PNLE Exam 2026/2027 Questions and Correct
Answers
with Rationale Graded A+
Comprehensive Assessment
Year: 2026–2027 | Total Questions: 150 | 100% VERIFIED
Introduction
The Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE), administered by the Board of
Nursing under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), is the comprehensive
national assessment required for nursing licensure in the Philippines. This question bank
covers all key domains of the official PNLE blueprint: (1) Nursing Foundations,
encompassing nursing theories, the nursing process, vital signs assessment, documentation,
physical examination, therapeutic communication, and fundamental nursing skills; (2)
Maternal and Child Health Nursing, addressing prenatal care, labor and delivery,
postpartum management, newborn assessment, high-risk pregnancy, and pediatric
conditions; (3) Community Health Nursing and Epidemiology, covering primary healthcare,
the Philippine immunization program, disease surveillance, environmental sanitation,
family nursing, and relevant Philippine health legislation; (4) Medical-Surgical Nursing and
Pathophysiology, addressing cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, neurological,
gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal conditions with their clinical management; (5)
Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, covering therapeutic relationships,
psychopharmacology, crisis intervention, defense mechanisms, and major psychiatric
disorders; (6) Pharmacology and Therapeutics, addressing drug classifications, mechanisms
of action, adverse effects, therapeutic monitoring, and safe medication administration; and
(7) Philippine Nursing Law and Professional Ethics, encompassing Republic Act 9173, the
PRC and Board of Nursing, the Code of Ethics for Filipino Nurses, patients' rights, informed
consent, confidentiality, professional negligence, and professional accountability. Each of
the 150 questions is mapped to a distinct sub-topic within the PNLE domain blueprint,
ensuring thorough, non-overlapping coverage. Mastery of these domains demonstrates
professional readiness for competent, ethical, and evidence-based clinical nursing execution
across Philippine healthcare settings.
Question 1: According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which level must be met
FIRST before addressing higher-level needs?
A. Physiological needs such as oxygen, food, water, and shelter
, B. Love and belonging needs
C. Self-esteem needs
D. Self-actualization needs
Correct Answer: A. Physiological needs such as oxygen, food, water, and shelter
Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs at the base. Self-esteem (A),
belonging (C), and self-actualization (D) are higher-level needs that cannot be effectively
addressed until basic survival needs are met.
Question 2: The nursing process consists of five sequential steps. Which is the CORRECT
order?
A. Evaluation, Assessment, Planning, Diagnosis, Implementation
B. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
C. Planning, Assessment, Implementation, Diagnosis, Evaluation
D. Diagnosis, Assessment, Evaluation, Implementation, Planning
Correct Answer: B. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
Rationale: ADPIE is the standard nursing process sequence. All other options present the
steps in an incorrect order, which would compromise systematic patient care delivery.
Question 3: Florence Nightingale's Environmental Theory emphasizes that nursing care
should focus on:
A. Surgical technique and operative skill
B. Modifying the patient's environment — including ventilation, light, cleanliness,
and nutrition — to promote healing
C. Performing laboratory diagnostic tests
D. Prescribing medications independently
Correct Answer: B. Modifying the patient's environment — including ventilation,
light, cleanliness, and nutrition — to promote healing
Rationale: Nightingale identified environmental factors as central to recovery. Surgery (A)
and prescribing (C) are medical functions. Laboratory tests (D) are diagnostic functions
outside her theory's scope.
,Question 4: Which vital sign finding in an adult patient requires IMMEDIATE nursing
intervention?
A. Respiratory rate of 6 breaths per minute
B. Blood pressure of 118/76 mmHg
C. Temperature of 36.8°C (98.2°F)
D. Pulse rate of 72 beats per minute
Correct Answer: A. Respiratory rate of 6 breaths per minute
Rationale: A respiratory rate of 6 is critically low (bradypnea), indicating potential
respiratory failure. BP of 118/76 (A), pulse of 72 (C), and temperature of 36.8°C (D) are all
within normal limits.
