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%

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