To pass the NCLEX-RN®, you have to prepare. And preparation looks different for everyone. Use study methods that have been successful throughout your education and consider adding a prep program like Slone NCLEX. Incorporating myriad study styles is one of the best ways to ensure you’re ready come exam day. The secret is, there is...
Your NCLEX-RN® practice questions should focus on client need and clinical judgment categories. Make sure to familiarize yourself with different question formats using programs like Slone NCLEX. Practicing these questions enhances critical thinking skills, as the NCLEX® often presents complex clinical scenarios that require analyzing situations and prioritizing client care. One of the most effective...
The key to the best NCLEX® exam prep is quality NCLEX® exam questions.
Certain characteristics make up a strong exam question.
Programs like Slone NCLEX often provide the best quality and variety in questions and are best equipped to prepare you for exam day.
The key to the best NCLEX® exam prep is quality NCLEX® Exam Questions. And the best exam questions tend to be online and found through quality NCLEX® preparation programs such as Slone NCLEX®.
The most-effective questions are designed to evaluate a nurse’s critical thinking skills through complex scenarios that simulate real-life situations. These questions require nurses to engage in a higher level of analysis, as they must prioritize interventions, identify the most urgent signs or symptoms, and apply their nursing knowledge to ensure safe and effective client care.
Many of these questions specifically focus on determining “who to see first” when multiple clients are involved or ... Read more
To pass the NCLEX-RN®, you have to prepare. And preparation looks different for everyone.
Use study methods that have been successful throughout your education and consider adding a prep program like Slone NCLEX.
Incorporating myriad study styles is one of the best ways to ensure you’re ready come exam day.
The secret is, there is no secret. To pass the NCLEX-RN®, you have to prepare.What matters though is how you prepare. And that looks different for everyone.Some studies suggest that success in the classroom is a predictor of how you’ll do on NCLEX-RN®. Others compare how computer-based studying fares against a textbook-focused approach.For our money, we encourage a multi-pronged approach. Use the study methods that have helped you feel confident throughout nursing school, add in a prep program like Slone NCLEX, and don't shy away from trying something new. And if you’re among the cohort that has struggled a bit (we’ve all been there!), there’s no shame in reaching out to professors or other students for one-on-one help or to form a study group. Here we’ll discuss various approaches you can incorporate into your study plan (and in some cases before you’re even ready to start studying) to pass the NCLEX-RN®.
It Starts in the Classroom
Academic success is an indicator of NCLEX-RN® success. That’s what researchers found in an exploratory study published in October 2024 in the journal Teaching and Learning in Nursing. They determined that GPA and academic performance in anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology courses predicted passing NCLEX-RN® scores in more than 84% of students in their sample cohort.So don’t neglect your studies. Be as dedicated as a student as you want to be when you’re a full-fledged nurse. It will only help you in the long run.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
A 2024 Journal of Nursing Education study noted that remediation efforts, such as an NCLEX-RN® coaching program, were created to help graduating seniors “who had a low GPA or low scores on the standardized predictor examination.”“Coaches met individually with students to work on test-taking strategies and develop a plan of study, as well as ways for students to manage test anxiety,” the authors stated, noting that program results were not available at the time of publication.Sometimes, individual coaching is what you need. It takes away distractions and can reduce anxiety you might have about answering questions in front of other students.
Be Proactive
Prior to the Next-Generation NCLEX’s launch in 2023, one nursing program shifted its curriculum to include a “clinical judgment framework.” (The Clinical Judgment Model was one of the changes implemented with the NGN.) Doing so increased the program’s first-time pass rates by 24%, according to a 2023 Nurse Educator article.That said, if your nursing program’s curriculum hasn’t already incorporated a clinical judgment approach, find prep courses, like Slone NCLEX, that do. The more proactive you are in ensuring you’re studying the most relevant material, the better off you’ll be.
Don’t Just Hit the Books
Studying NCLEX-RN® textbook material is a given when it comes to preparing for exam day. But when that day comes, you’ll be answering questions through computer-assisted quizzing (CAQ). So incorporate that method into your study plan. An April 2024 study from Teaching and Learning in Nursing examined the differences between students who prepared for the NCLEX-RN® with CAQ and those who used textbooks. The authors found that the “CAQ group had higher exit HESI [Health Education Systems Incorporated] examination scores compared to the NCLEX review textbook preparation group.”
The Bottom Line
There’s no one way to guarantee a passing score on the NCLEX-RN®. But by focusing on your pre-NCLEX classes and clinicals; incorporating multiple study formats; and asking for help when you need it, you will be one step closer to a successful exam day.
