When an aspiring nurse submits an application for licensure to her state nursing board for approval, the process of NCLEX® registration begins. She must then submit her application, along with the registration fee, to Pearson VUE, the test provider. After the application is approved by the state board of nursing, both the candidate and Pearson VUE will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) form, which will give him a date range in which he can take the exam. The candidate must contact Pearson VUE to schedule his exam after receiving the ATT form.
The National Council Licensure Examination for Nurses (NCLEX®) is a national exam given to aspiring registered and practical/vocational nurses in the United States. A person must pass either the NCLEX-RN® or the NCLEX-PN® exam to become a registered nurse (RN), while practical or vocational nurses (LPN or LVN) must pass the NCLEX-PN® exam. Although individual state boards of nursing are responsible for nurse licensing in the United States, passing the exam is a requirement as part of the state licensure process.
When a nurse has completed the educational portion of his or her nursing education, it is time to begin the NCLEX® registration process. The aspiring nurse can apply for nursing licensure to the nursing board in the state where he wishes to work after completing and graduating from an approved nursing school program. She can then submit her NCLEX® registration via phone, mail, or the Internet after that. She should also make arrangements to pay for the exam at the time of registration. Credit/debit cards, certified checks, and money orders are all accepted forms of payment.
The candidate will receive confirmation of his registration after submitting his NCLEX® registration. However, he won’t be able to schedule his exam until he receives approval from his state board of nursing. Individual nursing boards have different approval processes. The aspiring nurse will receive her authorization notice once she has been approved to take the exam and can contact the test provider to schedule her exam. She will be given information about the exam’s time and date, as well as the rules for taking the exam, such as what can be brought into the exam room and the procedure for canceling or rescheduling an exam. Within a month of completing the exam, the candidate should receive notification of his score and whether he passed.