NGN NCLEX Success! Initial Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) scores for April-June and July-September 2023 have been published and the results are positive when compared to the 2022 and 2023 scores BEFORE the NGN exam was introduced across all RN and PN test takers. Continue reading “Congratulations to Nurse Educators–and Next Steps for 2024 Success”
Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
April 2023 marks the first time that new nursing graduates complete the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) Examination. The results of the work of the National Council of State Board of Nursing (NCSBN) in developing the NGN and the responses of nurse educators who are preparing students for this innovative licensing approach will be documented in the test results over the next year. All nurse educators and regulators are hopeful that the NGN will more accurately differentiate among new graduates who are prepared to make clinical judgments required for today’s nursing practice and those who are not. In addition, Continue reading “Infusing Clinical Judgment Into All Corners of the Nursing Curriculum”
By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
On September 22, 2022, I participated in the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s 2022 NCSBN NCLEX Conference and found all of the presentations helpful in understanding how to prepare both RN and PN students for the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), coming in April 2023. As we move closer to the initial implementation of the NGN, the content of these presentations helped to clarify various components of the 2023 exam, including information regarding Continue reading “Report from the 2022 NCSBN NCLEX Conference”
By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
Recently, our blog featured tips for developing Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)-style questions, particularly the revision of test questions faculty already include on their examinations. Revising these questions provides a strategy to adapt current test items to reflect the NGN process, since these knowledge questions represent many questions on the NGN exam.
Now let’s turn our attention to writing NGN Case Study questions. Continue reading “Writing Next Generation NCLEX-Style Case Study Questions”
By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
Perhaps the most critical challenge we face is to ensure that our graduates are competent when making clinical judgements appropriate for novice nurses. Developing this competence has always been important—after all, effective clinical judgment is what keeps the clients we serve safe. However, the implementation of the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in 2023 has brought this need into prominence. At the same time, the pandemic has created the need to deliver more instruction for nursing students in an online format. Let’s look at four principles to help us achieve the outcomes of developing novice nurses who make effective clinical judgment the core of their nursing practice, all of which can be implemented in an online setting. Continue reading “Developing Clinical Judgment in an Online Environment”
By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
On September 14, 2020, I participated in the first-ever virtual 2020 NCLEX Conference offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). There were many interesting presentations, but I believe that you will agree that the discussion about Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) was most important for nursing educators. So here is an overview of the discussion about NGN. Continue reading “Report from the 2020 NCSBN NCLEX Conference”
By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
Most of us have been coping, both personally and professionally, with the results of social distancing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we would like life to return to “normal,” we also worry about the health impact of returning to our “face-to-face” lives. Equally important, when this crisis passes, what will the new normal look like? Continue reading “Testing Online in the Era of Social Distancing”
By Susan Sportsman PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) recently posted on their website five types of questions that they will include as part of the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) test revision. While the NCSBN intends to continue to use the multiple-choice test format which currently makes up a significant portion of the NCLEX exam, other types of test items will also be included. Continue reading “NGN-Style Questions—What Should We Do Now?”
by Susan Sportsman, RN, PhD, ANEF, FAAN
After being a faculty for many years, I find that I often want to “instruct” my family and friends. This urge is particularly prevalent with my husband. Being a very nice man, when I begin to “instruct” him, he appears to be listening (he looks my way), but the look in his eyes says very clearly, “I have no intention of doing whatever it is that she is saying.” When I see this look, I always say, “W.A.I.T.—Why Am I Talking?” Continue reading “W.A.I.T.: Impact on Teaching Clinical Judgment”
by Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
How do we help nursing students make good clinical judgments? That is the question that most of us struggle with. We “give” students the necessary knowledge in class through lectures, readings, and various learning activities. We provide opportunities to “practice” in simulation/labs and during their clinical experiences. We assign increasingly challenging nursing practice opportunities. As a result, many students learn to put the pieces together to make good judgments—most of the time. However, every novice nurse I have ever worked with has been worried about making a clinical mistake—mistakes which usually are driven by poor clinical judgment.
Continue reading “Clinical Judgment: Putting the Puzzle Together”