Your NCLEX-RN® practice questions should focus on client need and clinical judgment categories.
Make sure to familiarize yourself with different question formats using programs like Slone NCLEX.
Practicing these questions enhances critical thinking skills, as the NCLEX® often presents complex clinical scenarios that require analyzing situations and prioritizing client care.
One of the most effective strategies for success on the NCLEX® is to find the right NCLEX-RN® practice questions. We've emphasized this many times: the best preparation involves taking 200 to 400 practice questions each day leading up to the exam.
Client Need Categories and NCLEX-RN® Practice Questions
As you work through these questions, ensure that they test over the NCLEX® client-need categories. NCLEX-RN® practice questions that cover each of the client need categories include:
Management of Care
Priority assessment, delegation, interprofessional collaboration, ethics, and client care coordination: A client with a new ileostomy needs their ostomy bag changed. Which of the following tasks can be delegated to universal assistive personnel (UAP)?
Safety and Infection Control
Infection precautions, sterile procedure, PPE, waste disposal: A client with a new central venous catheter is exhibiting signs of infection at the insertion site. What is the appropriate nursing action?
Health Promotion and Maintenance
Lifestyle practices, disease prevention, health screenings, nutrition, immunizations, risk factors, client education, managing chronic conditions: A client with a history of diabetes is unresponsive with a blood glucose level of 50 mg/dL. What is the most appropriate initial intervention?
Psychosocial Integrity
Therapeutic responses, managing behavioral health disorders, crisis intervention, end-of-life care: A patient with a recent diagnosis of depression states, "I feel like there's no hope for me." Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?
Basic Care and Comfort
Assessing pain, client ADLs, communication, eating, and mobility: A post-operative client reports severe pain at the incision site despite receiving pain medication. What is the nurse's priority assessment to determine the cause of the pain?
Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies
Medication administration, safe dosage, medication side effects, critical medications and infusions, transfusion management, IV management: This can be presented as either a dosage calculation or a medication-specific/assessment-style question:
A client is prescribed 500 mg of antibiotic medication. The vial contains 1 g/2 mL. How many mL should the nurse administer?
The nurse is preparing to administer metoprolol to a client with a history of atrial fibrillation. Which assessment by the nurse is the priority?
Reduction of Risk Potential
Identify situations and minimize risks and potential complications to the client: An elderly patient is at high risk for falls. What measures should the nurse implement to reduce the risk of falls?
Physiological Adaptation
Managing medical emergencies, understanding and recognizing the body’s response to a disease, injury or environmental stressor: A client with severe burns is experiencing significant fluid loss. Which assessment finding most likely indicates the need for immediate fluid replacement?
Clinical Judgment Categories and NCLEX-RN® Practice Questions
You will also want to ensure that your NCLEX-RN® practice questions include each of the clinical judgment categories. Examples that cover each of the NCLEX-RN® clinical judgment categories are:
Recognize cues
Relevant and important information from different areas, such as lab results and medical history: A client with a history of asthma presents with wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. Which assessment finding is most concerning and requires immediate action?
Analyze cues
Correlate and organize the identified important information to the client’s clinical presentation: A client with a history of diabetes reports feeling shaky and diaphoretic. What is the most likely cause of these symptoms?
Prioritize hypotheses
Assess and rank hypotheses based on their importance:A client with a new surgical incision reports increasing pain, redness, and warmth around the site. Which assessment finding should be prioritized?
Generate solutions
Identify expected outcomes and use hypotheses to define interventions for those outcomes:A client presents with sudden onset of chest pain, shortness of breath, and nausea. What is the priority nursing assessment?
Take actions
Implement the solution(s) that address the highest priority issues:A client with a new diagnosis of pneumonia is exhibiting signs of respiratory distress. Which action should the nurse take first?
Evaluate outcomes
Compare the actual outcomes to the anticipated outcomes:A diabetic client has been educated on blood glucose monitoring and dietary changes. Which statement by the client demonstrates understanding of the teaching?
Key Points to Remember When Practicing NCLEX® Questions
Focus on priority actions: Many NCLEX® questions will ask you to identify the most important nursing intervention in each situation. Identify and select the answer that will keep your client safe and prevent harm to them, yourself or others.
Understand the rationale behind each answer: Don't just memorize the correct answer; understand why it is the best choice. This will help you to not only understand the content, but also to retain and recall the information.
Practice and familiarize yourself with different question formats: The NCLEX® uses various question types, such as multiple choice, case studies, select all that apply, bowtie, and drag-and-drop. Make sure you take NCLEX-RN® practice questions in the traditional and next-gen (NGN) item types.