Question 5: The PRIMARY purpose of a nursing diagnosis is to:
A. Order diagnostic laboratory tests
B. Identify actual or potential health problems that nurses can independently
manage through nursing interventions
C. Prescribe medical treatments for identified diseases
D. Determine the patient's insurance eligibility
Correct Answer: B. Identify actual or potential health problems that nurses can
independently manage through nursing interventions
Rationale: Nursing diagnoses guide independent nursing interventions. Prescribing
treatments (A) and ordering labs (C) are physician functions. Insurance eligibility (D) is an
administrative matter.
Question 6: Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory identifies the nurse's role as:
A. Providing complete care for all patients regardless of their ability to perform self-
care
B. Assisting patients only when they have a deficit in their ability to perform self-
care activities
C. Eliminating all patient participation in their own care
, D. Focusing exclusively on the patient's spiritual needs
Correct Answer: B. Assisting patients only when they have a deficit in their ability to
perform self-care activities
Rationale: Orem's theory activates nursing when patients cannot meet their own self-care
needs. Complete care regardless of ability (A) contradicts the theory. Eliminating
participation (C) opposes self-care promotion. Spiritual-only focus (D) is too narrow.
Question 7: When performing a head-to-toe physical assessment, the nurse uses
inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. For the abdominal assessment, the
correct sequence is:
A. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C. Palpation, percussion, auscultation, inspection
D. Percussion, palpation, inspection, auscultation
Correct Answer: B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Rationale: Abdominal assessment uniquely places auscultation before palpation and
percussion to avoid altering bowel sounds. All other sequences (A, C, D) risk stimulating
peristalsis before bowel sounds are assessed.
Question 8: The nurse is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection to an adult
patient. The PREFERRED site for large-volume IM injections is the:
A. Vastus lateralis in adults
B. Deltoid muscle
C. Ventrogluteal site
D. Dorsogluteal site
Correct Answer: C. Ventrogluteal site
Rationale: The ventrogluteal site is preferred for adults due to thick musculature, absence
of major nerves/vessels, and reliable landmarks. Deltoid (A) is for small volumes. Vastus
lateralis (C) is preferred in infants. Dorsogluteal (D) risks sciatic nerve injury.
Answers
with Rationale Graded A+
Comprehensive Assessment
Year: 2026–2027 | Total Questions: 150 | 100% VERIFIED
Introduction
The Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE), administered by the Board of
Nursing under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), is the comprehensive
national assessment required for nursing licensure in the Philippines. This question bank
covers all key domains of the official PNLE blueprint: (1) Nursing Foundations,
encompassing nursing theories, the nursing process, vital signs assessment, documentation,
physical examination, therapeutic communication, and fundamental nursing skills; (2)
Maternal and Child Health Nursing, addressing prenatal care, labor and delivery,
postpartum management, newborn assessment, high-risk pregnancy, and pediatric
conditions; (3) Community Health Nursing and Epidemiology, covering primary healthcare,
the Philippine immunization program, disease surveillance, environmental sanitation,
family nursing, and relevant Philippine health legislation; (4) Medical-Surgical Nursing and
Pathophysiology, addressing cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, neurological,
gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal conditions with their clinical management; (5)
Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, covering therapeutic relationships,
psychopharmacology, crisis intervention, defense mechanisms, and major psychiatric
disorders; (6) Pharmacology and Therapeutics, addressing drug classifications, mechanisms
of action, adverse effects, therapeutic monitoring, and safe medication administration; and
(7) Philippine Nursing Law and Professional Ethics, encompassing Republic Act 9173, the
PRC and Board of Nursing, the Code of Ethics for Filipino Nurses, patients' rights, informed
consent, confidentiality, professional negligence, and professional accountability. Each of
the 150 questions is mapped to a distinct sub-topic within the PNLE domain blueprint,
ensuring thorough, non-overlapping coverage. Mastery of these domains demonstrates
professional readiness for competent, ethical, and evidence-based clinical nursing execution
across Philippine healthcare settings.
Question 1: According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which level must be met
FIRST before addressing higher-level needs?
