How to Pass the NCLEX-RN: 7 Key Tips

The seven tips below will increase your confidence and decrease your stress while studying, taking the exam, and waiting for your NCLEX results. The ability to pursue your career in nursing depends on passing the NCLEX-RN examination, and every student nurse has some fear of failing the exam. However, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) reports that the pass rate for the exam is up to 80% of all applicants. If this is the first time you will take the NCLEX, your chance of passing is even higher. Some people do not pass the first time and can try again. Preparation is key in either situation.

One of the best ways to prepare for the NCLEX is to use practice questions that mimic the content of the actual exam. There are over 2,200 questions available at no cost here on our website. The immersive computerized adaptive testing (CAT) option provides an experience just like the real NCLEX. Custom review sessions and practice exams can also be created to suit your studying needs. As described below, you can best utilize these free resources if you understand where and how they fit into the exam.

1. Know The NCLEX Content

It is important to know the subjects and topics that will be on the test so you can study for the exam accordingly. Fortunately, there is a standard NCLEX-RN test plan that is divided into four client needs categories. Each category makes up a certain percentage of the test. The test plan provides a percentage range for each category – this lets students know how many questions from each topic will be on the exam.

1. Safe and Effective Care Environment
   1. Management of Care (15-21%% of the test)
   2. Safety and Infection Control (10-16% of the test)
2. Health Promotion and Maintenance (6-12%% of the test)
3. Psychosocial Integrity (6-12%% of the test)
4. Physiological Integrity
   1. Basic Care and Comfort (6-12%% of the test)
   2. Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies (13-19% of the test)
   3. Reduction of Risk Potential (9-15% of the test)
   4. Physiological Adaptation (11-17% of the test)

Based on this outline, many students spend more time studying the categories that are going to be featured more heavily in the exam. But it is important not to overlook categories that seem smaller. Several wrong questions in the same category will impact your overall score. Students should not attempt to prioritize just a few categories for studying, as they will be less likely to pass. The NCLEX is a measure of how well-rounded a student nurse is in their knowledge of the different types of nursing care and communication.

2. Make A Study Plan

A study plan is simply a calendar that indicates when and what you’ll study. Using the test plan above, students can assign a certain amount of time to each section. Ideally, your total study time is a few hours a day for several weeks. However, how much time you spend on each section ultimately depends on how many weeks you have before your scheduled NCLEX exam. Students should also make an ongoing note of areas of weakness and spend more time studying in these areas. Once you’ve identified an area of weakness, you can revisit notes from school or utilize online resources to review the subject. Then, you can continue to take practice questions in that category until you’ve achieved mastery. By building your own practice exams using our free question bank, you can ensure you’ve mastered any areas of doubt before the exam.

When using the practice questions, it is best to read the rationale on the same day as answering the question incorrectly. The rationale is a short paragraph explaining why the correct answer is the best answer and is included with all our practice questions. Some students take notes from rationales to review later in their studying, capturing only the information that needs to be reviewed.

Closer to the exam date, students should take at least one practice exam that mimics the NCLEX in its variety of content and length. The NCLEX utilizes adaptive testing practices, just like what you’ll find in our computerized adaptive testing, or CAT, practice NCLEX test option. Nursingeducation.org is one of the few sources of adaptive practice tests for NCLEX. Adaptive testing means that your NCLEX will be custom to you. This form of testing allows the computer to tailor the exam to your ability. By doing so, the computer needs fewer total test items to determine if a user has passed. In other words, if a user answers a difficult question correctly, the computer will provide another difficult question. If the difficult question is answered incorrectly, the computer will decrease the difficulty of the next question.

Please note that on your testing day, even if all your questions seem easy or you answer more than the minimum amount, there is no way to know if you have passed or failed until you receive your results. The administrators of the NCLEX may also include test questions that are not scored. Read on to our seventh tip to learn more about strategies for success on the day of your exam.

Practice NCLEX tests can be taken at any time and may be the best method for some students right as they begin studying. Students who are farther along in their studies and missing fewer questions overall may find it the most efficient way to identify and review areas of weakness. Many nurses have shared their NCLEX study plans online as well, or you can design your own plan that motivates you to study early and often.

Focus on Your Area of Weakness

Using feedback from the practice exams and your experiences in the classroom, assess the strength of your knowledge in all areas covered by the NCLEX. If you have identified an area that is weakest, plan to start there and spend dedicated time coming back to that material throughout your preparations. Explore different methods of improving your knowledge in that area. Re-reading lectures and textbooks, exploring online review videos, or focusing on practice questions and (importantly) their rationale, are all ways to improve areas that could bring your NCLEX score down. This process of self-assessment can and should be repeated throughout your months of studying.