Utilize NCLEX®-specific practice materials: Use preparation programs like Slone NCLEX, study guides, and readiness tests that mimic the actual exam.
Focus on keywords: Pay close attention to words like "priority," "first," "most likely," "immediate," and "stable" in the question stem.
Analyze all answer choices: Carefully read all options before selecting the best response, considering the rationale behind each answer.
Apply the nursing process: Use the nursing process (assess, diagnose, plan, implement, evaluate) to guide your decision-making.
The Bottom Line
Engaging in NCLEX® practice questions is essential for exam preparation. It familiarizes you with the exam's format, which is vital for navigating the test effectively. Practicing these questions enhances critical thinking skills, as the NCLEX® often presents complex clinical scenarios that require analyzing situations and prioritizing client care. Additionally, working on practice questions helps you identify areas needing further study. After practice assessments, you can evaluate your performance and create a targeted study plan to address knowledge gaps. Finally, immersing yourself in practice questions simulates the testing environment, boosting your confidence and reducing anxiety on your exam day.
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The key to the best NCLEX® exam prep is quality NCLEX® exam questions.
Certain characteristics make up a strong exam question.
Programs like Slone NCLEX often provide the best quality and variety in questions and are best equipped to prepare you for exam day.
The key to the best NCLEX® exam prep is quality NCLEX® Exam Questions. And the best exam questions tend to be online and found through quality NCLEX® preparation programs such as Slone NCLEX®.The most-effective questions are designed to evaluate a nurse's critical thinking skills through complex scenarios that simulate real-life situations. These questions require nurses to engage in a higher level of analysis, as they must prioritize interventions, identify the most urgent signs or symptoms, and apply their nursing knowledge to ensure safe and effective client care. Many of these questions specifically focus on determining "who to see first" when multiple clients are involved or "which intervention is the most important" in a specific situation. NCLEX® Exam Questions should encompass multiple client variables, challenging the test-taker to synthesize information rather than merely recalling facts.
Six Characteristics of NCLEX® Exam Questions
Here are some key characteristics of strong NCLEX® exam questions:
Prioritization: These questions emphasize the ability of the nurse to recognize which client needs immediate attention based on the severity and urgency of their medical condition. For example, a question might present several clients with varying degrees of distress, asking the nurse to determine who requires assessment first.
Clinical Application: The scenarios presented should be realistic and reflective of actual nursing situations. NCLEX® exam questions test nurses on their ability to take their learned theoretical knowledge and apply it to clinical situations, demonstrating mastery in recognizing client cues, analyzing those cues, prioritizing hypotheses and generating solutions from those cues, and finally taking action/intervening and then evaluating the outcomes of those actions.
Multiple Factors: Good questions also incorporate several aspects of a client’s condition, such as vital signs, lab results, and client history. This tests your ability to extract and prioritize critical information, ensuring you can make informed clinical judgments.
Multiple Item Type Formats: The best NCLEX® exam questions will incorporate all of the exam's item types, including the new Next-Generation (NGN) NCLEX® exam questions. When studying, focus on the traditional item types: multiple choice, select all that apply (SATA), graphic, exhibit, audio, numerical fill-in-the-blank, and hot spot questions. The new NGN item types that you need to include are: case studies, bowtie questions, SATA, select N, multiple response group, highlight questions that include highlight test and highlight table, drag-and-drop questions, drop-down questions, and matrix grid questions. For more information on the new item types, reference our previous blog, “Include these Item Types in Your NCLEX® Practice Questions.”
Critical Thinking: Questions will also be structured to demand more than just simple recall. They require you to analyze information, synthesize knowledge, and make judgments based on evidence and clinical reasoning. This assesses not only your knowledge of specific nursing actions but also your ability to think critically about multiple, potentially correct answers in a given scenario.
Comprehensive Coverage of Key Exam Categories: Your practice questions should encompass all major areas of nursing care that the exam evaluates: the client needs categories of Management of Care, Safe and Infection Control, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Psychosocial Integrity, Basic Care and Comfort, Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies, Reduction of Risk Potential, and Physiological Adaptation. Additionally, you need to include questions that assess the NCLEX® clinical judgment categories: Recognize Cues, Analyze Cues, Prioritize Hypotheses, Generate Solutions, Take Actions, and Evaluate Outcomes. These categories all ensure that you are well-prepared to address a wide range of topics relevant to client care.
