2011 Nurse Licensee Volume and NCLEX Examination Statistics

Transcription

1 NCSBN RESEARCH BRIEF Volume 57 March Nurse Licensee Volume and NCLEX Examination Statistics

2 2011 Nurse Licensee Volume and NCLEX Examination Statistics National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN )

3 Mission Statement The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN ) provides education, service and research through collaborative leadership to promote evidence-based regulatory excellence for patient safety and public protection. Copyright 2013 National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN ) All rights reserved. NCSBN, NCLEX, NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, NNAAP, MACE, Nursys and TERCAP are registered trademarks of NCSBN and this document may not be used, reproduced or disseminated to any third party without written permission from NCSBN. Permission is granted to boards of nursing to use or reproduce all or parts of this document for licensure related purposes only. Nonprofit education programs have permission to use or reproduce all or parts of this document for educational purposes only. Use or reproduction of this document for commercial or for-profit use is strictly prohibited. Any authorized reproduction of this document shall display the notice: Copyright by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. All rights reserved. Or, if a portion of the document is reproduced or incorporated in other materials, such written materials shall include the following credit: Portions copyrighted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. All rights reserved. Address inquiries in writing to NCSBN Permissions, 111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900, Chicago, IL Suggested Citation: National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2013) Nurse Licensee Volume and NCLEX Examination Statistics. Chicago: Author. Printed in the United States of America ISBN#

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS i TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ii List of Figures iii Introduction Part I 2011 Licensure Statistics Part II 2011 NCLEX Examination Statistics

5 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES Part I Table 1. Boards of Nursing Authorized to License RNs, LPN/VNs or APRNs Table 2. RNs: New in State Functions by Jurisdiction Table 3. LPN/VNs: New in State Functions by Jurisdiction Table 4. Total Number of Active Licenses: RNs and LPN/VNs, by Jurisdiction Table 5. Number of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Programs Licensed by Jurisdiction Table 6. Summary of Licensing Activities Table 7. Total Number of APRN Licenses Within Member Board Jurisdictions Table 8. Total Number of APRNs by Role/Population and Jurisdiction Part II Table 1. Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Type of Candidate Table 2. Summary Statistics for First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Table 3. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Jan. 1 - March 31, 2011) Table 4. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (April 1 - June 30, 2011) Table 5. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (July 1 - Sept. 30, 2011) Table 6. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) Table 7. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) Table 8. First-Time, Internationally Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Country of Education (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) Table 9. Candidates Taking the NCLEX-PN Examination by Type of Candidate Table 10. Summary Statistics for First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Table 11. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-PN Examination (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) Table 12. First-Time, Internationally Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-PN Examination, by Country of Education (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011)

6 TABLE OF CONTENTS iii LIST OF FIGURES Part I Figure 1. Total Number of Active Licenses: RNs and LPN/VNs Part II Figure 1. NCLEX-RN Pass Rates for First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Figure 2. NCLEX-RN Pass Rates for All Candidates Figure 3. NCLEX-RN Annual Pass Rates, April December Figure 4. NCLEX-RN Volume for First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Figure 5. NCLEX-RN Volume for All Candidates Figure 6. NCLEX-RN Annual Volume, April December Figure 7. NCLEX-PN Pass Rates for First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Figure 8. NCLEX-PN Pass Rates for All Candidates Figure 9. NCLEX-PN Annual Pass Rates, April December Figure 10. NCLEX-PN Volume for First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Figure 11. NCLEX-PN Volume for All Candidates Figure 12. NCLEX-PN Annual Volume, April December

7 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS

8 INTRODUCTION 1 INTRODUCTION The mission of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN ) is to provide education, service, and research through collaborative leadership to promote evidence-based regulatory excellence for patient safety and public protection. NCSBN is the vehicle through which boards of nursing act and counsel together on matters of common interest. These member boards that comprise NCSBN protect the public by ensuring that safe and competent nursing care is provided by licensed nurses. This publication provides statistics on the licensing activities of the NCSBN Member Boards and its two licensure examinations, the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN ) and the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN ). Part I Licensure Statistics The data reported in Part I of this document include licensing statistics of the 60 state and territorial boards of nursing for the period July 1, 2010 to June 30, The numbers of new licenses by endorsement and examination, as well as the total number of active licenses, are provided for each jurisdiction. Part II NCLEX Examination Statistics The NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN examinations are administered on behalf of 59 of the 60 NCSBN Member Boards (excluding the Nebraska Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Board, which is not responsible for administering entry-level nurse licensure). The purpose of these examinations is to determine if a candidate possesses the minimum knowledge and abilities to provide entry-level nursing care that is safe and effective. Candidate performance on the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN examinations is summarized and reported by quarter and year. This publication provides a detailed breakdown of candidate performance for 2011, as well as historical data.

