NCLEX Practice Test

The nurse is observing a student test the twelve cranial nerves. The student asks the client to smile, puff out their cheeks, raise eyebrows, and show their teeth. >Which cranial nerve is the student assessing?

• 1. Cranial nerve I (1)
• 2. Cranial nerve VII (7)
• 3. Cranial nerve VIII (8)
• 4. Cranial nerve XII (12)

2 . Question

A graduate nurse has a client that requires insulin at breakfast. He receives both NPH and regular insulin. The order reads “Give 10 units of NPH insulin and 6 units of Regular insulin.” The graduate nurse has a second nurse present with her while she is drawing up the insulin. >Which is the correct order of steps for this procedure? A. Inject 10 units of air into the vial of NPH.
B. Draw up 6 units of Regular insulin into the syringe.
C. Draw up 10 units of NPH insulin into the syringe.
D. Inject 6 units of air into the vial of Regular insulin.

• 1. A,C,D,B
• 2. D,A,C,B
• 3. D,A,B,C
• 4. A,D,B,C

3 . Question

A nurse is caring for a woman in labor. She reviews the fetal strip and notes moderate variability with occasional decelerations. The decelerations occur with a contraction, show a gradual decrease in fetal heart rate to its lowest point over 30 seconds, and the shape of the deceleration mirrors the contraction. >Which of the following is the correct course of action for the nurse to take?

• 1. Apply oxygen per face mask
• 2. Administer terbutaline
• 3. Give IV fluid bolus
• 4. Continue to monitor fetal and maternal status.

4 . Question

A 15-year-old female is brought to the emergency room after being rescued from a house fire. She is having some shortness of breath from smoke inhalation and the nurse notes that her hands are burned. Further assessment reveals that the burn has destroyed the epidermis and dermis. The skin is bright red and leathery in appearance and does not blanche under pressure. The client asks, “Why doesn’t it hurt very much?” >Which of the following descriptions is the appropriate response?

• 1. “You’re still in shock from the house fire and your adrenaline level is high.”
• 2. “Those are first degree burns; they aren’t as painful as other types of burns.”
• 3. “You have what is called a third-degree burn; with this type of burn, the nerve endings are destroyed, and you may not feel much pain.”
• 4. “Don’t worry about that right now; the pain will come later.”

5 . Question

A nurse on the postpartum floor receives report from the night shift nurse. >Which of the following clients should she assess first?

• 1. The 22-year-old who is postop day 2 s/p cesarean section and is having incisional pain 5 out of 10.
• 2. The 30-year-old who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, is postop day 1 s/p cesarean section, and complains of dizziness when attempting to ambulate for the first time.
• 3. The 35-year-old smoker who complains of leg pain, mild chest pain, and shortness of breath after returning from seeing her baby in the neonatal ICU.
• 4. The 16-year-old who had a postpartum hemorrhage after delivery and is now 3 days post-delivery with moderate amount of dark red vaginal discharge with occasional small clots.

6 . Question

The nursing student is observing a nurse change the dressing on a central venous catheter. >Which of the following steps should the nurse take while performing the dressing change? Select all that apply.

• 1. Maintain clean technique throughout the dressing change.
• 2. Clean skin using isopropyl alcohol, scrubbing for 30 seconds and allowing to dry completely.
• 3. Ensure the client wears a mask and turns his or her head away from the insertion site.
• 4. Measure the length of the catheter at the insertion site.
• 5. Assess the catheter site for redness or drainage.

7 . Question

After being diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, a client is taking oral iron and eating foods rich in iron. >Which of the following foods may help increase the body’s absorption of iron when consumed at the same time as iron?

• 1. Orange juice, cantaloupe, broccoli
• 2. Salmon, eggs, tofu
• 3. Liver and red meat
• 4. Shrimp and tuna

8 . Question

A client presents to the emergency room, complaining of significant abdominal pain and heavy vaginal bleeding. She reports she received a positive urine pregnancy test a few weeks ago. Upon further assessment, the client is diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy. >Which of the following are priority nursing interventions as the patient is prepped for emergent surgery?

• 1. Insert Foley catheter, shave pubic area, administer oxygen.
• 2. Fluid bolus, type and cross match, IV pain medication.
• 3. IV fluid bolus, incentive spirometry, methotrexate administration
• 4. Blood cultures, antibiotics, oxygen

9 . Question

The nurse is assigned to a client with a history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who has been on antiretroviral therapy for years. >Which of the following would the nurse expect to see if the client is following the treatment plan?

• 1. A viral load of less than 20 copies/mL of blood and a CD4 count of 600 cells/microliter.
• 2. A viral load of 1000 copies/mL of blood and a CD4 count of 150 cells/microliter.
• 3. A viral load of more than 1000 copies/mL of blood and a CD4 count of 700 cells/microliter.
• 4. A viral load of less than 20 copies/mL of blood and a CD4 count of 190 cells/microliter.

10 . Question

A 58-year-old female is recovering from a colon resection. She has a BMI of 40 and type 2 diabetes. Her most recent labs indicate albumin level of 2.5 g/dL. >With the client at risk for wound dehiscence, which of the following should not be included in the plan of care?

