NCLEX Updates and Changes 2024

Did you just graduate nursing school and you’re now preparing to take the NCLEX? Passing the NCLEX is required in order to receive your nursing license. About every 3 years the NCLEX gets revised to be geared towards the current entry-level nursing competency measurement. It’s important to prepare for the NCLEX by researching and taking into consideration any new changes. This blog will go over all the new NCLEX updates and changes for 2024.

What is the NCLEX?

The NCLEX stands for the National Council Licensure Examination. The test is required for both aspiring Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. Generally, students are eligible to take the NCLEX about 45 days after graduation. The exam is a comprehensive test that assesses the skills and knowledge necessary to provide effective and safe patient care.

What did the NCLEX change?

The NCLEX has a few key updates for 2024. They have updated the test to feature a new name, new and harder question formats, updated testing pattern and a different amount of scored questions. The NCLEX has renamed the test to the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN). The NGN is geared towards measuring the candidate’s clinical judgement. With technology evolving and patients experiencing more complex illnesses, the healthcare industry is becoming increasingly more challenging. This results in the possibility of more errors due to poor clinical decision-making processes. Therefore, the importance of emphasizing and measuring a potential nurses clinical judgement becomes more crucial.

NCLEX New Test Pattern

The new testing pattern of the NCLEX has been restructured to reflect the concepts not included in previous versions. These concepts focus on effectively caring for patients while making complex clinical decisions and navigating an ever-evolving scope of practice. The key NCLEX updates and changes include:

• Incorporation of New Technology: With the incorporation of new technology on the NCLEX, they will now be able to simulate more accurate real-life clinical settings.
• Emphasis on Clinical Judgement: With the evolution of technology in healthcare and patients experiencing more complex illnesses, the importance of clinical judgement becomes a top priority. Clinical judgement will be measured in two ways with case studies and standalone items. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) created the Clinical Judgement Measurement Model (CJMM) to measure nurse’s abilities on decision-making and clinical judgement. This model is used to create the Next Gen NCLEX.
• Increased Difficulty Level: Since the NGN is an enhanced version of the NCLEX, the difficulty level has increased. With the addition of the Clinical Judgement Measurement Model, there is an increase in harder question content.

Harder Question Content

The National Council Licensure Examination has introduced harder question content. The change was implemented to ensure that newly licensed nurses are well equipped to enter the industry. The NCLEX has added the following:

• Increased complexity
• Scenario-based questions
• Higher Cognitive Demand

New Question Formats

The Next Generation NCLEX has introduced several new question formats. The new formats include:

• Bowtie: The Bowtie question format represents branching logic in the form of a bowtie diagram. This means that there will be the issue at hand in the center with numerous outcomes of either side (like a bowtie). This question format is one of the most challenging since it measures all six steps of clinical judgement measurement in one question.
• Cloze (Drop-Down): These types of questions are fill-in-the-blank sentences. Instead of writing in the blank space, there will be a dropdown.
• Extended Multiple Choice: The extended multiple-choice questions are similar to general multiple-choice questions but with more answer choices. These questions also have more than one correct combination. Extended Multiple Response questions assess the ability to prioritize and recognize multiple correct actions in a clinical situation.
• Extended Drag-and-Drop: The extended drag-and-drop questions are similar to the current drag-and-drop questions. The test taker will have to move options into the answer spaces. However, this new version may require categorizing items, matching related concepts, or sequencing steps. Extended drag-and-drop questions are more complex and require a deeper understanding of the material to make an efficient clinical judgement.
• Matrix (Grid): Matrix style questions provide a scenario with client data. There is a rectangle with a group of arranged items. The test taker must make judgements and check off the correct boxes in the matrix.
• Enhanced Hot Spot: Enhanced Hot Spot questions also provide scenarios with client data. It allows candidates to select answers by highlighting pre-defined words or phrases.

Number of Scored Questions

In the previous version of the NCLEX the number of scored questions was from 60 to 130. The new version of the NCLEX will include scored questions from 70 to 135. The Next Gen NCLEX will have a minimum of 85 questions (70 scored, 15 unscored) and a maximum of 150 questions (135 scored, 15 unscored).

Conclusion

Preparing for the Next Gen NCLEX is extremely important. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the new Clinical Judgement Measurement Model (CJMM). With the increase of illness and diseases impacting the healthcare system, the NCLEX updates and changes of 2024 accurately display the increased importance of decision-making processes to improve patient outcomes. With the incorporation of new testing patterns, harder question content and number of scored questions, the NGN aims to raise the standard of nurse qualifications. If you’re preparing to take the Next Gen NCLEX, be sure to familiarize yourself with the new question content and take the time to practice and study. Getting a deep understanding of the new layout will increase your chances of passing the Next Gen NCLEX on the first try. If you’re looking for a Nursing job in New York or New Jersey, check out our current job openings!