9 2 INTRODUCTION

10 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS 3 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS The data reported in this section indicate licensure processing activity and the total number of individuals licensed to practice within each jurisdiction from July 1, 2010 to June 30, All data were obtained from state and territorial boards of nursing (BONs). Estimates were provided where the exact figure requested for this collection of data was unknown. Active license figures are based on the reported actual or estimated total number of individuals holding an active license within a jurisdiction and represent the nurses available for employment. Due to an unknown number of individuals holding active licenses in more than one jurisdiction, the total number of active licenses nationwide may be higher than the total number of nurses. Advanced practice registered nurse licenses figures and tables contain data for advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) groups: certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA); certified nurse midwife (CNM); clinical nurse specialist (CNS); and certified nurse practitioner (CNP).

11 4 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS Table 1 lists the NCSBN Member Boards' jurisdiction and the types of licenses for which a BON has licensing authority. Table 1. Boards of Nursing Authorized to License RNs, LPN/VNs or APRNs JD BON RN LPN/VN APRN AK Alaska Board of Nursing YES YES YES AL Alabama Board of Nursing YES YES YES AR Arkansas State Board of Nursing YES YES YES AS American Samoa Health Service Regulatory Board YES YES YES AZ Arizona State Board of Nursing YES YES YES CA-RN California Board of Registered Nursing YES NO YES CA-VN California Board of Vocational Nurse and Psychiatric Technician Examiners NO YES NO CO Colorado Board of Nursing YES YES YES CT Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing YES YES YES DC District of Columbia Board of Nursing YES YES YES DE Delaware Board of Nursing YES YES YES FL Florida Board of Nursing YES YES YES GA-PN Georgia State Board of Licensed Practical Nurses NO YES NO GA-RN Georgia Board of Nursing YES NO YES GU Guam Board of Nurse Examiners YES YES YES HI Hawaii Board of Nursing Professional and Vocational Licensing Division YES YES YES IA Iowa Board of Nursing YES YES YES ID Idaho Board of Nursing YES YES YES IL Illinois Department of Professional Regulation YES YES YES IN Indiana State Board of Nursing YES YES YES KS Kansas State Board of Nursing YES YES YES KY Kentucky Board of Nursing YES YES YES LA-PN Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners NO YES NO LA-RN Louisiana State Board of Nursing YES NO YES MA Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing YES YES YES MD Maryland Board of Nursing YES YES YES ME Maine State Board of Nursing YES YES YES MI Michigan CIS/Bureau of Health Services YES YES YES MN Minnesota Board of Nursing YES YES YES MO Missouri State Board of Nursing YES YES YES MP Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Board of Nurse Examiners YES YES YES MS Mississippi Board of Nursing YES YES YES MT Montana State Board of Nursing YES YES YES NC North Carolina Board of Nursing YES YES YES ND North Dakota Board of Nursing YES YES YES NE Nebraska Health and Human Services System YES YES YES NE-AP Nebraska Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Board NO NO YES NH New Hampshire Board of Nursing YES YES YES NJ New Jersey Board of Nursing YES YES YES NM New Mexico Board of Nursing YES YES YES NV Nevada State Board of Nursing YES YES YES

