON.

look at your state BON to learn what the requirements are for initial licensure. These also vary from state to state. I am licensed in Texas, so nurses in Texas have to take a jurisprudence exam. I was originally going for a NY license, and they require a class on infection control/child abuse (kind of like CEU's). Like I said, they vary from state to state.

Once you submit your application and fees, you need to register with Pearson Vue and pay the $200 NCLEX fee. You are not actually selecting a test date at this time; you are just registering.

After you graduate from your program and your school sends all of the information to the state BON, and you have met all of the requirements for initial licensure, they basically give the OK to Pearson Vue and Pearson Vue will send you your ATT, or Authorization to Test. This can be sent through mail or e-mail. The average wait time from graduation until you actually receive your ATT seems to be about a month. for me, it was almost 3 months, but that was because I didn't know where I was going (long story short: my husband is in the Army) and I had to send in multiple sets of fingerprints because they couldn't read them. But, I digress. Once you get your ATT, it is good for 90 days, meaning you must schedule a test date within that time frame. Go back to the Pearson Vue website and select a test date as well as a testing center.

Here is the NCLEX Candidate Bulletin, which I would read. It basically explains everything I just explained + some other things that are important:

https://www.ncsbn.org/11_NCLEX_Candidate_Bulletin.pdf.pdf

You will need to know your educational program code, usually for your application to the state. Your school should tell you, but if not, here is a comprehensive list:

https://www.ncsbn.org/NCLEX_Educational_Program_Codes.pdf

Keep in mind that 80-some percent of candidates will pass the NCLEX on their first try. If you happen to fail, I know you have to wait between 45-90 days until you can retest (I'm not really sure how they determine whether you wait 45 or 90 days).

Hope this helps!

caliotter3 · Apr 3, 2011

When you register at the PearsonVue site, you choose the test center location from those listed that are near you, or elsewhere for that matter.

ecf1972 · Apr 6, 2011

Thank you SO much for all of the information, I truly appreciate it! I still have about another year of school left, but trying to time health insurance and whatnot... trying to figure out how long it will be before I can actually sit for the exam. Thanks again, you're awesome!!