Changes On The NCLEX Examination Due To COVID -19 Outbreak

(Estimated reading time: 3 minutes)

You’re set for the examination, but then the Pearson Vue notifies you that they’ve cancelled your NCLEX examination appointment. The reason being they cannot deliver the exam on your specified date. You felt frustrated, right? But, that delay might be a blessing in disguise. Maybe there was a reason for that and we cling to the idea positively.

As you have known, taking the NCLEX Exam may be every week of the month. The schedule of the examination may not be every day, but there will be around 3-4 days a week. Also, in a day, the appointment schedule is either morning or afternoon.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, multiple countries stopped their NCLEX appointments. Many test-takers currently in the Middle East that were to sit for the examination in India were not able to go there due to travel restrictions.

The Philippines is not an exemption. The Philippine government mandated an enhanced community quarantine making it impossible for transportation means. In order to curb the spread of the virus, offices were to temporarily halt their service. Pearson Vue testing center in Makati was also closed. In effect, hundreds of applicants were not able to sit for their scheduled examinations.

In spite of the testing center closures, after cautious deliberations, NCSBN issued an update that selected testing centers in the USA and Canada will be opened. The move was to enable nurses to sit for the examination so as to increase the number of nurses who were eligible to help the healthcare system after passing the NCLEX.

Current implemented changes are the following and will continue to be in effect until July 4, 2020:

• Number of Hours During the examination: 4 hours
• Maximum Number of Items: 130 items
• Minimum Number of Items: 60 items
• 15 items on the pretest will no longer part of the NCLEX-RN
• Research Section is not included
• Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) is still used

Now, the very common question among the candidates is: Is it easier now or will it be difficult to pass the NCLEX due to lessened number of items?

NCSBN conducted a webinar and has answered this concern. They said that there is no particular changes in the difficulty of the exam. The passing standard will be the same and it will not be easier or be more difficult to examinee.

As you already know, NCLEX uses CAT and your experience will greatly depend on your performance on your actual testing day.

This delay may not be wanted, but there must be a reason for it. Because of this quarantine time, you might be able to review your concepts more. It can make you understand better, and in turn, will give you a higher probability of passing your NCLEX examination. Just continue focusing on your exam because when things go back to normal, you can now be more confident of being able to ace your test.

For those who haven’t started their NCLEX application, IPASS Processing provides a hassle-free exam application for Filipinos and foreign nationalities who wish to apply for the exam. Our track record in processing NCLEX applications provides you all the confidence you need. The approval of your application in the Board of Nursing and eligibility to sit for the the examination is our utmost goal. Connect and start your NCLEX with us now!