Maximum-Length Exam Rule | NCSBN (2023)

FAQs

What does it mean if you get the max questions on the NCLEX? ›

You answered the maximum number of questions before the time limit expired. If you answer the maximum of 145 questions, this is an indication you are close to the passing standard for the exam, and the computer is trying to give you enough questions to show you have passed.

Candidates must pass NCLEX within three years from when they graduated nursing school. Please note that some states put additional limitations on how many times candidates can re-take the test.

The NCLEX will shut off for 3 reasons. When you run out of time or questions. Or when the computer determines with 95% confidence, if it keeps asking you questions, you'll stay above the passing line (PASS) or below the passing line (FAIL).

If the NCLEX shuts off at 75 questions, you likely passed the NCLEX. I say this because over 80% of nursing students will pass the NCLEX their first time. So statistically speaking, most students will pass the NCLEX, especially if they went through a good NCLEX prep course.

Does 145 questions on NCLEX mean you failed? No, if you answer all 145 questions on the NCLEX, that does not mean you fail. In fact, if you answered 145 questions and each question was progressively more challenging, then that is a good sign that you passed.

If a student got all 265 questions, that would mean they are really straddling the competency line. The NCLEX algorithm is complicated, but it's a very smart, adaptive test. After you get past 75 questions, once it determines whether you're above passing or below passing, it will shut off.

NCLEX Retake Information. According to the policies of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), which oversees administration of the NCLEX examinations, you may take an exam no more than eight times in one year, but the organization does not cap the lifetime number of retakes allowed.

test-takers have six attempts to pass in total. Louisiana: Nursing students can take the NCLEX exam up to four times within two years of graduating from nursing school. After this time, they'll need to re-enroll in a nursing program before testing again.

Due to the addition of the 15 pretest items, the minimum length exam will be 75 items and the maximum length exam will be 145 items. Examination time will be five hours. Given the changes to the maximum exam length and the testing time, the current Run Out of Time (R.O.O.T) scoring rule is no longer applicable.

So, a test-taker can pass or fail the NCLEX-RN/PN with 60 questions, 145 questions, or any number in between.

Why did I get 145 questions on NCLEX? ›

The maximum-length rule: If your performance is too close to the passing standard, you'll have to answer the maximum amount of questions–which is currently 145 questions on the NCLEX. The run-out-of-time rule: The computer can't determine pass or fail if you don't answer the minimum amount of questions.

Per NCSBN policy, you'll need to wait a minimum of 45 days between each exam.

To pass the NCLEX RN or PN, test takers must correctly answer at least 75 questions (the minimum amount). Unfortunately, that means you can also fail the exam within those 75 questions or items.

The test shuts off before you answer the minimum number of questions. The NCLEX-RN has a minimum of 75 questions and a maximum of 145, and you have five hours to complete the exam.

It is possible to fail the NCLEX with only 75 questions, and you can even pass. It merely depends upon the correct answers. Of course, just because you can fail with 75 questions doesn't mean that you will. In fact, many nurses who take the NCLEX do pass with 75 questions.

Since the minimum number of questions you'll take on the NCLEX is 75 and the maximum is 145, this could happen at any point between those 2 numbers. Theoretically, the computer could know from your first 75 questions that you failed and stop giving you more, or it could know that you passed.

Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure if you have passed the NCLEX is to wait for your official results.

The typical NCLEX has a maximum of 265 questions. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the length has been altered. The NCLEX in 2022 has 15 pretest questions and a maximum length of 145 questions. You'll also have a total of 5 hours to complete the exam.

NCLEX-PN Passing Standard

The NCSBN Board of Directors voted in December 2022, to uphold the current passing standard for the NCLEX-PN Examination. The passing standard will remain at the current level of -0.18 logits and will remain in effect through March 31, 2026.

I took the nclex about a week ago, and got 265 questions too. I passed. Since then I have been asking around and reading a lot of messages boards, and it seems like more people pass than fail with 265. There is definitely hope =)

Does Mark Klimek help pass NCLEX? ›

Mark Klimek, a nursing associate professor at Cedarville University, has developed an NCLEX review course designed to help you pass the exam. Mark Klimek's NCLEX Review course was developed by someone who specialized in Psych Mental-Health Nursing and Med-Surg/ICU.

Pennsylvania: Unlimited attempts. Ohio: Unlimited attempts. New York: Unlimited attempts. Canada: 3 attempts maximum.

