NCLEX RN Practice Test
National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses
Use the form below to configure your NCLEX RN Practice Test. The practice test can be configured to only include certain exam objectives and domains. You can choose between 5-100 questions and set a time limit.

NCLEX RN Information
The NCLEX-RN is a test that nurses must pass to become a Registered Nurse (RN). It stands for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. The exam is designed to see if you have the knowledge and skills needed to care for patients safely and effectively.
The NCLEX-RN is not like the tests you may have taken in school. It doesn’t just ask you to remember facts. Instead, it checks how well you can apply what you know to real-life nursing situations.
Who Needs to Take the NCLEX-RN?
Anyone who wants to become a Registered Nurse in the United States or Canada must pass the NCLEX-RN. After finishing a nursing program, either at the associate or bachelor’s level, students take this exam to get their nursing license.
What is on the NCLEX-RN?
The NCLEX-RN covers many topics, all related to patient care. The test is divided into four main areas:
Safe and Effective Care Environment
- This includes how to keep patients safe, prevent infections, and manage care.
Health Promotion and Maintenance
- Questions focus on how to help patients stay healthy, like teaching about proper nutrition or prenatal care.
Psychosocial Integrity
- These questions check how you handle the emotional and mental health needs of patients.
Physiological Integrity
- This is the largest section and tests your knowledge of medical conditions, treatments, and how to help patients recover.
How is the NCLEX-RN Structured?
The test is computer-based and uses a method called Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT). This means the questions get harder or easier based on how well you’re doing.
- The exam can have between 75 to 145 questions.
- You have up to 5 hours to finish, including breaks.
The test ends when the system is sure you either passed or failed. It’s designed to find out your skill level as quickly as possible.
How Can You Prepare?
Preparing for the NCLEX-RN takes time and effort. Here are some tips to help you get ready:
Understand the Test Plan
- The test plan tells you what topics will be on the exam. Make sure you know the major areas.
Practice Questions
- Doing practice questions can help you understand how the test works. Look for questions that explain why the right answer is correct.
Create a Study Schedule
- Break your studying into small chunks. Focus on one topic at a time.
Use Review Materials
- Many books, online courses, and apps are made to help students study for the NCLEX-RN.
Take Care of Yourself
- Get enough sleep, eat healthy meals, and take breaks while studying. A clear mind helps you do better.
What Happens After the Test?
If you pass the NCLEX-RN, you’ll get your nursing license. This means you can work as a Registered Nurse. If you don’t pass, you can take the test again after 45 days. Many people pass on their second try with extra preparation.
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Free NCLEX RN Practice Test
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- Questions: 15
- Time: Unlimited
- Included Topics:Safe and Effective Care EnvironmentHealth Promotion and MaintenancePsychosocial IntegrityPhysiological Integrity
During the third trimester, lying on the back for an extended period can lead to reduced fetal oxygenation and maternal dizziness.
False
True
Answer Description
True. In the third trimester, lying on the back can compress the inferior vena cava, reducing blood return to the heart and decreasing cardiac output. This can cause supine hypotensive syndrome, where the mother may experience dizziness, and fetal oxygenation may decrease due to reduced uteroplacental blood flow. Educating clients to adopt side-lying positions helps optimize blood circulation and promote both maternal comfort and fetal health.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What is supine hypotensive syndrome?
Why is side-lying position recommended during pregnancy?
What are the potential risks of reduced fetal oxygenation?
Applying heat therapy is an appropriate non-pharmacological intervention for a client experiencing localized muscular pain.
False
True
Answer Description
Heat therapy is an effective non-pharmacological measure for alleviating localized muscular pain, as it promotes muscle relaxation, increases blood flow, and decreases stiffness. However, it is important to assess for contraindications, such as impaired sensation or circulation issues, before applying heat. This ensures the intervention is safe and effective.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What are some common methods of applying heat therapy?
What are the contraindications for using heat therapy?
How does heat therapy benefit muscles specifically?
A nurse is preparing to discharge a client who recently underwent surgery. Which of the following actions should the nurse prioritize to ensure client safety during the discharge process?
Ensure that the client’s follow-up appointment is scheduled and communicated.
Confirm the client’s understanding of discharge instructions and provide additional resources.
