Skip to main content


Resources​

​​The following resources will help you learn more about the REx-PN and how you can help prepare your students to write the exam. To learn more about the application process and other details, visit the main REx-PN page​. ​​

Resources to share with students​
  • Applying for BCCNM registration and the REx-PN presentation: We developed a powerpoint for you to use when discussing the registration and REx-PN application process with your students. It includes key information about the REx-PN, how to apply (including fees, dates and steps)and information about taking the exam.
  • Student fact sheet​: A one-page overview of the REx-PN including features of a CAT-style exam, preparation resources, and when and how to apply.
​​Computerized-adaptive testing (CAT)
The REx-PN uses computer-adaptive testing (CAT) to assess the exam writer’s knowledge. Every time the writer answers a question on the exam, the computer re-estimates their ability to respond based on all their previous answers and the difficulty of those questions. Learn more about CAT​.

Webinar

Test plan​
The REx-PN test plan provides an overview of what information will be tested, the type of questions candidates will be asked to answer, and some sample questions. This document will help you and your students know what to expect on exam day and can assist you with writing REx-PN-style questions.

Webinar

​Exam Preview

Candidates can review the free exam preview, which can be downloaded in English and French. The preview allows candidates to review exam items similar to the REx-PN items they will see on test day. The preview is a static exam that is not scored nor a predictor of whether someone will pass or fail the actual REx-PN. The 125 items included in this preview will not appear on the current or future exams.

​Candidate Tutorial

The REx-PN Candidate Tutorial provides instructions on how to answer the different REx-PN item types that exam writers will see during the REx-PN examination. Practice items will be provided to familiarize writers with each item type.

Item writing
NCSBN has developed several webinars to support you in the development of test questions for your students.

Webinars

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Our frequently asked questions page has a comprehensive list of questions that you or your students may have. If you have a question that isn’t covered, please email us at PNExam@bccnm.ca.



Exam development

BCCNM and CNO have been committed to engaging with stakeholders throughout the exam development process. We thank stakeholders who contributed to the exam's development by providing feedback and/or participating in item writing and item review panels. For a full list of exam development activities, view the exam development timeline

Educator newsletter

​In the year leading up to the launch of the REx-PN, BCCNM has been sharing information about the exam in a newsletter for educators. Each issue is distributed to leaders of B.C. practical nursing education programs for distribution as appropriate in their organizations.

Exam development documents

​​​Four key documents informed the development of the REx-PN:​​

Entry-level competencies

Competencies are the integrated knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes, critical thinking, and clinical judgment expected of an entry-level LPN to provide safe, competent, and ethical care. Entry-level LPNs are at the point of initial registration, following graduation from a BCCNM-recognized practical nursing education program.

On Sept. 1, 2020, the Entry-Level Competencies for Licensed Practical Nurses, a set of national entry-to-practice competencies for LPNs across the country, came into effect. These competencies, approved by the BCCNM board, are based on input from educators in nursing programs, recent LPN graduates, current LPNs, and other stakeholders across Canada.

Practice analysis

The Practice analysis was conducted in early 2019 and included participants from both B.C. and Ontario. A panel of subject matter experts was assembled, and a list of LPN activities was created and incorporated into a survey that was sent to newly licensed LPNs. We then collected and analyzed the data.

The national entry-level/entry-to-practice competencies were also mapped to the practice analysis to ensure the exam includes competencies essential for safe nursing practice.

Because the Canadian health care industry is evolving rapidly, practice analysis studies will be conducted by BCCNM and CNO on a five-year cycle.

Test Plan

The REx-PN Test Plan contains detailed information about the content areas to be tested by the REx-PN and describes how the exam is structured, including the exam’s length and how it is scored. The Test Plan can be used as a guide for students preparing to write the REx-PN and for educators looking to write REx-PN-style questions so they can help students prepare.

Mapping document
The Mapping document compares the foundational entry-to-practice competencies needed by LPNs with the content covered in the REx-PN Test Plan. The REx-PN will not test everything an LPN needs to know throughout their career. It will test the competencies—knowledge, skill, and judgement—nurses are expected to have within the first year of practice ​​to keep clients safe. The results of the mapping showed that all but one of these competencies map to the REx-PN activity statements and corresponding content.

External resources

900 – 200 Granville St
Vancouver, BC  V6C 1S4
Canada

info@bccnm​.ca
604.742.6200​
​Toll-free 1.866.880.7101 (within Canada only) ​


We acknowledge the rights and title of the First Nations on whose collective unceded territories encompass the land base colonially known as British Columbia. We give specific thanks to the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking peoples the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations and the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh-ulh Sníchim speaking Peoples the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), on whose unceded territories BCCNM’s office is located. We also give thanks for the medicines of these territories and recognize that laws, governance, and health systems tied to these lands and waters have existed here for over 9000 years.

We also acknowledge the unique and distinct rights, including rights to health and wellness, of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples from elsewhere in Canada who now live in British Columbia. As leaders in the settler health system, we acknowledge our responsibilities to these rights under international, national, and provincial law.​