Reliability and Validity of NCLEX-RN© State Pass Rate Standards

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine whether state NCLEX-RN pass rate standards for nursing education programs are valid and reliable. BACKGROUND: Nursing education programs must meet minimum NCLEX-RN pass rate standards imposed on them by state regulatory bodies. The standards suggest validity and reliability issues. METHOD: To compute descriptive statistics and reliability coefficients to evaluate state pass rate standards, the study used a database of statutes and regulations that establish pass rate standards and a database of NCLEX-RN pass rates for 2,157 nursing programs in 45 states for 2010 to 2016. RESULTS: There is substantial variation in state pass rate standards. Nursing education program pass rates are not stable over time, suggesting there may be problems with reliability and validity. CONCLUSION: State nursing boards should consider revising pass rate standards to make them more consistent and improve the reliability of pass rate violation determinations.