The basis of Neuro NCLEX® questions can be mastered by remembering a few key skills. Regardless of what area of nursing the NCLEX® is testing you about, the question has something to do with safety. Similarly, no matter what the neuro NCLEX ® question is, the ABCs are the first priority. Is their airway intact? Are...
When nursing students ask, “Is 5 weeks enough to study for the NCLEX®?” the answer is, “Yes.” However, you will need a multipronged approach to set yourself up for success. In addition to reviewing practice questions regularly, registering for a preparation program like Slone NCLEX and ensuring quality mental and physical health, will give you the...
Studying for the NCLEX-RN® is a weekslong (if not yearslong) endeavor, but those final days of preparation call for a personalized NCLEX-RN® cram sheet.
Format your cram sheet with your personal learning style in mind.
Your NCLEX-RN® cram sheet will be an easy-to-use resource that supplements, rather than replaces, prep programs like Slone NCLEX.
Studying for the NCLEX-RN® is a weekslong (if not yearslong) endeavor, but those final days of preparation call for a personalized NCLEX-RN® cram sheet.
What is an NCLEX-RN® Cram Sheet?
“Cram sheet” and “cheat sheet” have similar connotations, but in the context of the industry standard nursing exam, it’s a tried-and-true method for students to retain key facts, figures, and test tips prior to exam day.
To personalize your NCLEX-RN® cram sheet, think about the subject areas you feel you’ll need the most help with. Consider topics like infection control, pharmacology, ... Read more
The basis of Neuro NCLEX® questions can be mastered by remembering a few key skills.
Regardless of what area of nursing the NCLEX® is testing you about, the question has something to do with safety.
Similarly, no matter what the neuro NCLEX ® question is, the ABCs are the first priority. Is their airway intact? Are they breathing? Is their heart pumping and circulating blood?
Let’s talk about one of the toughest areas of nursing school, NCLEX®, and just nursing in general – neuro! We have a few NCLEX-RN® test-taking strategies to help you pass the NCLEX exam and remember what you need to know about those neuro NCLEX® questions. Neuro encompasses everything brain and spinal cord. Think spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Guillain barre syndrome, concussion, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, strokes, Parkinson’s disease (just to name a few).
It's All About Safety
First things first, though. Regardless of what area of nursing the NCLEX® is testing you about, the question has something to do with safety. The entire goal of the exam is to test if you are a SAFE nurse. Is the medication you’re giving safe? Which action is the priority to make sure the client is safe? Who needs to be seen first to make sure they are safe from harm?It’s all about safety. So, when you are answering neuro NCLEX® questions, you’re trying to ensure your client is SAFE.
Don't Forget Your ABCs
Next, regardless of what the question is asking about, the ABCs are still the first priority. Is their airway intact? Are they breathing? Is their heart pumping and circulating blood? Is there a large wound that needs pressure applied? After you have addressed the ABCs then you can move on to the brain and neuro assessments. For neuro NCLEX® questions and neuro exams, you need to remember the basics. Here’s a quick review of each of the frequently tested NCLEX neuro areas:
Spinal Cord Injury: A traumatic injury that damages the spinal cord and impacts any of the areas below the site of injury.
Autonomic Dysreflexia: A medical emergency where a stimulus causes a sudden and uncontrolled reflex sympathetic discharge in individuals with a high-level spinal cord injury.
Concussion: A traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by an impact to the head and may result in loss of consciousness. Repeated concussions and repetitive trauma to the brain can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is a degenerative brain disease.
Epilepsy and Seizures: Seizures are sudden, uncontrolled electrical discharges that can result in the loss of motor or sensory control, behavior, and cause a change in level or loss of consciousness. A seizure lasting longer than five minutes or repeated seizures over 30 minutes is considered status epilepticus, which is a medical emergency. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder where unprovoked seizure activity occurs.
Migraines: Severe head pain that is characterized by recurrent episodes.
Meningitis: A life-threatening infection of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord. Bacterial is more dangerous than viral.
Stroke: A stroke is an injury to the brain that can be ischemic or hemorrhagic. An ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage in the cerebral or coronary artery. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a rupture of a cerebral artery by traumatic injury or aneurysm rupture.
Guilian Barre Syndrome: Inflammatory disorder that causes ascending muscle weakness and paralysis.