Finalize the discharge documentation and sign it before releasing the client.
Verify that the client’s caregiver has arrived before completing the discharge process.
Answer Description
The correct answer is to confirm the client’s understanding of discharge instructions and provide additional resources. Confirming understanding ensures that the client knows how to manage their care at home, recognizes warning signs, and adheres to their medication or treatment regimen, reducing the risk of complications. Verifying that a caregiver is present or scheduling a follow-up appointment, while important, focuses on logistical aspects rather than direct client understanding, which is key for safety. Finalizing documentation is a required administrative action but does not directly prioritize client safety.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why is confirming a client's understanding of discharge instructions essential?
What resources can a nurse provide to a client upon discharge?
What are common warning signs a client should recognize after surgery?
A nurse is assessing a client recently diagnosed with a chronic illness. The client reports working long hours at multiple jobs and feels worried about managing their health while supporting their family. What is the nurse's priority intervention to address the client's concerns?
Encourage the client to reduce their work hours to focus more on their health.
Collaborate with a social worker to help the client find resources for managing occupational and health challenges.
Teach the client relaxation techniques to manage stress from their work and family responsibilities.
Provide coaching on lifestyle changes to help the client balance their family and work commitments.
Answer Description
The correct answer focuses on involving a social worker to provide support and identify resources that can help the client manage their health while dealing with occupational and financial stressors. This approach is aligned with holistic care principles, ensuring the client has access to the support needed to balance work, family, and health responsibilities.
Other options might seem appropriate but do not directly address the root issue. For instance, offering relaxation techniques or lifestyle coaching could benefit the client long term but do not immediately help address the stress caused by their specific situation. Similarly, suggesting that the client reduce work commitments might not be realistic without a concrete plan or resources in place to support such a change.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What does it mean to collaborate with a social worker in a healthcare setting?
What types of resources might a social worker provide to a client with a chronic illness?
How can addressing occupational and health challenges improve a client's overall well-being?
A nurse is caring for a client who becomes agitated and verbally aggressive in a group setting. Which intervention is most appropriate to use as part of a behavioral management strategy?
Redirect the client to a calmer and less stimulating environment.
Discipline the client to discourage further aggressive behavior.
Provide verbal education about appropriate behavior in the middle of their agitation.
Restrict the client from leaving the group setting until they stop being agitated.
Answer Description
Redirecting the client to a less stimulating environment is an appropriate behavioral management technique. It addresses the client's agitation by minimizing external triggers and providing a calm space, which promotes emotional regulation. Other interventions, such as restricting the client from leaving the group or attempting to discipline them, may escalate the situation and are not considered evidence-based strategies for managing agitation. Educating about behavior is important but is better suited for a moment when the client is calm and receptive.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why is redirecting a client to a calmer environment effective for managing agitation?
What are some techniques to de-escalate agitation besides redirecting the client?
What evidence supports the use of redirection in managing aggressive behavior in clients?
A nurse is teaching a 70-year-old client about dietary habits to maintain bone health. Which of the following reflects the most appropriate daily calcium intake recommendation?
1,000 mg of calcium daily.
800 mg of calcium daily.
1,500 mg of calcium daily.
1,200 mg of calcium daily.
Answer Description
The recommended daily calcium intake for adults 65 years and older is 1,200 mg to support bone health and reduce fracture risk. The value of 1,000 mg is appropriate for younger adults but insufficient for older adults, who have increased bone density loss. A recommendation of 1,500 mg may seem reasonable but is higher than necessary for most individuals unless prescribed for specific medical conditions. Too low an intake, such as 800 mg, fails to meet the body's requirements and could result in poor bone health. Nurses must advocate for accurate guidelines to ensure optimal calcium intake without unnecessary health risks.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why is calcium important for bone health in older adults?
What dietary sources are rich in calcium?
What are the consequences of inadequate calcium intake?
A nurse is preparing to assist a client with limited mobility from the bed to a wheelchair. What strategy should the nurse use to minimize their risk of injury during this task?
Keep the bed height low to prevent accidental falls during the transfer.
Manually lift the client, ensuring adequate upper body strength is used.
Use a transfer belt to assist with mobility.
Maintain a static position while rotating at the waist to move the client.