12 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS 5 Table 1. Boards of Nursing Authorized to License RNs, LPN/VNs or APRNs JD BON RN LPN/VN APRN NY New York State Board for Nursing YES YES YES OH Ohio Board of Nursing YES YES YES OK Oklahoma Board of Nursing YES YES YES OR Oregon State Board of Nursing YES YES YES PA Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing YES YES YES RI Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education YES YES YES SC South Carolina State Board of Nursing YES YES YES SD South Dakota Board of Nursing YES YES YES TN Tennessee State Board of Nursing YES YES YES TX Texas Board of Nurse Examiners YES YES YES UT Utah State Board of Nursing YES YES YES VA Virginia Board of Nursing YES YES YES VI Virgin Islands Board of Nurse Licensure YES YES YES VT Vermont State Board of Nursing YES YES YES WA Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission YES YES YES WI Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing YES YES YES WV-PN West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses NO YES NO WV-RN West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses YES NO YES WY Wyoming State Board of Nursing YES YES YES

13 6 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS Tables 2 through 4 provide data related to new licenses issued by endorsement or examination and the total numbers of active licenses (both RNs and LPN/VNs) by jurisdiction. Table 2. RNs: New in State by Jurisdiction JD Licensure by Examination Licensure by Endorsement Total Number of Newly licensed RNs in Jurisdiction N N N AR 1, ,335 AS AZ 2,800 2,394 5,194 CA-RN 14,154 8,794 22,948 CO 2,225 2,798 5,023 CT 1,514 1,728 3,242 DC 285 2,796 3,081 DE ,450 FL 5,094 7,324 12,418 GA-RN 3,666 3,201 6,867 GU IA 1, ,629 ID ,462 IL IN 4,357 2,331 6,688 KS 1,909 1,647 3,556 KY 2,373 1,290 3,663 LA-RN 2,460 1,316 3,776 MA 3,711 2,547 6,258 ME ,401 MI 5,092 2,111 7,203 MN 3,440 2,732 6,172 MO 3,615 2,005 5,620 Table 2. RNs: New in State by Jurisdiction JD Licensure by Examination Licensure by Endorsement Total Number of Newly licensed RNs in Jurisdiction N N N MP MT ,320 NC 4,495 3,094 7,589 ND ,182 NE 1, ,274 NH ,451 NM 1, ,344 NV 878 2,259 3,137 OH 7,744 3,354 11,098 OK 2,056 1,353 3,409 OR 1,487 1,879 3,366 PA 6,824 4,022 10,846 RI ,076 SD ,095 TN 3,099 1,979 5,078 TX 10,262 6,251 16,513 VA 3,471 2,741 6,212 VT 1,849 WA 5,831 WI 3,471 1,698 5,169 WV-RN 1,207 1,550 2,757 WY Total 112,410 84, ,482 No information is available for Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah or Virgin Islands.

14 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS 7 Table 3. LPN/VNs: New in State by Jurisdiction JD Licensure by Examination Licensure by Endorsement Total Number of Newly licensed LPN/VNs in Jurisdiction N N N AR 1, ,312 AS AZ CA-VN 8, ,273 CO CT DC DE FL 3,191 1,366 4,557 GA-PN 1, ,186 GU IA 1, ,439 ID IL IN 1, ,900 KS 1, ,283 KY ,294 LA-PN 1, ,445 MA ,047 ME MI 1, ,002 MN 1, ,870 MO 1, ,811 Table 3. LPN/VNs: New in State by Jurisdiction JD Licensure by Examination Licensure by Endorsement Total Number of Newly licensed LPN/VNs in Jurisdiction N N N MP MT NC 1, ,635 ND NE NH NM NV OH 4, ,374 OK 1, ,395 OR PA 2, ,251 RI SD TN 1, ,013 TX 5,629 1,116 6,745 VA 1, ,310 VT 101 WA 1,519 WI 1, ,340 WV-PN WY Total 50,748 12,561 64,929 No information is available for Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah or Virgin Islands.