Myasthenia Gravis: A progressive autoimmune disease that causes the body’s acetylcholine receptors to be impaired and causes muscle weakness.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Progressive and terminal disease that affects the neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
Brain Tumors: Are benign or malignant tumors within the brain that cause neurological impairment.
Alzheimer’s Disease: Progressive disease that typically affects adults older than 65 and causes a progressive loss of brain function and impaired cognition.
Parkinson’s Disease: A progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes muscle rigidity, tremors, bradykinesia, akinesia, and instability.
Multiple Sclerosis: A chronic disease that affects the myelin and nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord causing generalized weakness and presents as periods of relapsing and remitting, meaning there are days when the disease is in a relapse state or in a remission state.
Huntington's Disease: A rare disorder that is hereditary and causes progressive dementia and uncontrolled rapid and jerky movements in the limbs, trunk and facial muscles.
Back and Neck pain: Pain in the back and neck can be caused by muscle strains, sprains, osteoarthritis, disc herniation or spinal stenosis. The injuries to the spine can cause nerve pain and are hard to manage.
Preparing for Neuro NCLEX® Questions
When answering questions about any of these areas, always think about airway, breathing, circulation, and how you can keep your client safe. If you keep that in mind and you know what is wrong with the client, then you should be able to pick out the correct answer on your NCLEX® exam. So if the question states a client presents to the emergency room by ambulance for symptoms of a stroke, what is your priority? The answer is establishing and maintaining an airway. From there, it's making sure they are breathing (check that pulse oximeter) and then complete a neuro assessment.
The Bottom Line
The best NCLEX® prep is to take a lot of neuro NCLEX® questions that have high-quality rationales to help you learn (and retain) that need-to-know information. Use a prep program like Slone NCLEX that provides you with a variety of test questions that cover all areas from neuro to endocrine to cardiac to every system in the body.Just know you’ve got this, and we’ve got you!
When nursing students ask, “Is 5 weeks enough to study for the NCLEX®?” the answer is, “Yes.”
However, you will need a multipronged approach to set yourself up for success.
In addition to reviewing practice questions regularly, registering for a preparation program like Slone NCLEX and ensuring quality mental and physical health, will give you the best chance of passing the exam.
We get asked a lot — How much time do I need to prepare for the NCLEX® exam? Is five weeks enough to study for the NCLEX®? The short answer is YES. The longer answer is you have to be disciplined and focused over those five weeks to be completely ready. It’s always best to take the exam as soon as possible after graduation and to prepare every day until then. Some states like Minnesota and Iowa even allow students to receive their authorization to test in two to four weeks.Here are some things you need to do to set yourself up for success.
Prioritize Practice Questions
Take as many NCLEX-RN® practice questions as you can. To make sure your brain is processing and functioning at the high critical thinking level that the NCLEX RN tests you on, you'll need to take as many practice questions as possible leading up to exam day. For example, Slone NCLEX gives you access to the 3000+ next-gen questions. And using the NCLEX Nex-Gen® trial exam, you can focus on the questions that need more study. You should set a goal to take 200-400 test questions every day until the day of your exam. Make sure you include a variety of questions, too.
Register for a Preparation Program
Sign up for a preparation program like Slone NCLEX to help guide your way. Make sure the program you use covers every area of nursing. You will want to find something that has NCLEX® priority and delegation questions, along with questions covering the following focus areas: neuro, cardiology (including EKG), psych, GI, renal, fluid and electrolytes, endocrine disorder, pediatrics and maternity, and any other subject you covered in nursing school. Also make sure the prep program that you are using contains all of the new next generation NCLEX® components. In 2023, the NCSBN rolled out the new next gen NCLEX® and incorporated the clinical judgment model, new NCLEX® question item types, and updated the scoring models.
Don’t Forget about Next-Gen NCLEX®
You will want to take as many next generation practice questions as possible to help you prepare. If you’re still wondering, “Is five weeks enough time to study for the NCLEX®?” you might consider following a structured study plan. Use study guides like we provide at Slone NCLEX. These include memory tricks to help you remember key points for the NGN-NCLEX®.
Join a Review Class
You can also take an in-person or online NCLEX® review class, use an NCLEX® tutor, or join NCLEX-RN® study groups. Often the best way we can learn after taking NCLEX preparation questions is to work with others and teach each other the content to help the information stick.
