Resource Center

Honoring Mildred Schmidt
Mildred Schmidt, NCSBN President 1979-1980
Mildred Schmidt helped found NCSBN, was appointed the organization's first Secretary-Treasurer and also served as president from 1979 to 1981. She is recognized for her pioneering vision, steadfast leadership and unwavering support.
2015 | Video

Honoring Kathy Apple
Kathy Apple, MS, RN, FAAN, CEO, NCSBN
NCSBN CEO, 2001-2015
Kathy Apple led NCSBN during a time of unprecedented change and growth for the organization. Her 14-year tenure as CEO is the crowning achievement on a nursing career spanning 40 years. Her commitment to the NCSBN core values, mission and vision leaves the organization in a strong position to continue influencing national and international nursing regulation.
2015 | Video

2014 Nurse Licensee Volume and NCLEX Examination Statistics (Vol. 64)
This annual publication provides national and state summary data of member boards’ licensure activities, as well as data on candidate performance on the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN Examinations.
2015 | Publications

Transition to Practice in Nonhospital Settings
A survey conducted in 2001, and replicated in 2003 with the same results, found that fewer than 50% of employers thought newly licensed nurses were safe and effective in practice. These findings caused concern for boards of nursing, so in 2002 the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) began to examine transition to practice (TTP) in nursing, developing an evidence-based model program and studying its effectiveness in hospital and nonhospital settings. After completion of the TTP study in hospitals with registered nurses (RNs) published earlier in 2015, a study was conducted in nonhospital facilities with RNs and licensed practical nurses to determine if NCSBN’s TTP program could be used effectively across settings. Sites volunteering to participate, however, faced many challenges while the study was underway. This article presents the TTP program, study design, challenges faced by nonhospital sites trying to implement a TTP program, and limited findings
2015 | Research Item

Faculty Development When Initiating Simulation Programs: Lessons Learned From the National Simulation Study
Nursing programs are seeking guidance from boards of nursing about how much simulation can be substituted for traditional clinical practice. To address this question and to assess educational outcomes when simulation is substituted for clinical time, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) conducted a study using 10 nursing schools across the United States. This article focuses on the faculty development needed to maintain fidelity in the intervention, implementation, and evaluation processes of initiating simulation programs.
2015 | Research Item

NCSBN Simulation Guidelines for Prelicensure Nursing Programs
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) published the results of the largest, most comprehensive study to date concerning the use of simulation as a substitute for traditional clinical experience. Results of the study, which were published in 2014, demonstrated that high-quality simulation experiences could be substituted for up to 50% of traditional clinical hours across the prelicensure nursing curriculum. An expert panel convened by NCSBN evaluated the data gathered through this study, examined previous research and the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM, and used their collective knowledge to develop national simulation guidelines for prelicensure nursing programs. This article presents those guidelines, evidence to support the use of simulation, and information for faculty and program directors on preparation and planning for using simulation successfully in their nursing programs.
2015 | Research Item

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing transition to practice study: Implications for educators
NCSBN's Transition to Practice (TTP) study: implications for educators.
2015 | Research Item

In Focus Summer 2015
- Technology Solutions: Keeping Up with the Pace of Change
- A Global Perspective: Nursing Regulation in Singapore
- 2015 Testing Volume for Licensure/Registration in Canada
- Pre-legislative Steps for States Considering Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) Legislation
- "New Nurses: Your License to Practice" Video Now Available
- News & Notes: 2015 Annual Meeting Edition
2015 | Magazines

2016 NCLEX-RN Basic Test Plan
The basic NCLEX-RN test plan includes an overview of the content categories along with details about the administration of the exam.
2015 | Publications

2014 RN Practice Analysis: Linking the NCLEX-RN Examination to Practice - U.S. and Canada (Vol. 62)
A practice analysis study aims to investigate the applicability of the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan. This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in registered nurse (RN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle. This publication analyzes both the U.S. and Canadian nurse testing populations.
2015 | NCSBN Research

Leader To Leader Spring 2015
- NCSBN CEO Kathy Apple reflects on 14 years of leadership
- Ask NCSBN: Q&A about the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)
- APRN Distance Learning Education Committee update
- Nurses in Nonclinical Roles
- NCSBN’s Transition to Practice (TTP) Study in nonhospital settings
- NCSBN holds its first ever Distance Learning Virtual Conference
2015 | Magazines

In Focus Spring 2015
- NCSBN CEO Kathy Apple Reflects on "a Journey of a Million Miles"
- The 2015 Midyear Meeting: A First-time Attendee’s Perspective
- Rescue on Mount Hood
- A Global Perspective: Nursing Regulation in Bermuda
- Montana Passes NLC Legislation
2015 | Magazines