15 8 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS Table 4. Total Number of Active Licenses: RNs and LPN/VNs, by Jurisdiction Table 4. Total Number of Active Licenses: RNs and LPN/VNs, by Jurisdiction RNs LPN/VNs Total Number RNs LPN/VNs Total Number JD N N N AL 49,963 12,935 62,898 AK 10,741 1,075 11,816 AR 37,042 15,969 53,011 AS AZ 71,726 11,511 83,237 CA-RN 366, ,815 CA-VN 119, ,538 CO 58,137 9,158 67,295 CT 56,616 13,190 69,806 DC 22,226 2,384 24,610 DE 16,702 3,254 19,956 FL 234,444 70, ,890 GA 102,956 32, ,399 GU ,097 HI 20,159 2,740 22,899 IA 48,174 12,088 60,262 ID 17,809 3,883 21,692 IL 170,140 28, ,504 IN 93,626 27, ,974 KS 45,535 10,417 55,952 KY 57,925 14,946 72,871 LA-RN 55,107 55,107 LA-PN 23,087 23,087 MA 116,860 21, ,125 ME 22,529 2,638 25,167 MD 66,128 12,338 78,466 MI 132,632 26, ,438 MN 86,718 24, ,794 MS 39,840 12,553 52,393 JD N N N MO 88,168 24, ,356 MP 1, ,308 MT 14,163 3,313 17,476 NC 114,920 21, ,314 ND 11,482 3,667 15,149 NE 27,381 6,921 34,302 NH 21,596 3,459 25,055 NJ 103,629 4, ,498 NM 24,060 3,250 27,310 NV 27,582 3,277 30,859 NY 272,267 70, ,390 OH 179,203 55, ,778 OK 43,586 17,991 61,577 OR 46,772 4,273 51,045 PA 213,057 57, ,817 RI 17,124 2,038 19,162 SC 49,352 11,971 61,323 SD 13,952 2,280 16,232 TN 83,647 29, ,546 TX 239,377 93, ,790 UT 21,950 3,411 25,361 VA 104,359 32, ,672 VI VT 15,893 15,893 WA 83,300 14,150 97,450 WI 164,446 46, ,147 WV-LPN 7,470 7,470 WV-RN 29,196 29,196 WY 8,399 1,113 9,512 Total 4,022,333 1,039,863 5,062, Includes 766,965 total number of active licenses reported in 2010 for Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah and Virgin Islands.

16 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS 9 Table 5 provides the total number of graduates of foreign nursing programs licensed by jurisdiction. Table 6 provides a summary of licensing activities by examination and endorsement for RNs, LPN/VNs and graduates of foreign nursing programs. Table 5. Number of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Programs Licensed by Jurisdiction JD RNs LPN/VNs AR 80 AS 7 CA-RN 3,473 CT GA 27 GU 42 2 IA 3 ID 12 IN 5 KY 12 LA-RN 19 ME 17 1 MN MO 53 5 MP 62 1 NC ND 12 NM OK 26 OR PA RI 2 TX 1, VA 12 WV-PN 8 WV-RN 1 Total 6, Information is provided by 28 jurisdictions Table 6. Summary of Licensing Activities Total Number of Newly Licensed Nurses in All Jurisdictions RNs 204,482 LPN/VNs 64,929 Total 269,411 Total number of Active Licenses in All Jurisdictions 1 RNs 4,022,333 LPN/VNs 1,039,863 Total 5,062,196 Total Number of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Programs in All Jurisdictions 2 RNs 6,179 LPN/VNs 103 Total 6,282 1 Includes 766,965 total number of active licenses reported in 2010 for Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah and Virgin Islands. 2 Information is provided by 28 jurisdictions.

17 10 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS Tables 7 and 8 provide the numbers of APRN licenses issued within each jurisdiction by role and population. Table 7. Total Number of APRN Licenses Within Member Board Jurisdictions Active Licenses Abbreviation Category N % CNM Certified Nurse Midwife 7, % CRNA Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 41, % CNS Clinical Nurse Specialist 14, % Nurse Practitioners NP No specialty designation 78, % AC Acute Care Adult Nurse Practitioner 1, % AHP Adult/General Health Nurse Practitioner 5, % CHP Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner 2, % FAM Family 23, % NEO Neonatal 1, % WOM Obstetrical and/or Gynecological and/or Women's Health 3, % PSY Psychiatric and/or Mental Health 1, % Other Other Types of Nurse Practitioners 8, % Total 189, % Table 8. Total Number of APRNs by Role/Population and Jurisdiction Nurse Practitioners Total Active Licenses Other PSY WOM NEO FNP CHP AHP AC NP No Specialty Designation CNS CRNA CNM JD N N N N N N N N N N N N N AR ,318 2,178 AS AZ , ,435 CA-RN 1,191 2,047 3,099 16,181 22,518 CO ,775 4,213 CT DC DE FL 676 4, , ,179 GA-RN & -PN 415 1, ,611 6,975 GU IA ,891 ID ,134 IL 410 1,747 1,022 4,789 7,968 IN ,752 3,016 KS , ,646 KY 99 1, , ,202