Take Care of Your Mental and Physical Health
Aside from the technical preparation, make sure your mental and physical are at the best place they can be when preparing for the NGN-NCLEX®. Ensure you are getting enough sleep during your exam prep.I know this sounds easier said than done, but trying to study on a tired brain is like trying to study with a drunk brain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that “being awake for 17 hours is similar to having a blood alcohol content level (BAC) of 0.05%, and being awake for 24 hours is similar to having a BAC of 0.10%.” To put this in context, legal intoxication in the U.S. is a BAC of 0.08% or more, but impairment can occur at a BAC of just 0.05%.So make sure you are sleeping and that it is quality sleep. The National Institute of Health recommends at least seven to eight sleep and to keep in mind that memories cannot be strengthened for anything less than five hours of sleep. Set a goal to sleep at least six hours every night while you are preparing to take the NCLEX®. Additionally, avoid sick people! We know this is hard if you work in healthcare, so make sure you are washing those hands. Hand washing is the single most effective defense against the spread of infection (infection control NCLEX® question tip).
Believe in Yourself
Finally, believe in yourself! You just survived nursing school. There is nothing you can’t do! So when you ask, “Is five weeks enough time to study for NCLEX®?” tell yourself, “Yes!” With the right tools and right mindset, you pass the Next Gen NCLEX®!
The Bottom Line
When asking yourself, “Is five weeks enough time to study for the NCLEX®?” know that the answer is, “Yes.” Just understand that you will need to consider several study approaches to ensure success. In addition to a preparation program like Slone NCLEX, you should also consider prioritizing practice questions and registering for an in-person or online review class.
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Studying for the NCLEX-RN® is a weekslong (if not yearslong) endeavor, but those final days of preparation call for a personalized NCLEX-RN® cram sheet.
Format your cram sheet with your personal learning style in mind.
Your NCLEX-RN® cram sheet will be an easy-to-use resource that supplements, rather than replaces, prep programs like Slone NCLEX.
Studying for the NCLEX-RN® is a weekslong (if not yearslong) endeavor, but those final days of preparation call for a personalized NCLEX-RN® cram sheet.
What is an NCLEX-RN® Cram Sheet?
“Cram sheet” and “cheat sheet” have similar connotations, but in the context of the industry standard nursing exam, it’s a tried-and-true method for students to retain key facts, figures, and test tips prior to exam day. To personalize your NCLEX-RN® cram sheet, think about the subject areas you feel you’ll need the most help with. Consider topics like infection control, pharmacology, and vital signs. Then decide the best way to visually display the information.Do you have a photogenic memory? Creating tables for each section might be the way to go. If lists are more your thing, format the NCLEX-RN® cram sheet with that in mind. You're creating this for yourself — so lean into your learning style for the best results on test day.This also includes the medium for the cram sheet — if writing out the information helps you retain it, opt for a hard copy cram sheet. If you do better studying from a screen, create the sheet on your tablet, laptop, or cell phone, and you’ll always have it on hand.
How Do I Decide What to Include on my NCLEX-RN® Cram Sheet?
This is where the personalization comes in. Every cram sheet will be different. It's about what you need to focus on the most. However, common topics include lab values, basic concepts for myriad specialties (think pediatrics, maternity care, etc.), and patient safety protocols.You’ll also want to focus on more “nuts and bolts” information that you can then pull out of your mental rolodex when thinking through responses to questions on test day. Having those reference points prepared will make answering questions, regardless of the format, a much smoother process.
Why Should You Use an NCLEX-RN® Cram Sheet?
Your cram sheet should be an easy-to-use resource that supplements, rather than replaces, prep programs like Slone NCLEX.It’s a simple, yet effective, way to nail down those last few measurements, concepts, or definitions that have consistently tripped you up.
The Bottom Line
Preparing for the NCLEX-RN® exam is a long, stressful process. But using an NCLEX-RN® cram sheet alongside study programs like Slone NCLEX Review can set you up for success.
The basis of Neuro NCLEX® questions can be mastered by remembering a few key skills.
Regardless of what area of nursing the NCLEX® is testing you about, the question has something to do with safety.
Similarly, no matter what the neuro NCLEX ® question is, the ABCs are the first priority. Is their airway intact? Are they breathing? Is their heart pumping and circulating blood?
