NCLEX® Test Questions: Why We Practice

• NCLEX® test questions are supposed to prepare new-graduate nurses for a career caring for patients. Safely. 
• But to pass the exam on your first try, you’ll want to ensure you’re aware of what’s involved in the Next-Gen NCLEX®. 
• Keep study materials handy, test questions at the ready, and zero in on the new question item types presented through NGN. 

NCLEX® test questions are meant to prepare student nurses for the full-fledged nursing workforce, and with the implementation of the Next-Gen NCLEX® (NGN), practice is as important as ever. 

You know the drill by now — take 200 to 400 practice questions per day, of varying item types, and aim to take the exam itself as soon as possible after graduation. And until exam day? Keep those study materials handy, the NCLEX® test questions at the ready, and zero in on the new question item types presented through NGN. 

Why Focus on Next-Gen NCLEX® Test Questions? 

The NGN was introduced less than two years ago, adding new components to the already information-laden exam. In addition to the clinical judgment model, it brings in several new question item types, including: 

• Bowtie 
• Select N 
• Multiple response group 
• Highlight questions (including highlight test and highlight table)  

A Journal of Nursing Education study published last April found that less than one-third of surveyed students were confident answering NGN questions and scored lower on the NGN’s bowtie or SATA styles. The authors suggested that, based on their results, “faculty should incorporate these item types into classroom activities or course assignments.” 

If you’re not in a position where NGN questions being incorporated into classroom curriculum will help, be vocal in your study group or in online study forums about reinforcing those question types. Maybe even devote a certain number of NCLEX® test question practice hours to NGN question item types and the clinical judgment model. 

How to Study NCLEX® Test Questions 

Creating a multi-pronged approach to studying NCLEX® test questions can also lead you to a passing score. 

Another study, also published last April in Teaching and Learning in Nursing, concluded that incorporating computer-assisted quizzing into nursing curriculum “can contribute to student success on standardized examinations.” Having the ability to take tests in the same manner as the NCLEX® could also help students prepare for NCLEX® test questions and gain a better understanding of how to approach them on exam day. 

If you’re studying NCLEX® test questions before you’ve graduated, consider asking a professor if there’s a way they can add computer-assisted quizzing to their course. Or at least send you in the direction of an NCLEX® study group that uses that study style as part of its methods.  

But don’t discount the importance of writing NCLEX® test questions and answers out by hand. The repetitiveness of doing so can help you better absorb the information. And used alongside study groups, computer-assisted quizzing, and prep programs like Slone NCLEX, it could give you an extra boost of confidence and know-how on exam day. 

The Bottom Line

NCLEX® test questions are meant to test your ability to practice safely as a new nurse. The Next-Gen NCLEX® and its related additions only serve to reinforce that goal. Practicing regularly and using several methods to do so, will give you the best chance to pass the exam on the first try and start serving patients right away. 

Begin your NCLEX® preparation journey with Slone NCLEX today.