18 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS 11 Table 8. Total Number of APRNs by Role/Population and Jurisdiction Nurse Practitioners Total Active Licenses Other PSY WOM NEO FNP CHP AHP AC NP No Specialty Designation CNS CRNA CNM JD N N N N N N N N N N N N N LA-RN 40 1, , ,858 MA 467 1, ,556 9,111 ME ,801 MI 318 2,440 4,056 6,814 MN 245 1, , ,462 MO 98 1, , ,030 MP MT NC 204 2,978 1, , ,126 ND NE ,052 1,696 NH NM ,167 1,711 OH 334 2,539 1,689 5,251 9,813 OK ,092 2,010 OR , ,192 PA 88 7,457 7,545 RI ,118 SD TN 142 2, ,115 8,760 TX 382 3,745 1, , ,673 VA 236 1, , ,106 VT WA ,852 5,030 WV-RN ,441 WY Total 7,406 41,238 14,775 78,750 1,590 5,393 2,168 23,124 1,829 3,072 1,889 8, ,753

19 12 PART I 2011 LICENSURE STATISTICS Figure 1 provides a review of the numbers of active licenses for the years Unless noted otherwise, all numbers are calculated in terms of column totals. Figure 1. Total Number of Active Licenses: RNs and LPN/VNs ,500,000 4,022,333 4,000,000 3,853,870 3,780,178 3,733,299 3,495,906 3,416,946 3,500,000 3,317,791 3,186,880 3,210,456 3,103,444 3,061,643 3,000,000 2,500,000 Number 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,039, , ,692 1,017, , ,488 1,000, , , , , , , RN LPN/VN

20 13 PART II 2011 NCLEX EXAMINATION STATISTICS Introduction In 1982, NCSBN substantially revised the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE). NCSBN changed the examination from a norm-referenced test to a criterion-referenced test, implemented a new test plan and used Rasch s (1960) one parameter logistic model to calibrate items and measure candidates abilities. At that time, NCSBN renamed the examinations the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN ) and the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN ). However, these NCLEX examinations were very different than the NCLEX examinations taken by candidates today. These examinations were only administered twice a year in a pencil-and-paper format; each administration lasted two days. In 1986, the NCSBN Board of Directors (BOD) funded an initial investigation on the feasibility of using computerized adaptive testing (CAT) procedures. CAT held the promise of making examinations available year round, shortening examination length by only giving candidates items that were appropriate for their ability and providing greater security for the content of the items. On April 1, 1994, NCSBN began administering the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN Examinations exclusively via CAT. This publication provides a detailed breakdown of candidate performance for 2011, as well as historical data. CAT CAT is a method of administering examinations that combines the power and speed of current computer technology with modern measurement theory. With CAT, each candidate s test is unique; it is assembled interactively as the individual is tested. As the candidate answers each question, the computer calculates an ability estimate based on all earlier answers. The test administration software then identifies the content area for the next item. Next, the software scans through available items within the identified content area for an item that has a degree of difficulty sufficient to give the candidate approximately a 50% chance of answering it correctly. This item is selected and presented to the candidate on the computer screen. This process is repeated for each item, creating an examination tailored to the individual s ability level, while fulfilling all NCLEX test plan requirements. The examination continues in this way until a pass-fail decision can be determined. Because the examination could end at any time after the minimum number of items has been answered, it is important that the test plan specifications are met throughout the entire test. Setting the Passing Standard To ensure a consistent standard of competence in nursing practice, NCSBN uses a criterion-referenced standard, which means that passing or failing depends solely upon a candidate s level of performance in relation to the established point that represents safe entry-level competence. There is no preassigned percentage of candidates that pass or fail each examination. Because the practice of nursing changes over time, it is necessary to reevaluate the appropriateness of the passing standard from time to time. To ensure that the passing standards for the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN examinations accurately reflects the knowledge, skills and abilities essential for entry-level nurse practice, NCSBN s BOD reevaluates the passing standard every three years or when the test plan changes. In evaluating the passing standard, the BOD considers information from a variety of sources. Although there is no limit on the information it may consider, the BOD is typically presented with the following information: 1. The results of a standard-setting exercise undertaken by the panel of judges. Currently, this exercise consists of a modified Angoff procedure with additional statistical compromise procedures. A list of the members on the panel of judges and their qualifications is also included. 2. A historical record of the passing standard and annual summaries of candidate performance on the NCLEX examination since the implementation of the CAT methodology in The results from the annual standard-setting survey, which solicits the opinions of employers

