NCLEX stands for National Council Licensing Examination, it is a test to determine if the candidate possesses the minimum level of knowledge necessary to perform safe and effective entry-level nursing care.
The NCLEX-RN (for registered nurses) and the NCLEX-PN (for practical/vocational nurses) are examinations prepared by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) whose mandate is to protect the public from unsafe nursing care.
The NCSBN members include nursing regulatory bodies in the 50 states of the US, the District of Columbia and four US territories.