In 2026, the NCLEX exam will be available as a remote exam with online proctoring. For many nurse educators, this announcement sparks alarm.
Here’s the original post in our Facebook group, Teachers Transforming Nursing Education and some of the questions educators are now asking:
- What if students cheat?
- Will the exam still be valid?
- How will we know graduates are ready to practice safely?
These are legitimate concerns. But consider this: if the validity of the NCLEX is questioned, the responsibility falls even more heavily on us as nurse educators.
Because our primary purpose as nurse educators was never simply to prepare students to pass a test, our mission is to educate students to become safe, competent, and ethical nurses.
Beyond the NCLEX: Teaching for Practice
Cheating becomes a concern when learning environments prioritize performance and grades over learning outcomes. However, in programs where we emphasize learning over performance, students recognize the value in growth, rather than shortcuts.
When we:
- Use evidence-based teaching strategies that develop critical thinking,
- Cultivate a strong professional identity rooted in integrity, and
- Create positive, supportive learning environments…
…we graduate nurses who don’t need to cheat. They’re ready to practice because they’ve been taught to value honesty, reflection, and safe decision-making.
The NCLEX Is Changing. Our Responsibility Is Not.
Remote testing may shake confidence in the exam, but it shouldn’t shake our confidence in what we do. Nursing education has always been about more than passing the NCLEX. It’s about shaping the kind of professionals patients can trust.
At KeithRN, we believe this moment is a wake-up call for educators:
- Double down on evidence-based teaching that includes a foundation of case-based learning
- Emphasize integrity as much as intelligence.
- See the NCLEX not as the final goal, but as one checkpoint in the journey to practice readiness.
Moving Forward In Nursing Education Together
Yes, the NCLEX is changing. But that only makes our work more important. The future of nursing depends not on whether a test is proctored, but on whether we as educators can rise to the challenge of shaping both the competence and character of the next generation of nurses.
Together, we can ensure the next generation of nurses is prepared not just to pass a test, but to practice with excellence and integrity.
Maria Flores-Harris, DNP, RN, CNE
As KeithRN’s Nurse Educator Consultant, she helps faculty move from survival mode to student-centered, clinically grounded teaching.
With a background in med-surg and geriatric nursing, Maria brings a deeply relational lens to everything she does — along with a fierce commitment to preparing educators to lead with clarity and purpose.
Contact: Maria@KeithRN.com or schedule a meeting to connect.
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