21 14 and educators regarding the competence of the current cohort of entry-level nurses. 4. Information detailing the educational readiness of high school graduates who expressed an interest in nursing. In April 1998, the passing standard for the NCLEX-RN Examination increased from 0.42 logits to 0.35 logits. In April 2001, this standard was retained for another three years. In April 2004, the standard increased to 0.28 logits. In April 2007, the standard increased again to 0.21 logits. In April 2010, the standard increased to 0.16 logits. The passing standard for the NCLEX-PN Examination has experienced a similar increase over time. In April 1999, the passing standard for the NCLEX-PN Examination increased from 0.51 logits to 0.47 logits. In April 2002, this standard was retained for another three years. In April 2005, the NCLEX-PN passing standard increased from 0.47 to 0.42 logits. In April 2008, the standard increased to 0.37 logits. In April 2011, the standard increased to 0.27 logits. It is important to note that the RN and PN standards are not directly comparable because they are based on different item pools and different scopes of practice. Pass-Fail Decisions Candidate performance on the NCLEX examinations is reported only as a pass-fail decision. Scores are never reported. As a result, almost all the statistics presented here are pass rates or statistics based upon a pass-fail decision. To make pass-fail decisions, the computer seeks to determine with 95% certainty whether the candidate s true ability is above or below the passing standard. To do this, three pieces of information must be known: the current person ability estimate, the precision of that estimate and the passing standard. After the minimum number of items has been answered, the computer compares the candidate s ability level to the standard required for passing. Candidates clearly above the passing standard pass. Candidates clearly below the passing standard fail. If the candidate s ability level is close enough to the passing standard that it is not clear which side of the passing standard his or her ability falls, the computer continues asking items. As more items are answered, the candidate s ability estimate becomes more precise. After each item, the candidate s ability level is recomputed, using all of the information (answers to all the items asked) available at that point. When it becomes clear on which side of the passing standard the candidate s ability falls, the examination ends. Some candidates abilities are very close to the passing standard. For these candidates, all items in the item pool might not provide enough information to be certain their ability is truly above or below the passing standard. These are the candidates who take the maximum number of items. Once the maximum number of items is administered, the computer waives the 95% certainty requirement and makes a pass or fail decision based upon the candidate s final ability estimate. If the candidate s ability estimate is above the passing standard, the candidate passes. If not, he or she fails. If an NCLEX examination ends because time runs out, then the computer does not have enough information to make a clear pass-fail decision; if it did, it already would have stopped administering items. However, when the response patterns of people who ran out of time were investigated, it was found that some had been performing consistently above the passing standard, and their ability level appeared to be above passing, although close to it. A mechanism is therefore provided for these candidates to pass. The key word here is consistently. If a candidate s ability estimate has been consistently above the passing standard over the last 60 items, then he or she will pass, despite having run out of time.