• 1. Discourage the client from eating chicken breast, salmon, and eggs
• 2. Keep tight control of glucose.
• 3. Teach client how to splint incisional site when coughing, deep breathing, sneezing, or vomiting.
• 4. Administer stool softeners.

This is just a sample quiz. If you want to take our free NCLEX practice test (full-length), click here.

Full-Length NCLEX Practice Test

Choose between our free NCLEX practice test (full-length) or our smaller sets of questions (practice sets).

Who Takes the NCLEX?

Nursing students who have completed their nursing program will take the NCLEX. You will need to pass the NCLEX to apply for a nursing license in your state.

• Students wishing to become an RN will take the NCLEX-RN.
• Students wishing to become a LPN or LVN will take the NCLEX-PN.

Both exams are similar and contain the same number of questions and time limits.

Overview of the NCLEX Exam

The NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams are similar to each other in terms of number of questions, time limits, how the exam is given, and types of questions.

• NCLEX-RN: 85 to 150 Questions. 5 Hour Time Limit.
• NCLEX-PN: 85 to 150 Questions. 5 Hour Time Limit.

Both exams are computer adaptive. This means that the questions will adapt as you progress through the exam. Some students may only need 85 questions to pass, while others may need all 150 questions.

Make sure to use the NCLEX practice questions above to prepare!

NCLEX-RN Summary

The NCLEX-RN will test you on the following subjects:

• Management of Care: 15-21%
• Safety and Infection Control: 10-16%
• Health Promotion and Maintenance: 6-12%
• Psychosocial Integrity: 6-12%
• Basic Care and Comfort: 6-12%
• Pharmacological Therapies: 13-19%
• Reduction of Risk Potential: 9-15%
• Physiological Adaptation: 11-17%

You can also expect at least 3 case studies, with each case study having 6 questions. There will also be some “standalone” questions. These questions are similar to the case studies, but only have 1 question associated with them.

NCLEX-PN Summary

The NCLEX-PN will test you on the following subjects:

• Coordinated Care: 18-24%
• Safety and Infection Control: 10-16%
• Health Promotion and Maintenance: 6-12%
• Psychosocial Integrity: 9-15%
• Basic Care and Comfort: 7-13%
• Pharmacological Therapies: 10-16%
• Reduction of Risk Potential: 9-15%
• Physiological Adaptation: 7-13%

You can also expect at least 3 case studies, with each case study having 6 questions.

For a more detailed breakdown of the exam, visit our NCLEX exam overview. You can also visit the official source for additional information.

Scoring of the NCLEX

The NCLEX uses a computer adaptive test and a complex scoring system. The NCLEX is a pass/fail test.

The NCLEX uses a logit scoring system. Without getting too technical, you will need to receive a logit score of 0.00 or higher to pass the exam. If you received a negative logit score, that means you did not pass the exam.

While taking the exam, your logit score in constantly being calculated based on how you are answering questions. This is why some students may end up answering more questions than others.

Students who pass the exam will be informed that they passed. Students who failed the exam will have an opportunity to view a detailed score report (only if you failed).

NCLEX Administration, Fees, and Requirements

• In order to register for the NCLEX, you must first request a license/registration application from your nursing regulatory body (NRB).
• You must submit your application materials and licensing fees to your NRB.
• You can then register to take the NCLEX through Pearson Vue.

You can find more information and register for your NCLEX exams here. Eligibility requirements will vary because each NRB has it’s own requirements for eligibility.

Contact your NRB to confirm your eligibility requirements. Be sure that you are enrolled in the correct exam (RN/PN) and have practiced the appropriate NCLEX test questions.

Lastly, you can expect to pay $200 to take the NCLEX.

Studying for the NCLEX

The NCLEX is one of the highest stakes exams a nursing student can take. Here are some tips to use when studying for the NCLEX:

1. Use a NCLEX Practice Exam to Get a Baseline: Using a practice exam will help you figure out where you stand. You may find that you really struggled and need to dedicate some serious study time to the exam.
2. Narrow Down Struggle Areas: Take step #1 a step further and figure out which specific topics you struggled with. You can use this information to study more efficiently and save yourself some time.
3. Do Not Cram: Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to study for the exam. You will save yourself some stress by giving yourself enough time to study.
4. Consider Investing in a Full-Fledged Prep Course: A complete prep course will provide you with everything you need and it will ensure you do not skip over any information you should know.
5. Take a Simulated Exam: One of your last steps should include taking a simulated exam. A simulated NCLEX exam will help you figure out where you stand and either confirm that you are ready for the actual exam or let you know if you need to continue studying.

Benefits of Using a NCLEX Practice Test

There are many benefits of using a NCLEX practice test. Some of the major benefits include:

• Familiarity with the Exam: The NCLEX is a unique exam. The questions asked on this exam are very different from questions you have seen on other exams. This relates to both the types of questions and the format in which they are asked.
• Practice with Timing: The NCLEX is a timed exam. You will have 5 hours to answer 85-150 questions. You can get your timing down by taking our full-length exam above.
• Pinpoint Trouble Areas: You can pinpoint the areas you struggle with by taking our NCLEX practice exam. At the end of the exam, you will receive a detailed score report that outlines the specific areas you struggled with. You can then focus your studies on those areas.
• Utilize Answer Explanations: You can use our answer explanations to learn new and key concepts. We offer detailed answer explanations for every single problem.