Overview of UWorld Nursing: NCLEX® Prep

8 Min Read Published February 27, 2024
Overview of UWorld Nursing: NCLEX® Prep

This article is sponsored by UWorld; while compensated, Nurse.org's opinions remain independent, and we encourage readers to conduct their own research.

The UWorld Nursing NCLEX Course is an online, self-paced NCLEX-prep resource that empowers students to succeed on the NCLEX through targeted practice questions, high-quality content review, and active learning tools. UWorld’s materials focus on the exam’s most frequently tested topics and are designed to offer a personalized approach to NCLEX preparation.

UWorld Nursing launched its first NCLEX-prep product in 2015 and has continued to add new content and features based on student feedback. In 2023, UWorld added thousands of NGN questions, hundreds of mini-lecture videos, and several self-assessments to the NCLEX Review to help students prepare for the updated exam.

The Power of Practice

Practicing exam-style questions has been proven time and again to improve student performance on high-stakes exams. A qualitative study conducted on accelerated nursing students preparing for the NCLEX-RN concluded:

“The most significant finding [nursing students] identified as the factor that contributed to their success was the practicing of NCLEX-RN questions.”1

-Barbara Blozen

The UWorld NCLEX Review Course is based on this proven philosophy. At the heart of the course is their NCLEX question bank, which pairs exam-style questions with detailed explanations, mini-lecture videos, study tools, and performance analytics.

Powerful Practice 

UWorld goes beyond offering practice questions written by experienced nurses. They have also developed a testing interface that perfectly mirrors the real NCLEX. Many former UWorld students have attested that the exam-like interface gave them the confidence they needed to pass the exam because of their familiarity with the interface’s functionality on exam day. 

“I love UWorld, the interface matches the actual NCLEX which provides a level of comfort when taking the actual test.” Benjamin M. Passed Next Generation NCLEX

Mobile Advantage 

The entire UWorld NCLEX Review Course is accessible on desktop and through the UWorld Nursing app (available for Apple & Android), which makes it incredibly convenient for busy nursing students. 

“What I love about UWorld is being able to do it anywhere you can use your phone, your laptop, your iPad, whatever you have and you can study as many times as you want throughout the day, wherever you are.” Makaela B. Passed Next Generation NCLEX

Pros of UWorld’s NCLEX Review

  • Hundreds of concise lecture videos on the most important exam topics

  • Extensive, well-researched bank of classic and NGN questions

  • Thorough answer explanations with vivid illustrations

  • Adaptive (CAT) practice tests that mirror the exam format

  • Multiple self-assessments are included and can be purchased separately

  • Detailed progress and performance tracking

  • Accessible on desktop and mobile for ultimate convenience

  • 7-Day free trial available for NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN

Cons of UWorld’s NCLEX Review

  • Does not provide full-length lecture courses, live or online

  • Does not provide an instructor for a comprehensive curriculum review

  • Does not include a “pass guarantee”

Content Created by NCLEX Experts

Every practice question, answer explanation, and lecture video is meticulously prepared by a dedicated team of seasoned NCLEX specialists. This elite group comprises former NCLEX question authors, evaluators, esteemed nurse educators, and practicing nurses. Their combined real-world experience and deep understanding of the NCLEX ensures you're not just ready for the exam but for a thriving nursing career.

NCLEX-Style Practice Questions with Detailed Rationales

UWorld currently offers 2,800+ NCLEX-RN and 2,000+ NCLEX-PN questions, including hundreds of NGN practice questions. Each question is paired with a detailed rationale so you’ll understand why each answer option is either right or wrong.



 


NCLEX-style question from UWorld’s Review Course

Bite-Sized Lecture Videos on Frequently Tested Concepts

Every UWorld Review includes hundreds of high-yield videos that cover the NCLEX’s most important topics in about 5 minutes each. 



UWorld NCLEX Review Course on two mobile devices

Assess Your NCLEX Readiness With UWorld 

UWorld provides three unique ways to practice exam-style questions: custom quizzes from their QBank, adaptive practice tests, and self-assessments. Each is designed with a specific purpose to enhance your NCLEX preparation.

Unlimited Practice Tests

With UWorld’s NCLEX QBank, you can create unlimited practice tests based on specific subjects, systems, or client needs categories. These quizzes identify your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to learn from the associated rationales.

Adaptive practice tests (CAT)

The NCLEX adapts to how well you're doing, and so does UWorld's "Adaptive (CAT)" test mode. It's like practicing with a test that thinks and changes just like the real NCLEX, using a mix of regular and Next Gen questions. You get to experience the test as it will be on exam day, which is great for building your skills and confidence.

After each UWorld test, you won’t just see a score. You’ll find out how you stack up against other nursing students and whether you're on the right track or need more practice. It’s a straightforward way to see if you’re prepared to pass NCLEX. This type of progress tracking identifies your skill gaps and helps you focus on what you need to work on most, which is not only the most effective way to prepare but also the most efficient.

