All NCLEX articles
NGN Question Types With Examples
Every Next Generation NCLEX item type, worked through with an example: bow-tie, matrix, SATA, cloze, highlight, drag-and-drop, trend, and the unfolding case study, plus a table of what each tests and how it scores.
Test BasicsIs the NCLEX Hard?
The NCLEX is challenging but very passable: most first-time US-educated nurses pass. Here is an honest look at the pass rates, what actually makes the exam hard, and how to make it easier.
Test LogisticsWhat It Means to Stop at 85 Questions on the NCLEX
Stopping at 85 questions can mean a pass or a fail. Here is why the minimum-length test does not reveal your result, what the 95 percent confidence rule actually shows, and what to do after.
ScoresWhat Is a Passing NCLEX Score?
The NCLEX is pass or fail with no numeric score. Here is how the computerized adaptive test decides, what the 95 percent confidence rule means, and why there is no number to chase.
Study StrategyHow to Study for the NCLEX: A 30-Day Study Plan
A concrete 30-day NCLEX study plan, week by week and day by day, pairing targeted content review with high-volume questions, NGN item practice, and rationale review that builds clinical judgment.
Test BasicsWhat Is the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)?
The Next Generation NCLEX launched in April 2023 with new item types and a focus on clinical judgment. Here are the case studies, bowtie, matrix, and other formats, plus the six-step model behind them.
Test LogisticsHow Many Questions Is the NCLEX?
The NCLEX is a variable-length adaptive test ranging from about 85 to 150 items for both RN and PN, with a maximum testing time near five hours. Here is what controls the length and the three ways it ends.
Section StrategyHow to Answer NCLEX Priority Questions
Priority and select-all-that-apply questions trip up well-prepared nurses. Here are the frameworks (ABCs, Maslow, the nursing process, and safety) and how to read first, most important, and priority stems.