Answer Description
Using an assistive device, such as a transfer belt, ensures that the nurse follows ergonomic principles, reducing the strain on their own body while providing safe and effective care to the client. This approach distributes the weight more evenly and provides the nurse with better control during client transfers. Manually lifting the client or failing to adjust the bed height can lead to significant back strain or injury. Rotating at the waist instead of using the legs can cause improper body mechanics and result in injury.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What is a transfer belt and how does it work?
What are ergonomic principles in nursing, and why are they important?
What are the potential risks associated with manually lifting clients?
A client who is recovering from abdominal surgery reports feeling discomfort and bloating. Upon further assessment, the nurse notes hypoactive bowel sounds and no bowel movement in the past three days. What is the nurse's most appropriate intervention to address this condition?
Offer an enema to reduce the feelings of bloating.
Manage oral fluid intake to avoid abdominal distension.
Encourage the client to increase ambulation.
Administer a laxative to relieve the discomfort.
Answer Description
The correct answer is increasing ambulation, as it helps stimulate peristalsis and promotes natural bowel motility, which is often slowed after surgery. This is a first-line, non-invasive intervention that prioritizes the client's safety while addressing the issue effectively. Administering a laxative or offering an enema might be considered later if conservative measures like increased activity and hydration fail but are not initial steps. Managing oral fluid intake to avoid abdominal distension is incorrect because limiting fluids can exacerbate constipation rather than resolving it.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why does ambulation help with bowel motility after surgery?
What are hypoactive bowel sounds and what do they indicate?
What are some other non-invasive interventions for constipation after surgery?
A nurse is preparing to administer digoxin to a client with a history of heart failure. Which of the following findings should prompt the nurse to withhold the medication and notify the healthcare provider?
Elevated liver enzyme levels
Serum potassium level of 2.9 mEq/L
Hemoglobin level of 11.8 g/dL
Heart rate of 82 bpm
Answer Description
The correct answer is based on understanding that hypokalemia increases the risk of digoxin toxicity, which can result in serious complications such as cardiac arrhythmias. When serum potassium is low, the nurse must withhold the medication and notify the healthcare provider for further assessment and management. Elevated liver enzymes and hemoglobin level of 11.8 g/dL, while notable, do not directly contraindicate digoxin administration in this scenario. A heart rate of 82 bpm is within the normal range and does not require withholding the medication.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What are the risks associated with low potassium levels when taking digoxin?
Why is it important to notify the healthcare provider if a patient has a low potassium level?
What are normal serum potassium levels, and what does it mean if they are outside this range?
A nurse is reviewing an updated facility policy regarding the prevention of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). What action should the nurse take to best integrate this resource into client care?
Seek clarification from the nurse manager regarding the updated policy before making changes.
Notify health care providers about the policy update without changing client care practices.
Continue following current practices until issues with client outcomes are identified.
Implement the updated policy while delivering client care to align with evidence-based practices.
Answer Description
Applying the updated policy while caring for clients ensures current, evidence-based practices, which are essential for preventing HAIs and promoting client safety. Informing the health care team or consulting leadership may help spread awareness or clarify doubts but does not directly utilize the resource in care delivery. Ignoring updated policies jeopardizes patient health and safety.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What are hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)?
What does 'evidence-based practices' mean in nursing?
What role does policy play in nursing practice?
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who is prescribed a new medication. What action should the nurse emphasize to ensure safe medication administration at home?
Read the medication label each time before taking it.
Store medications loosely in a visible location for easy access.
Use common household utensils to measure liquid medications.
Memorize the size and color of the medication.
Answer Description
Clients should always confirm their medication by reading the label to ensure they are taking the correct dose and medication prescribed. This reduces the risk of medication errors. Relying on memory or the physical appearance of medication can be misleading as medications may look similar in color or shape. Additionally, using an appropriate household tool, rather than specialized measuring tools, can lead to inaccurate dosing.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What should I look for on a medication label?
Why is it important not to rely on memory for medication administration?
What measuring tools are appropriate for liquid medications?
A client who sustained a recent injury expresses frustration and says, 'This is so unfair. I don't know how I'll ever get back to my normal life.' What is the most appropriate therapeutic response by the nurse?
You shouldn’t think negatively. Focus on staying positive, and everything will fall into place.
