According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “Beliefs about people and nursing underlie the NCLEX-RN Test Plan. People are finite beings with varying capacities to function in society. They are unique individuals who have defined systems of daily living reflecting their values, motives, and lifestyles. People have the right to make decisions regarding their healthcare needs and to participate in meeting those needs. The nursing profession makes a unique contribution to helping clients (individual, family, or group) achieve an optimal level of health in various settings. For the NCLEX examination, a client is defined as an individual, family, or group that includes significant others and the population.

Nursing is both an art and a science, founded on a professional body of knowledge that integrates concepts from the liberal arts and the biological, physical, psychological, and social sciences. It is a learned profession based on knowledge of the human condition across the lifespan and an individual’s relationships with others and within the environment. Nursing is a dynamic, continually evolving discipline that employs critical thinking to integrate increasingly complex knowledge, skills, technologies, and client care activities into evidence-based nursing practice. The goal of nursing for client care is preventing illness and potential complications, protecting, promoting, restoring, and facilitating comfort, health, and dignity in dying.

The RN provides a unique, comprehensive assessment of the client’s health status, applying principles of ethics, client safety, health promotion, and the nursing process. The nurse then develops and implements an explicit plan of care. The nurse assists clients in promoting health, coping with health problems, adapting to and/or recovering from the effects of disease or injury, and supporting the right to a dignified death. The RN is accountable for abiding by all applicable member board jurisdiction statutes related to nursing practice.”