When educators have been teaching students to prepare for a licensing exam using question types that have remained consistent for nearly a generation, how do they prepare students when major changes are introduced to the exam?

This is the situation currently facing nurse educators across the U.S., who prepare nursing students for licensure through the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX exam, which is maintained by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

The NCSBN is introducing significant changes to the NCLEX in 2023 so the test more accurately measures students’ clinical judgment, or their ability to apply their nursing knowledge in concrete situations to protect the health and safety of their patients. More than three years in the making, the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) introduces new question types that are more complex and difficult than questions students have been prepared to answer for the past 25 years — an initiative that has created uncertainty and anxiety among nurse educators.

ATI Nursing Education, an Ascend Learning brand, has created a free educational tool to alleviate educators’ apprehension and build confidence that they can meet the challenge: the Next Generation NCLEX Guidebook, a comprehensive resource that helps nurse educators understand the actual changes coming to the test and how to prepare for them as well as the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of the changes — and strategies to prepare nurses for both the NGN and day-to-day practice treating clients.

Janean Johnson, DNP, RN, CNE and nursing strategist at ATI Nursing Education, said that the publication focuses significantly on NCSBN adding more clinical judgment to the exam, a critical skill for nurses — especially those in entry-level positions.

“Clinical judgment is necessary for nurses to recognize and respond appropriately to urgent changes in a client’s condition based on evidence presented,” Johnson said. “Strong clinical judgement on behalf of nurses results in improved client outcomes and fewer nursing errors.”

Filled with strategies and details to equip nurse educators across the country with the knowledge needed to prepare nurses for both the NGN and day-to-day practice treating clients, the Next Gen NCLEX Guidebook is available for download here: https://www.atitesting.com/educator/next-gen-nclex