A. Physiological needs such as oxygen, food, water, and shelter
, B. Love and belonging needs
C. Self-esteem needs
D. Self-actualization needs
Correct Answer: A. Physiological needs such as oxygen, food, water, and shelter
Rationale: Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs at the base. Self-esteem (A),
belonging (C), and self-actualization (D) are higher-level needs that cannot be effectively
addressed until basic survival needs are met.
Question 2: The nursing process consists of five sequential steps. Which is the CORRECT
order?
A. Evaluation, Assessment, Planning, Diagnosis, Implementation
B. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
C. Planning, Assessment, Implementation, Diagnosis, Evaluation
D. Diagnosis, Assessment, Evaluation, Implementation, Planning
Correct Answer: B. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation
Rationale: ADPIE is the standard nursing process sequence. All other options present the
steps in an incorrect order, which would compromise systematic patient care delivery.
Question 3: Florence Nightingale's Environmental Theory emphasizes that nursing care
should focus on:
A. Surgical technique and operative skill
B. Modifying the patient's environment — including ventilation, light, cleanliness,
and nutrition — to promote healing
C. Performing laboratory diagnostic tests
D. Prescribing medications independently
Correct Answer: B. Modifying the patient's environment — including ventilation,
light, cleanliness, and nutrition — to promote healing
Rationale: Nightingale identified environmental factors as central to recovery. Surgery (A)
and prescribing (C) are medical functions. Laboratory tests (D) are diagnostic functions
outside her theory's scope.
,Question 4: Which vital sign finding in an adult patient requires IMMEDIATE nursing
intervention?
A. Respiratory rate of 6 breaths per minute
B. Blood pressure of 118/76 mmHg
C. Temperature of 36.8°C (98.2°F)
D. Pulse rate of 72 beats per minute
Correct Answer: A. Respiratory rate of 6 breaths per minute
Rationale: A respiratory rate of 6 is critically low (bradypnea), indicating potential
respiratory failure. BP of 118/76 (A), pulse of 72 (C), and temperature of 36.8°C (D) are all
within normal limits.
Question 5: The PRIMARY purpose of a nursing diagnosis is to:
A. Order diagnostic laboratory tests
B. Identify actual or potential health problems that nurses can independently
manage through nursing interventions
C. Prescribe medical treatments for identified diseases
D. Determine the patient's insurance eligibility
Correct Answer: B. Identify actual or potential health problems that nurses can
independently manage through nursing interventions
Rationale: Nursing diagnoses guide independent nursing interventions. Prescribing
treatments (A) and ordering labs (C) are physician functions. Insurance eligibility (D) is an
administrative matter.
Question 6: Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory identifies the nurse's role as:
A. Providing complete care for all patients regardless of their ability to perform self-
care
B. Assisting patients only when they have a deficit in their ability to perform self-
care activities
C. Eliminating all patient participation in their own care
, D. Focusing exclusively on the patient's spiritual needs
Correct Answer: B. Assisting patients only when they have a deficit in their ability to
perform self-care activities
Rationale: Orem's theory activates nursing when patients cannot meet their own self-care
needs. Complete care regardless of ability (A) contradicts the theory. Eliminating
participation (C) opposes self-care promotion. Spiritual-only focus (D) is too narrow.
Question 7: When performing a head-to-toe physical assessment, the nurse uses
inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. For the abdominal assessment, the
correct sequence is:
A. Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
C. Palpation, percussion, auscultation, inspection
D. Percussion, palpation, inspection, auscultation
Correct Answer: B. Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Rationale: Abdominal assessment uniquely places auscultation before palpation and
percussion to avoid altering bowel sounds. All other sequences (A, C, D) risk stimulating
peristalsis before bowel sounds are assessed.
Question 8: The nurse is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection to an adult
patient. The PREFERRED site for large-volume IM injections is the:
A. Vastus lateralis in adults
B. Deltoid muscle
C. Ventrogluteal site
D. Dorsogluteal site
Correct Answer: C. Ventrogluteal site
Rationale: The ventrogluteal site is preferred for adults due to thick musculature, absence
of major nerves/vessels, and reliable landmarks. Deltoid (A) is for small volumes. Vastus
lateralis (C) is preferred in infants. Dorsogluteal (D) risks sciatic nerve injury.
