Pre Board

ultiple steps must be completed before a nurse can safely enter the profession. These steps typically include:  Graduating from a recognized nursing program,  Meeting the specifi c requirements of the state board of nursing, and  Passing the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) NCLEX ® examination for registered nurses (RNs) or licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs).Because passing the NCLEX is usually the fi nal step in the nurse licensure process, the number of people passing the NCLEX (“pass rate”) is a good indicator of how many new nurses are entering the profession in the U.S. These tables provide the most recent data on the NCLEX testing volume and the associated pass rates. In addition, NCSBN has listed the top fi ve countries where nurses were educated outside the U.S. and who are taking the NCLEX examination in hopes of obtaining nursing employment in the U.S. For more detailed NCLEX Examination statistics, including historical pass rates, see Exam Psychometrics under the NCLEX Examinations section of NCSBN’s Web site, www.ncsbn.org.For general information about the NCLEX, visit the NCLEX Examinations section of NCSBN’s Web site. QUARTERLY EXAMINATION STATISTICS Volume, Pass Rates & First-Time Internationally Educated Candidates’ Countries 2009 NCLEX ® Volume and Pass Rates 1 Candidates Jan. – March April – June July – Sept. Oct. – Dec. 2009 Total RNTotal 46,892 (71.85%) 52,564 (74.85%)99,456 (73.43%)First-Time 36,838 (80.86%) 41,044 (84.26%) 77,882 (82.65%)Repeat 10,054 (38.82%) 11,520 (41.30%) 21,574 (40.14%)U.S.-Educated 36,503 (82.45%) 41,856 (85.28%) 78,359 (83.96%)Internationally Educated 10,389 (34.57%) 10,708 (34.05%) 21,097 (34.31%) PNTotal 18,685 (74.14%) 16,873 (72.23%) 35,558 (73.23%)First-Time 14,989 (83.19%) 12,630 (83.09%) 27,619 (83.14%)Repeat 3,696 (37.41%) 4,243 (39.90%) 7,939 (38.74%)U.S.Educated 18,034 (75.66%) 16,121 (74.19%) 34,155 (74.97%)Internationally Educated 651 (31.79%) 752 (30.18%) 1,403 (30.93%)