In 2011, nearly 81,000 people took the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical (or Vocational) Nurse exam, which tests the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential for the effective practice of entry-level nursing. Newly graduated practical/vocational nurses must pass the NCLEX-PN exam to become licensed and practice their profession. With exclusive strategies for exam success, Kaplan NCLEX-PN offers the most comprehensive guide to the exam, including: a practice test based on the most up-to-date information; detailed answer explanations; information on the exam’s content and structure; and a 20-item sample Kaplan's NCLEX-PN Question Bank online.

NCLEX-PN Test Taker Numbers

2011:80,949

2010:82,519

2009:80,835

2008:77,833

2007:74,933

Test Specifics

The NCLEX-PN exam is a computer-adaptive test with between 85 and 205 questions. Most items are 4-option multiple-choice, but some require test takers to click on part of an image, “select all (options) that apply,” drag and drop answer choices into the correct order, or type an answer into a box (free response). Test takers have a maximum of five hours to complete the exam.