22 15 Table 1. Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Type of Candidate 1 NCLEX-RN Examination: Jan. 1 - Dec.31, 2011 Jan. 1 - March 31, 2011 April 1 - June 30, 2011 July 1 - Sept. 30, 2011 Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011 Total: Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011 Type of Candidate Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % First-Time, U.S.-Educated Diploma ,536 1, ,432 3, Baccalaureate Degree 13,550 12, ,063 16, ,729 18, ,925 4, ,267 51, Associate Degree 20,840 18, ,174 23, ,002 24, ,747 5, ,763 71, Special Program Codes Total First-Time, U.S.-Educated 35,222 31, ,010 41, ,289 44, ,033 9, , , Repeat, U.S.-Educated 5,414 2, ,188 3, ,932 4, ,938 4, ,472 15, First-Time, Internationally Educated 2, , , , ,722 3, Repeat, Internationally Educated 3, , , , ,556 2, All Candidates 46,237 35, ,381 46, ,035 50, ,651 16, , , Performance of RN Educational Programs. The following is a summary of the 2011 NCLEX pass rates for U.S. RN education programs based upon first-time candidate performance: In 2011, 1,944 U.S. RN programs had at least one first-time candidate. The mean pass rate for those programs was 86.9% (SD 12.3%). When including only those programs with at least 10 first-time examinees (N=1,850), the mean pass rate was 87.4% (SD 10.1%).

23 16 Table 2. Summary Statistics for First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates NCLEX-RN January-December 2011 Passing Standard logits Estimated Decision Consistency Average Test Length items Percent of Candidates Taking the Minimum Number of Items 53.5% Percent of Candidates Taking the Maximum Number of Items 13.2% Average Testing Time 4 2 hours, 16 minutes Percent of Candidates Taking the Maximum Amount of Time 1.1% 1 The NCLEX-RN passing standard scale uses logits as the unit of measurement. Logits is short for log-odds-units. These units have no inherent meaning with regard to nursing content and in fact have an arbitrary zero point, but logits are practical because the probability of a correct response can easily be computed when the candidate s ability and the item s difficulty are known. Typically, the logit range on the NCLEX-RN scale is from (easy items or low ability candidates) to 2.00 (difficult items or high ability candidates). 2 Estimated Decision Consistency is an indicator of reliability. Conceptually, it is the proportion of pass-fail decisions that would remain the same if the same population were retested immediately after their first test (assuming no learning or fatigue effects) using a different set of items. 3 NCLEX-RN Examinations consist of 75 to 265 items. 4 The standard amount of allotted testing time for the NCLEX-RN Examination is six hours.

24 17 Table 3. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Jan. 1 - March 31, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total Jan. 1 - Mar. 31, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % ALABAMA ALASKA AMERICAN SAMOA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA RN 0 1, ,384 2, ,465 3, COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA ,670 1, ,984 1, GEORGIA RN GUAM HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS ,359 1, INDIANA , IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA RN MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN ,177 1, MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK ,433 1, ,000 1, NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA NORTHERN MARIANA ISLAND OHIO , ,578 1, OKLAHOMA

25 18 Table 3. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Jan. 1 - March 31, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total Jan. 1 - Mar. 31, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % OREGON PENNSYLVANIA , RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS ,285 1, ,723 1, ,068 2, UTAH VERMONT VIRGIN ISLANDS VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA RN WISCONSIN , WYOMING TOTAL ,550 12, ,840 18, ,222 31, Data does not include Special Program Codes.

26 19 Table 4. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (April 1 - June 30, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total Apr. 1 - June 30, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % ALABAMA ,403 1, ALASKA AMERICAN SAMOA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA RN ,425 1, ,400 2, COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA ,651 1, ,329 2, GEORGIA RN ,397 1, GUAM HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS ,527 1, INDIANA ,717 1, IOWA KANSAS , KENTUCKY ,124 1, LOUISIANA RN MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN ,096 1, MINNESOTA ,560 1, MISSISSIPPI , MISSOURI , MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK ,383 1, ,950 1, NORTH CAROLINA ,648 1, ,336 2, NORTH DAKOTA NORTHERN MARIANA ISLAND OHIO , ,973 1, OKLAHOMA

27 20 Table 4. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (April 1 - June 30, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total Apr. 1 - June 30, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % OREGON PENNSYLVANIA ,196 1, RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA , SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE ,420 1, TEXAS ,408 1, ,466 2, ,900 3, UTAH VERMONT VIRGIN ISLANDS VIRGINIA ,159 1, WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA RN WISCONSIN WYOMING TOTAL ,063 16, ,174 23, ,010 41, Data does not include Special Program Codes.