Most people recover from this quickly. Let’s talk about your treatment plan instead.
It sounds like you’re feeling overwhelmed. Can you tell me more about what’s worrying you?
You’ll be fine soon. Everyone has setbacks at some point in their life.
Answer Description
The correct answer is the one that reflects therapeutic communication techniques such as empathy, active listening, and validation of the client's feelings. Responses should avoid judgment, false reassurance, or dismissiveness. For example, reflecting on the client's emotions validates their experience, fosters a safe environment, and encourages further dialogue. Other responses may discourage the client from sharing or provide unhelpful feedback.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What are therapeutic communication techniques?
Why is empathy important in nursing?
What are some common barriers to effective communication in nursing?
A nurse is educating the parents of a 6-year-old child who recently started attending school. The parents express concerns about their child’s safety and health while at school. Which recommendation is the most appropriate for the nurse to provide?
Provide education about traffic safety when walking or riding a bicycle to and from school.
Emphasize the importance of packing nutrient-rich snacks and ensuring adequate hydration throughout the school day.
Discuss strategies for preventing bullying, such as informing a trusted adult about concerning situations.
Teach the child about consistent hand hygiene practices, such as washing hands before meals and after playing outdoors.
Answer Description
Encouraging consistent hand hygiene is essential for a school-age child because it significantly reduces the risk of infectious diseases, such as colds and gastrointestinal illnesses, which are common in school settings. While advising on proper nutrition and hydration is also important to the child's growth and learning, and discussing bullying prevention is relevant to emotional health, hand hygiene directly supports physical health and aligns closely with the parent's concern for the child's safety and health in this context. Other options, such as teaching traffic safety, relate more broadly to safety but are less closely tied to the immediate concern about the school environment.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
Why is hand hygiene so important for children in a school setting?
What specific hand hygiene practices should parents teach their children?
How can schools promote hand hygiene among students?
A 6-year-old child is brought to the emergency department by their caregiver, who states the child fell from a playground structure. On examination, the child has bruises on their arms, abdomen, and back at different stages of healing. The caregiver becomes defensive and provides vague explanations when asked about the child’s injuries. What should the nurse do next?
Ask the child privately about how the injuries occurred.
Provide the caregiver with education on injury prevention strategies.
Document the findings and observe for further signs of abuse.
Report suspected abuse to the CPA according to facility policy.
Answer Description
Reporting suspected abuse to the Child Protection Agency (CPA) is the correct course of action for a healthcare professional who observes potential signs of abuse or neglect. Nurses are mandated reporters, meaning they are legally required to escalate suspected abuse to the appropriate authorities. Visible bruises at different stages of healing raise concerns of repeated harm, while the caregiver's defensive demeanor and vague explanations further indicate a need for investigation. Simply documenting findings or attempting to secure independent verification is insufficient, as it could delay intervention needed to protect the child. Providing injury prevention advice in this scenario is inappropriate, as it does not address the root concern of potential abuse.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What does it mean to be a mandated reporter?
What are the signs of child abuse that healthcare professionals should look for?
What is the role of the Child Protection Agency (CPA) in handling reports of abuse?
A nurse is caring for a client with a newly implanted pacing device. Which finding requires immediate notification to the healthcare provider?
An absence of a palpable pulse matching the pacemaker's programmed rate
Client complains of fatigue following pacemaker implantation
Mild redness at the pacemaker insertion site
Client reports minor discomfort in the chest area
Answer Description
The correct answer is an absence of a palpable pulse matching the pacemaker rate, as this indicates the pacemaker may not be effectively responding and capturing the heart's electrical activity. A pacemaker should generate electrical impulses that result in heart contractions, and this is confirmed by matching the pulse to the pacemaker's programmed rate.
Other options like mild redness at the insertion site may indicate normal inflammatory response or expected healing, but they don't require immediate intervention unless signs of infection are prominent. Similarly, complaints of fatigue shortly after implantation might occur due to the client's adjustment to the device, but it typically doesn't warrant immediate action unless symptoms are severe.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What does it mean when there's an absence of a palpable pulse matching the pacemaker's programmed rate?
What are the typical signs of an infection at a pacemaker insertion site?
Why might a client feel fatigued after pacemaker implantation?
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