Example NCLEX® Exam Question Types
Prioritization Scenario: "A nurse is caring for four clients with varying conditions. Based on the presented symptoms, which client should the nurse see first?"
Clinical Intervention: "A client has just been diagnosed with pneumonia and is showing signs of respiratory distress, such as increased heart rate and altered oxygen saturation. What intervention should the nurse perform first to stabilize the client?"
Assessment and Intervention: "A client is being administered a medication known to cause hypotension. Which assessment findings would necessitate immediate intervention from the nurse?"
Action Selection: "A client with a history of seizures is currently displaying altered mental status. Select all appropriate nursing actions that should be taken in response to this change."
The Bottom Line
Practicing with these types of NCLEX® exam questions is essential. Doing so will help you understand the exam's format, content, and difficulty while enhancing your nursing knowledge and critical thinking skills.The best prep questions will have all the elements we just talked about and are typically found in a quality preparation program like Slone NCLEX®. Ensure the program you choose includes at least 2,500 questions with at least one readiness exam to help you create a study plan. Using a prep program provides a structured study approach with quality practice questions and can help reduce test anxiety.The best way to succeed is to prepare. Careful planning and preparation for any task, challenge, or opportunity greatly enhances your chances of success. Being prepared allows you to anticipate various situations, make informed decisions, and confidently execute your actions. In essence, preparation serves as the foundation for achieving positive outcomes.
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To pass the NCLEX-RN®, you have to prepare. And preparation looks different for everyone.
Use study methods that have been successful throughout your education and consider adding a prep program like Slone NCLEX.
Incorporating myriad study styles is one of the best ways to ensure you’re ready come exam day.
The secret is, there is no secret. To pass the NCLEX-RN®, you have to prepare.What matters though is how you prepare. And that looks different for everyone.Some studies suggest that success in the classroom is a predictor of how you’ll do on NCLEX-RN®. Others compare how computer-based studying fares against a textbook-focused approach.For our money, we encourage a multi-pronged approach. Use the study methods that have helped you feel confident throughout nursing school, add in a prep program like Slone NCLEX, and don't shy away from trying something new. And if you’re among the cohort that has struggled a bit (we’ve all been there!), there’s no shame in reaching out to professors or other students for one-on-one help or to form a study group. Here we’ll discuss various approaches you can incorporate into your study plan (and in some cases before you’re even ready to start studying) to pass the NCLEX-RN®.
It Starts in the Classroom
Academic success is an indicator of NCLEX-RN® success. That’s what researchers found in an exploratory study published in October 2024 in the journal Teaching and Learning in Nursing. They determined that GPA and academic performance in anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology courses predicted passing NCLEX-RN® scores in more than 84% of students in their sample cohort.So don’t neglect your studies. Be as dedicated as a student as you want to be when you’re a full-fledged nurse. It will only help you in the long run.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
A 2024 Journal of Nursing Education study noted that remediation efforts, such as an NCLEX-RN® coaching program, were created to help graduating seniors “who had a low GPA or low scores on the standardized predictor examination.”“Coaches met individually with students to work on test-taking strategies and develop a plan of study, as well as ways for students to manage test anxiety,” the authors stated, noting that program results were not available at the time of publication.Sometimes, individual coaching is what you need. It takes away distractions and can reduce anxiety you might have about answering questions in front of other students.
Be Proactive
Prior to the Next-Generation NCLEX’s launch in 2023, one nursing program shifted its curriculum to include a “clinical judgment framework.” (The Clinical Judgment Model was one of the changes implemented with the NGN.) Doing so increased the program’s first-time pass rates by 24%, according to a 2023 Nurse Educator article.That said, if your nursing program’s curriculum hasn’t already incorporated a clinical judgment approach, find prep courses, like Slone NCLEX, that do. The more proactive you are in ensuring you’re studying the most relevant material, the better off you’ll be.
Don’t Just Hit the Books
Studying NCLEX-RN® textbook material is a given when it comes to preparing for exam day. But when that day comes, you’ll be answering questions through computer-assisted quizzing (CAQ). So incorporate that method into your study plan. An April 2024 study from Teaching and Learning in Nursing examined the differences between students who prepared for the NCLEX-RN® with CAQ and those who used textbooks. The authors found that the “CAQ group had higher exit HESI [Health Education Systems Incorporated] examination scores compared to the NCLEX review textbook preparation group.”
The Bottom Line
There’s no one way to guarantee a passing score on the NCLEX-RN®. But by focusing on your pre-NCLEX classes and clinicals; incorporating multiple study formats; and asking for help when you need it, you will be one step closer to a successful exam day.
