New Nurse Testing Standard Raises Bar

Judy Dodge of the Indiana Heart Hospital has mixed feelings about raising the passing standard of the NCLEX. "I do feel that 75 questions doesn't seem like enough to cover all the processes and diseases that one learns over the course of their education. I realize one cannot cover everything, but it just seems like such a very small sample," she says.

The higher standard is the result of NCSBN's regular plans to reevaluate the test and passing standard every three years to ensure both stay current and reflect the care nurses will give their patients.

Lovelace, Nappi, and Dodge believe that changing the passing standard is only part of the solution, and is one of the many steps the nursing profession should take to safeguard the patients.