Let’s talk about one of the toughest areas of nursing school, NCLEX®, and just nursing in general – neuro! We have a few NCLEX-RN® test-taking strategies to help you pass the NCLEX exam and remember what you need to know about those neuro NCLEX® questions. Neuro encompasses everything brain and spinal cord. Think spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Guillain barre syndrome, concussion, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, strokes, Parkinson’s disease (just to name a few).
It's All About Safety
First things first, though. Regardless of what area of nursing the NCLEX® is testing you about, the question has something to do with safety. The entire goal of the exam is to test if you are a SAFE nurse. Is the medication you’re giving safe? Which action is the priority to make sure the client is safe? Who needs to be seen first to make sure they are safe from harm?It’s all about safety. So, when you are answering neuro NCLEX® questions, you’re trying to ensure your client is SAFE.
Don't Forget Your ABCs
Next, regardless of what the question is asking about, the ABCs are still the first priority. Is their airway intact? Are they breathing? Is their heart pumping and circulating blood? Is there a large wound that needs pressure applied? After you have addressed the ABCs then you can move on to the brain and neuro assessments. For neuro NCLEX® questions and neuro exams, you need to remember the basics. Here’s a quick review of each of the frequently tested NCLEX neuro areas:
Spinal Cord Injury: A traumatic injury that damages the spinal cord and impacts any of the areas below the site of injury.
Autonomic Dysreflexia: A medical emergency where a stimulus causes a sudden and uncontrolled reflex sympathetic discharge in individuals with a high-level spinal cord injury.
Concussion: A traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by an impact to the head and may result in loss of consciousness. Repeated concussions and repetitive trauma to the brain can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is a degenerative brain disease.
Epilepsy and Seizures: Seizures are sudden, uncontrolled electrical discharges that can result in the loss of motor or sensory control, behavior, and cause a change in level or loss of consciousness. A seizure lasting longer than five minutes or repeated seizures over 30 minutes is considered status epilepticus, which is a medical emergency. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder where unprovoked seizure activity occurs.
Migraines: Severe head pain that is characterized by recurrent episodes.
Meningitis: A life-threatening infection of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord. Bacterial is more dangerous than viral.
Stroke: A stroke is an injury to the brain that can be ischemic or hemorrhagic. An ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage in the cerebral or coronary artery. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a rupture of a cerebral artery by traumatic injury or aneurysm rupture.
Guilian Barre Syndrome: Inflammatory disorder that causes ascending muscle weakness and paralysis.
Myasthenia Gravis: A progressive autoimmune disease that causes the body’s acetylcholine receptors to be impaired and causes muscle weakness.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Progressive and terminal disease that affects the neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
Brain Tumors: Are benign or malignant tumors within the brain that cause neurological impairment.
Alzheimer’s Disease: Progressive disease that typically affects adults older than 65 and causes a progressive loss of brain function and impaired cognition.
Parkinson’s Disease: A progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes muscle rigidity, tremors, bradykinesia, akinesia, and instability.
Multiple Sclerosis: A chronic disease that affects the myelin and nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord causing generalized weakness and presents as periods of relapsing and remitting, meaning there are days when the disease is in a relapse state or in a remission state.
Huntington's Disease: A rare disorder that is hereditary and causes progressive dementia and uncontrolled rapid and jerky movements in the limbs, trunk and facial muscles.
Back and Neck pain: Pain in the back and neck can be caused by muscle strains, sprains, osteoarthritis, disc herniation or spinal stenosis. The injuries to the spine can cause nerve pain and are hard to manage.
Preparing for Neuro NCLEX® Questions
When answering questions about any of these areas, always think about airway, breathing, circulation, and how you can keep your client safe. If you keep that in mind and you know what is wrong with the client, then you should be able to pick out the correct answer on your NCLEX® exam. So if the question states a client presents to the emergency room by ambulance for symptoms of a stroke, what is your priority? The answer is establishing and maintaining an airway. From there, it's making sure they are breathing (check that pulse oximeter) and then complete a neuro assessment.
The Bottom Line
The best NCLEX® prep is to take a lot of neuro NCLEX® questions that have high-quality rationales to help you learn (and retain) that need-to-know information. Use a prep program like Slone NCLEX that provides you with a variety of test questions that cover all areas from neuro to endocrine to cardiac to every system in the body.Just know you’ve got this, and we’ve got you!