28 21 Table 5. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (July 1 - Sept. 30, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total July 1 - Sept. 30, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % ALABAMA , ALASKA AMERICAN SAMOA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA RN 0 1,344 1, ,438 2, ,785 3, COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA ,690 1, ,630 2, GEORGIA RN GUAM HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS , ,464 1, ,469 2, INDIANA , IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA RN MAINE MARYLAND ,199 1, MASSACHUSETTS , ,950 1, MICHIGAN ,335 1, ,153 1, MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI ,226 1, MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY ,492 1, NEW MEXICO NEW YORK ,697 1, ,045 2, ,752 3, NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA NORTHERN MARIANA ISLAND OHIO ,388 1, ,928 1, ,439 2, OKLAHOMA

29 22 Table 5. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (July 1 - Sept. 30, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total July 1 - Sept. 30, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % OREGON PENNSYLVANIA ,722 1, ,757 1, ,088 3, RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS , ,117 1, UTAH VERMONT VIRGIN ISLANDS VIRGINIA ,519 1, WASHINGTON ,414 1, WEST VIRGINIA RN WISCONSIN ,209 1, WYOMING TOTAL 1,536 1, ,729 18, ,002 24, ,289 44, Data does not include Special Program Codes.

30 23 Table 6. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % ALABAMA ALASKA AMERICAN SAMOA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA RN COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA , GEORGIA RN GUAM HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA RN MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK , NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA NORTHERN MARIANA ISLAND OHIO , OKLAHOMA

31 24 Table 6. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) 1 RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree Total Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGIN ISLANDS VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA RN WISCONSIN WYOMING TOTAL ,925 4, ,747 5, ,033 9, Data does not include Special Program Codes.

32 25 Table 7. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree RN-Special Program Codes Total Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % ALABAMA 0 1,363 1, ,973 1, ,336 2, ALASKA AMERICAN SAMOA ARIZONA ,894 1, ,821 2, ARKANSAS ,654 1, CALIFORNIA RN 0 3,872 3, ,739 5, ,633 9, COLORADO 0 1, ,933 1, CONNECTICUT ,474 1, DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FLORIDA 0 2,201 2, ,915 5, ,118 7, GEORGIA RN 0 1,845 1, ,541 1, ,386 3, GUAM HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS ,620 2, ,024 2, ,674 4, INDIANA ,783 1, ,297 1, ,157 3, IOWA ,438 1, ,085 1, KANSAS ,160 1, ,003 1, KENTUCKY ,775 1, ,696 2, LOUISIANA RN ,162 1, ,104 1, ,294 2, MAINE MARYLAND 0 1, ,549 1, ,657 2, MASSACHUSETTS ,949 1, ,589 1, ,645 3, MICHIGAN 0 2,150 1, ,917 2, ,071 4, MINNESOTA 0 1, ,027 1, ,133 2, MISSISSIPPI ,427 1, ,904 1, MISSOURI ,841 1, ,526 1, ,416 3, MONTANA NEBRASKA ,187 1,

33 26 Table 7. First-Time, U.S.-Educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN Examination by Degree Type (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011) RN-Diploma RN-Baccalaureate RN-Associate Degree RN-Special Program Codes Total Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2011 Jurisdiction Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % Candidates Passed % NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY , ,225 1, ,920 2, NEW MEXICO , NEW YORK ,151 2, ,573 5, ,737 8, NORTH CAROLINA ,348 1, ,363 2, ,846 3, NORTH DAKOTA NORTHERN MARIANA ISLAND OHIO ,047 2, ,716 4, ,040 6, OKLAHOMA ,250 1, ,204 1, OREGON ,294 1, PENNSYLVANIA 1,134 1, ,131 2, ,961 2, ,230 6, RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA ,248 1, ,215 1, SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE 0 1,714 1, ,421 1, ,135 2, TEXAS ,768 3, ,851 4, ,749 8, UTAH , ,469 1, VERMONT VIRGIN ISLANDS VIRGINIA ,406 1, ,997 1, ,755 3, WASHINGTON ,769 1, ,602 2, WEST VIRGINIA RN , WISCONSIN 0 1,538 1, ,729 1, ,267 2, WYOMING TOTAL 3,432 3, ,267 51, ,763 71, , ,