The Next Gen NCLEX will also have a new scoring method. Currently, the NCLEX items are scored as either all incorrect or all correct. Using a scoring model that accounts for multiple answers will allow for partial credit. It will go into effect in April 2023.

All nurses need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, or NCLEX-RN, exam to become certified in their profession. Most nursing undergraduate programs prepare students for the contents of the NCLEX by providing them with study materials and practice exams.

According to the Rule of Nines, the entirety of each arm accounts for 9% TBSA. The front of one arm is considered 4.5% TBSA, while the back of one arm is considered 4.5% TBSA. According to the Rule of Nines, the genitalia accounts for 1% TBSA.

The number of questions you answered is an indication of how close you were to the passing standard. Only those candidates whose performance was close to the passing standard had to answer the maximum number of questions (130 for NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN).

Failing the test can result in not answering the minimum amount of 70 questions within the allotted time. You can answer the first 69 questions correctly, but you will automatically fail the exam if you don't reach number 70.

The NCLEX only shuts off at 75 if you did well or very very poorly. If you did really poorly you would have felt like you were struggling with every question.

As of the third quarter, the 2022 pass rate for the NCLEX-RN examination fell to its lowest point in a decade for both first-time NCLEX test-takers and all takers. The first-time rate fell to 79.9%, more than 10 percentage points below the 2012 rate of 90.3%.

How much do you pay to retake NCLEX? ›

With Pearson VUE, the registration fee for NCLEX retesting is $200, plus a $75 reapplication fee. You must pay the $7.95 fee for Quick Results if you want faster results.

Does the Pearson Vue NCLEX Trick Work? The NCLEX trick is not 100% accurate. Some students have reported getting “a bad pop-up” when they passed and getting “the good pop-up” when they failed.

For the NCLEX- RN to shut off at 75 means you either did very well or very bad. It only fails an tester at 75 if they are unable to correctly answer more than a few questions in a row.

If the NCLEX-RN test stops at 75 questions, it is essential to remember that this does not mean that the examinee has definitely passed the exam. The NCLEX-RN exam is a pass/fail exam, and the passing standard is set by each individual state board of nursing.

There's no need to worry just yet! The NCLEX is a pass/fail exam, so you won't know your score until you receive your results. However, the average passing rate for the NCLEX is around 85%, so you've got a pretty good chance of passing if you've made it to 75 questions.

Myth #4: “Select all that applies” questions show how you're doing on the NCLEX. A common myth about Select All That Applies (SATA) questions is that if you get a lot of them on your test, you're definitely passing. Again, this is definitely not true—and it's actually very subjective.

While you can fail the NCLEX PN or NCLEX RN exam in 145 questions, it's unlikely. Most students are more prepared than they think, hence why most students pass the NCLEX exams.

To pass the NCLEX RN or PN, test takers must correctly answer at least 75 questions (the minimum amount). Unfortunately, that means you can also fail the exam within those 75 questions or items.

If the NCLEX shuts off at 75 questions, you likely passed the NCLEX. I say this because over 80% of nursing students will pass the NCLEX their first time. So statistically speaking, most students will pass the NCLEX, especially if they went through a good NCLEX prep course.

The test shuts off before you answer the minimum number of questions. The NCLEX-RN has a minimum of 75 questions and a maximum of 145, and you have five hours to complete the exam.

Do you only need 50% on NCLEX? ›

How the 2022 NCLEX is Scored. The NCLEX is scored using dichotomous scoring, so you can either pass or fail the exam. Currently, to pass the NCLEX-RN, the standard is 0.00 logits–or answer questions correctly at least 50% of the time.

Passing the NCLEX® requires answering questions at the analysis level. Priority questions are generally written at the analysis level, so it is highly important that you have a good understanding of how to recognize and answer them.

Harder Question Content

This increased client acuity means that new NCLEX questions are more difficult, with an increased focus on caring for more critically ill clients.

Does NCLEX-RN Get Harder with Every Retake After Failing? Some candidates mistakenly believe that the NCLEX is harder each time. Questions become more challenging with each correct answer you provide on the NCLEX. However, subsequent tests are not easier or more difficult than previous exams.

In December 2022, The NCSBN voted to uphold the current passing standard for NCLEX-RN, meaning that candidates will continue to be required to pass at a level of 0.00 (for the NCLEX-PN, -0.18) logits through March 31, 2026. The NCLEX uses a base logit score of 0.00 to determine whether you pass or not.