NCLEX Information for Minnesota Nurses

To become a licensed nurse in Minnesota, you must pass the NCLEX.

The Board of Registered Nursing in Minnesota has specific requirements for an application and receipt of a license to practice in the state. You must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to receive a Minnesota nursing license. You will either take the NCLEX-RN for licensing as a registered nurse or the NCLEX-PN for licensing as a practical nurse.

Purpose of the NCLEX

You must prove that you are knowledgeable about nursing practice.

The NCLEX is used to determine whether a newly licensed registered nurse (RN) or practical nurse (PN) has the knowledge necessary to provide safe, competent, effective nursing care. All states in the U.S. administer the same licensing exam.

Applying for the NCLEX in Minnesota

You must receive permission from the Minnesota State Board of Nursing.

To apply to take the NCLEX in Minnesota, you must pay a registration fee to the Minnesota State Board of Nursing. You must also provide proof that you have not engaged in conduct that warrants reprimand, submit a confirmation of completion from your school's nursing program, notify the Minnesota Board of Nursing of any name changes prior to testing, and request any special accommodations necessary for testing. Applicants from foreign countries (except Canada) must pass the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) and submit Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Credential Evaluation. After meeting the prerequisites for testing, you will receive an authorization to test from the Minnesota Board of Nursing.

Procedures for Taking the NCLEX

You will provide identification

Prior to testing you must present identification and the authorization to test (ATT) form you received from the Minnesota State Board of Nursing. You will also be photographed. You will also place all of your belongings in a designated area. You will be assigned to a computer terminal to take the computerized NCLEX test. The NCLEX computer program will not allow you to go back and change answers once you have moved to the next question. Before entering and leaving the testing room, you must be fingerprinted to verify identity.

Categories of Questions

You must understand how to care for a patient.

The questions on the NCLEX are divided into four major categories of patient needs defined in the 2010 NCLEX Candidate Bulletin: safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. A certain percentage of the questions will come from each category.

Time Limit and Number of Questions

The NCLEX includes hundreds of questions.

A Minnesota resident taking the NCLEX-RN will answer a maximum of 265 questions, with 75 questions being the least amount necessary to pass the exam. Test takers have six hours to complete the exam. A Minnesota resident taking the NCLEX-PN has to answer a maximum of 205 questions, with the least amount of questions necessary to pass the exam being 85. Test takers have five hours to complete the exam. The total number of questions received depends on performance determined by computer adaptive testing or CAT.

References

• NCSBN: What is the NCLEX?
• NCSBN: Frequently Asked Questions About General NCLEX Information
• NCSBN: 2010 NCLEX Candidate Bulletin
• NCSBN: NCLEX RN 2010 Detailed Test Plan
• NCSBN: NCLEX PN 2008 Detailed Test Plan

Resources

• Minnesota Board of Nursing: Requirements for Licensure by Examination