NGN Clinical Judgment
Next Generation NCLEX: What Every Nursing Program Needs to Know
The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) fundamentally changed how nursing licensure is measured. Programs that align simulation and communication training to the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model are seeing the strongest outcomes.
What Is the Next Generation NCLEX?
The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), launched by NCSBN in April 2023, is a fundamental redesign of the nursing licensure examination. Unlike the previous NCLEX, which primarily tested content knowledge through traditional multiple-choice questions, NGN is built around measuring clinical judgment — the ability to think like a nurse, not just recall facts.
The foundation of NGN is the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM), a six-step cognitive framework that defines the mental processes a competent nurse uses when encountering a patient care situation. Every NGN item — regardless of format — is designed to measure one or more of these six cognitive skills.
For nursing programs, this means that traditional test prep strategies focused on content memorization are no longer sufficient. Students must be able to demonstrate clinical reasoning, not just recall it — a shift that requires fundamentally different preparation approaches, including simulation.
New NGN Item Types
How ISBARR Maps to the NCSBN CJMM
Every ISBARR telephone simulation is, in effect, a clinical judgment exercise. The six steps of ISBARR align directly with the six cognitive skills NCSBN's CJMM — and that NGN tests.
Recognize Cues
Identify relevant information from the clinical environment — vitals, labs, patient statements, changes from baseline.
ISBARR connection: Situation (S) — stating what is happening now
Analyze Cues
Determine what the cues mean and connect them to potential clinical explanations or conditions.
ISBARR connection: Background (B) — synthesizing history and context
Prioritize Hypotheses
Rank potential explanations by urgency and clinical probability.
ISBARR connection: Assessment (A) — committing to a clinical judgment
Generate Solutions
Identify expected outcomes and possible interventions to address the prioritized hypotheses.
ISBARR connection: Recommendation (R) — advocating for a specific action
Take Action
Implement or communicate the selected intervention appropriately.
ISBARR connection: Read-back (R) — confirming and closing the loop
Evaluate Outcomes
Assess the effectiveness of actions taken and adjust the plan based on patient response.
ISBARR connection: Post-call reflection and documentation
How SimPhone Pro™ Prepares Students for NGN
SimPhone Pro™ is not an NGN test prep product. It's a clinical communication simulator. But the skills it builds — organizing clinical findings, committing to an assessment, advocating for a recommendation under pressure — are exactly the skills NGN measures.
When a student completes an ISBARR simulation with SimPhone Pro, they are practicing the Analyze Cues and Prioritize Hypotheses cognitive skills in a realistic, pressure-bearing environment. The faculty dashboard shows exactly where each student struggles — which is also where they are likely to struggle on NGN items.
AI-scored on all six ISBARR components after every simulation
Faculty-visible performance data across entire cohort
Objective evidence of clinical judgment competency for accreditation
Scalable — students can practice repeatedly without consuming faculty time
Complements existing HESI/ATI formative assessment programs
State-Specific NGN & NCLEX Resources
Pass rate data and improvement guidance for your state:
→ Florida NCLEX Pass Rates→ California NCLEX Pass Rates→ Utah NCLEX Pass Rates→ National NCLEX Pass Rate BenchmarksRelated simulation resources:
→ Clinical Judgment in Simulation→ Clinical Judgment in Nursing→ CCNE Simulation Standards