Your Path to Nursing Licensure
The NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is the standardized exam that determines whether a candidate is prepared for entry-level nursing practice. Passing the NCLEX is the final step between nursing school and your career as a licensed nurse. With the right strategy, you can pass with confidence.
NCLEX-RN vs. NCLEX-PN
- NCLEX-RN: For Registered Nurse licensure — graduates of associate or bachelor's nursing programs
- NCLEX-PN: For Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse licensure — graduates of practical nursing programs
The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)
Since April 2023, the NCLEX uses the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) format, which emphasizes clinical judgment over memorization. The NGN introduces new question types:
- Extended Multiple Response
- Extended Drag-and-Drop
- Cloze (Drop-Down)
- Enhanced Hot Spot
- Matrix/Grid questions
- Case Studies (6 questions per case)
The NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM)
The NGN is built around a 6-step clinical judgment process:
- Recognize cues
- Analyze cues
- Prioritize hypotheses
- Generate solutions
- Take action
- Evaluate outcomes
Your study strategy must develop these skills — not just content knowledge.
High-Yield Content Areas
- Safe and Effective Care Environment (Management of Care, Safety)
- Health Promotion and Maintenance
- Psychosocial Integrity
- Physiological Integrity (Basic Care, Pharmacology, Reduction of Risk, Physiological Adaptation)
Proven Study Strategies for NGN
- Master the clinical judgment framework — practice applying the 6-step model to every question
- Do thousands of practice questions — volume and variety build pattern recognition
- Focus on pharmacology early — it appears throughout all content areas
- Practice case studies — NGN case studies require sustained reasoning across 6 linked questions
- Review your wrong answers deeply — rationales teach more than correct answers
"The NCLEX does not test what you know — it tests how you think. Develop your clinical judgment and the knowledge will follow."
— Soleil Scientific Group
Soleil Study AI™ is being developed to provide personalized NCLEX study plans, adaptive practice questions, and clinical case simulations. Join our Early Access list to be the first to know when it launches.