NCLEX-RN Test Plan
NCLEX-RN Test Plan
The NCLEX test plan is a content guideline to determine the distribution of test questions. NCSBN uses the “Client Needs” categories to ensure the NCLEX covers a full spectrum of nursing activities. It is a summary of the content and scope of the NCLEX to serve as a guide for candidates preparing for the exam and to direct item writers in the development of items. Additionally, to assess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and clinical judgment necessary for entry-level nursing practice, the NCLEX-RN Test Plan utilizes Bloom’s taxonomy for the cognitive domain. This taxonomy provides a foundation for writing and coding examination items, focusing on application-level or higher-level cognitive abilities that require advanced thought processing.
The content of the NCLEX-RN is organized into four major Client Needs categories: Safe and Effective Care Environment, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Psychosocial Integrity, and Physiological Integrity. Some of these categories are divided further into subcategories. Below is the NCLEX-RN test plan effective as of April 2023 until March 2026:
| I. Safe and Effective Care Environment | |
| Management of Care | 15–21% |
| Safety and Infection Control | 10-16% |
| II. Health Promotion and Maintenance | 6-12% |
| III. Psychosocial Integrity | 6-12% |
| IV. Physiological Integrity | |
| Basic Care and Comfort | 6-12% |
| Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies | 13-19% |
| Reduction of Risk Potential | 9-15% |
| Physiological Adaptation | 11-17% |