Self-assessments

Every UWorld subscription includes at least one NCLEX self-assessment to help you determine your overall readiness and chance of passing. Unlike other NCLEX-prep companies, UWorld’s self-assessments include never-before-seen questions and statistically validated scoring to ensure your results are reliable. 

Once you complete your self-assessment, you can review your performance by subject, system, and topic to remediate any weaknesses. Just like QBank questions, self-assessment questions are paired with detailed rationales and instructive visuals.

Performance Reports to Keep You on Track

UWorld Nursing scores from your NCLEX QBank, adaptive practice tests, and self-assessments should be interpreted differently, as they're designed to measure your progress in different ways for a comprehensive view of your readiness.

NCLEX QBank score

Your NGN QBank score is an important metric for assessing your knowledge of the content required to pass the NCLEX. Ranking you compared to other UWorld NCLEX QBank users gives you a clear indication of how well you know each topic. A median QBank score of 68% for RN and 62% for PN is traditionally associated with an exam pass rate of over 99%.

Adaptive practice test score

UWorld adaptive CAT scores show you your overall score, your level of preparedness for the NCLEX, and the difficulty factor of the questions you answered. Use your UWorld CAT to determine if you are on track with your preparation.

Self-assessment score

UWorld NCLEX self-assessments use statistically validated scoring designed by experts in psychometrics and education to give you an idea of your readiness for the real exam. Typical median self-assessment scores of 72% for RN and 64% for PN correlate to a high probability of passing the NCLEX.

Study Tools Backed by Learning Science

While UWorld Nursing is known for its realistic NCLEX practice questions and detailed answer explanations, the Review course also includes three powerful study tools that add tremendous value to students.

Study Planner

Example of a custom UWorld NCLEX study plan on a mobile device

Flashcards

UWorld’s digital NCLEX flashcards on a mobile device

My Notebook

UWorld’s personal, online NCLEX notebook on a mobile device

Dynamic Study planner

UWorld’s study plan is built into the Review course, to ensure you make the most of the product.  It will create a personalized study plan based on your start date, exam date, and available study hours. It suggests practice tests and high-yield videos that cover every NCLEX subject, system, and client needs category.

Flashcards

All UWorld subscriptions enable you to create NCLEX flashcards directly from the practice test interface so that you can customize each flashcard with UWorld’s images, illustrations, and explanations. By personalizing each flashcard with notes and visuals, you are more likely to remember the information when you need it.

My Notebook

To better align your nursing school coursework with your NCLEX preparation, UWorld offers a robust digital notebook called My Notebook. It’s highly configurable and integrates with the UWorld NCLEX QBank to transfer answer explanations and clinical illustrations into your review notes.

UWorld’s Free NCLEX Prep Resources

Even if you don’t subscribe to the UWorld NCLEX Course, UWorld offers a few free nursing resources that can help you prepare for your exam. This includes live review sessions, a question of the day, and a nursing blog.

Live YouTube Review Sessions

Every live UWorld Nursing review session can be found on YouTube @UWorldNursing. Look inside at UWorld practice questions and learn more about the format of the new Next Gen NCLEX.


UWorld Nursing 3 commonly missed NCLEX questions YouTube video thumbnail

 

Question of the Day Videos on TikTok

UWorld regularly posts an NCLEX question of the day on TikTok @UWorldNursing. In each video, a practicing nurse from UWorld’s content team walks through an NGN practice question and explains its right and wrong answers.

Why Choose UWorld for Your NCLEX Prep?

If you’re looking for a high-quality, self-paced NCLEX review course that offers flexibility to study your way, the UWorld Nursing Review Course is an excellent choice. It includes hundreds of videos, thousands of practice questions, and innovative learning tools to keep you focused on the exam’s most important and frequently tested topics. 

UWorld has stood by its commitment to continuously improve by routinely adding new features based on valuable student feedback. This dedication to excellence has maximized their value and has continued to improve their students’ already high pass rates.

99% of students who achieved an average UWorld NCLEX QBank score of “high” or “very high” on self-assessment ratings passed the NCLEX in 2023.

UWorld NCLEX Pricing Options

UWorld NCLEX-RN

UWorld NCLEX-PN

  • Pricing starts at $139

  • Pricing starts at $119

  • 2,300+ practice questions

  • 1,600+ practice questions

  • 500+ NGN questions

  • 250+ NGN questions

  • Hundreds of bite-sized lecture videos

  • Hundreds of bite-sized lecture videos

  • Unlimited adaptive (CAT) practice tests

  • Unlimited adaptive (CAT) practice tests

  • Digital NCLEX flashcards

  • Digital NCLEX flashcards

  • Self-assessments*

  • Self-assessments*

  • Dynamic study planner**

  • Dynamic study planner**

  • 1-time reset option***

  • 1-time reset option***

 

*The number of available self-assessments varies by subscription length. Students can also purchase self-assessments individually.

**Available when you purchase 60-day access or more.

***Available when you purchase 180-day access or more.

References

  1. Blozen, Barbara B. “The answer is questions: accelerated-nursing students report practice questions are fundamental to first-time NCLEX-RN success.” The Journal of the New York State Nurses' Association vol. 44,1 (2014): 30-4.

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