3. Familiarize Yourself With Question Types

By knowing the types of questions you are likely to encounter on the NCLEX, you will feel more prepared and relaxed during the test. The types of questions you might encounter on the exam are:

• Multiple Choice – Most of the questions will be presented in a basic multiple-choice format, with a stem and four possible choices. Only one choice is the BEST response.
• Multiple Response – Similar to a multiple-choice item, this type of question requires you to select ALL of the correct responses.
• Charts & Graphs – These types of questions are similar to multiple choice, but you must use the information displayed in the chart or graph to select the correct response.
• Drug Calculation – These items may require you to perform calculations to determine the correct response. Be sure to review drug calculations!
• Ordered Response – In this question, ALL of the responses are correct, but you must arrange them in the appropriate order.
• Graphic Test – This item is similar to a multiple choice question, except that all of the answer choices are pictures, requiring you to select the BEST response.

It’s also important to note other details about NCLEX questions. For example, keywords like first, most, best, immediately, increased, and decreased will be bolded. At this time, the NCLEX names drugs by generic name only (not brand name). Questions that ask a student to calculate the answer will indicate if the answer should be rounded to the nearest whole number or if one or two decimal places should be used.

4. Remember to Use the Nursing Process

Remember that you should use the nursing process– the five core areas of nursing– as you read the questions and determine your best response. The steps of the nursing process will be included in many questions in one form or another. For your review:

• Assess the needs of the patient.
• Develop a nursing diagnosis based on those needs.
• Develop the plan of care with the patient and family.
• Implement the plan of care.
• Evaluate and revise the plan of care based on the evaluation.

5. Utilize Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

While studying for the NCLEX-RN, review Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to help you prioritize the care of the patient in each question. Remember this hierarchy indicates that you should address the most basic needs before you move to any “higher” needs. For example, physiological needs must always be addressed before safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs. As a refresher, the hierarchy is displayed below.

6. Rest the Day Before the NCLEX Exam

Give your mind and body a break by taking the day before the exam off. By this time, you have prepared well enough to ensure the best possibility of success, so you should enjoy a break and celebrate the hard work you’ve put in. By giving yourself a day to rest, including eating healthy meals and getting several hours of quality sleep, you set the tone for taking the examination in a mindful and calm state the following day.

7. Be Early and Stay Calm on the Day of Your NCLEX Exam

When you register for the exam, you will select a testing center in your area. On the day of the test, dress in layers for comfort in case the testing center is too cold or warm. Arrive at the testing center well before your scheduled exam time with your photo identification and entry ticket. Arriving early will allow you to mentally prepare yourself for the exam.

Each computerized exam will be different, but all test takers will be required to answer at least 85 questions. The maximum number of questions on the test is 150. If your test continues beyond 85 questions, it does not mean that you have failed. Remember that computerized testing makes your test unique to you. Students often answer more than 85 questions, and many begin to feel nervous at that point. Stay calm, trust that you are prepared, do not try to predict or understand the adaptive testing, and take it one question at a time.

Remember that you will have a maximum of 5 hours to answer the questions and review your answers. Take your time reading and considering a question. Answer to the best of your ability. Then move on! Dwelling on a question and questioning yourself is not a good test-taking habit. Make an educated guess and move on to the next question, which you will probably know! While it’s unlikely to happen, you could run out of time during the NCLEX.

Five More Quick Tips for Taking the NCLEX

1. Don’t overthink the questions.
   The NCLEX exam is a test of entry-level knowledge necessary to be a nurse. Therefore, it is important not to look for hidden meaning in the questions. The questions will test your basic knowledge or your ability to use critical thinking skills. Read the questions carefully, but don’t overthink them.
2. Look for “trigger” words.
   Pay attention to trigger words that may help you exclude certain responses. A response that has “always” or “never” in the response is probably incorrect. Be careful to look for the word “not” in the question. This should be a clue to you to look for the incorrect answer.
3. Eliminate wrong answers immediately.
   Exclude the responses that you know are wrong. If you can immediately exclude even one of the responses, you are much more likely to get the question correct.
4. Don’t dwell on any single question.
   If you get stuck on a question, allow yourself up to two minutes to think about it, then select an answer. Move on to the next question. No need to spend time agonizing over any single question, when you can prove your knowledge on the next one.
5. Remember to breathe.
   If you feel yourself becoming anxious or overwhelmed, stop and take three to five slow, deep breaths. Visualize a calm image and imagine yourself gently relaxing. Breathing evenly and calmly will oxygenate your blood, help clear your mind, and ease the anxiety.

After Finishing the NCLEX-RN

When you finish the exam, think positively and wait for your passing scores! No results are provided at the test center. You will be notified of your score and grade by your state board of nursing approximately six weeks after you sit for the exam. If you don’t pass the NCLEX on your first attempt, you will also receive a detailed score report to guide your studying for your next attempt.

You’ve made it through nursing school and have maybe even started applying for your first nursing job. Finish strong and put that nursing degree to work by passing the NCLEX. Good luck!

Here are some more helpful articles for new and experienced nurses:

• How to Write Your Nursing Resume
• Preparing for Your RN Interview
• Online Resources for Professional RNs

Click here if you’re looking for our free 2,200 practice questions with options to create your own review sections and to take computerized adaptive practice tests – just like the real NCLEX!