What is the main purpose of the NCLEX examination?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The main purpose of the NCLEX examination is to ensure the safety of the public. The exam assesses if a candidate has the knowledge and skills necessary to provide safe and effective nursing care. It is designed to protect the public by ensuring that only competent individuals are granted nursing licensure. This is crucial in maintaining high standards of healthcare and safeguarding patients' well-being.
Incorrect answers:
A: Ensuring that individuals have passed nursing classes is not the main purpose of the NCLEX. Passing nursing classes is a prerequisite for taking the exam but not its primary goal.
B: Providing assurance that nursing schools are part of the service agency is not the main purpose of the NCLEX. The exam focuses on individual competency rather than accrediting nursing schools.
C: Enabling potential students to determine the best nursing schools is not the main purpose of the NCLEX. The exam does not rank or rate nursing schools; its primary aim is to evaluate individual readiness for nursing practice.