Chapter 5: NCLEX-RN Examina on & New Graduate –
Complete Study Guide 2026-2027, Prac ce Ques ons &
Detailed Ra onales
1. The graduate nurse understands the purpose of the NCLEX-RN exam when sta ng which of
the following?
a. "The exam provides feedback to the candidate regarding areas of weakness in nursing
prac ce."
b. "The exam determines the candidate's ability or inability to meet minimum standards for safe
prac ce."
c. "The exam gives employers an opportunity to hire graduates who have scored highest among
first- me licensure candidates."
d. "The exam prepares new graduates as efficient, effec ve staff nurses." - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: B
The purpose of the NCLEX-RN® Exam is to determine whether a candidate is competent to
perform safe, effec ve, entry-level nursing care. It does not prepare nurses but rather measures
their performance on a test. Candidates who are unsuccessful receive informa on about their
weak areas on the test, but this is not the purpose of it. Employers want to know if the person
has passed because there is no specific score given other than pass or fail
2. Which statement by the nursing professor is accurate about the NCLEX-RN exam? The
purpose of the NCLEX-RN® test plan is to ensure that all
a. "test takers answer items of comparable difficulty."
b. "test takers answer approximately the same number of items."
c. "test items are job related."
d. "clinical special es will be equally represented." - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: C
, The content of the NCLEX® Exam is based on a test plan that is determined by the Na onal
Council. The test plan reflects entry-level nursing prac ce as iden fied by research and the job
analysis study of newly licensed registered nurses. Each candidate will receive different levels of
ques ons in a computer adap ve format. The focus of the exam is not on clinical special es.
The test has a minimum of 75 ques ons and a maximum of 265 ques ons, so a test taker can
answer any number of ques ons between these two numbers un l they either reaches a
passing standard or fails.
3. In trends class, a student tells the instructor, "I don't think I can possibly pass the NCLEX-RN. I
hated psych nursing, but now I've heard that a huge amount of the NCLEX is psych related."
What is the best response from the instructor?
a. "Perhaps you should consider retaking the psychiatric nursing course."
b. "There are equal numbers of ques ons related to each aspect of client needs."
c. "Psychosocial integrity is the basis for 6% to 12% of the examina on."
d. "You will need to take a review course in which they teach psychiatric nursing principles." -
CORRECT ANSWER ANS: C
The last detailed test plan (2013) from the Na onal Council designated from 6% to 12% of the
total ques ons to be from the area of psychosocial integrity. The student may not be able to
retake nursing courses or a review course. Sta ng that content area has the same amount of
ques ons would be inaccurate. Each of the categories of client needs has a different
percentage, so ques ons are based on that percentage from the detailed test plan, not on equal
numbers from each area. Students o en hear incorrect informa on and rumors about NCLEX.
4. Which statement indicates the graduate nurses understanding of the process at the NCLEX
tes ng site?
a. "I will be thumb-printed and photographed."
b. "I will be placed in a locked tes ng cubicle."
c. "I will answer 300 test ques ons."
d. "I will be given some ques ons as a paper-and-pencil test." - CORRECT ANSWER ANS:
A
Complete Study Guide 2026-2027, Prac ce Ques ons &
Detailed Ra onales
1. The graduate nurse understands the purpose of the NCLEX-RN exam when sta ng which of
the following?
a. "The exam provides feedback to the candidate regarding areas of weakness in nursing
prac ce."
b. "The exam determines the candidate's ability or inability to meet minimum standards for safe
prac ce."
c. "The exam gives employers an opportunity to hire graduates who have scored highest among
first- me licensure candidates."
d. "The exam prepares new graduates as efficient, effec ve staff nurses." - CORRECT
ANSWER ANS: B
The purpose of the NCLEX-RN® Exam is to determine whether a candidate is competent to
perform safe, effec ve, entry-level nursing care. It does not prepare nurses but rather measures
their performance on a test. Candidates who are unsuccessful receive informa on about their
weak areas on the test, but this is not the purpose of it. Employers want to know if the person
has passed because there is no specific score given other than pass or fail
2. Which statement by the nursing professor is accurate about the NCLEX-RN exam? The
purpose of the NCLEX-RN® test plan is to ensure that all
a. "test takers answer items of comparable difficulty."
b. "test takers answer approximately the same number of items."
c. "test items are job related."
d. "clinical special es will be equally represented." - CORRECT ANSWER ANS: C
, The content of the NCLEX® Exam is based on a test plan that is determined by the Na onal
Council. The test plan reflects entry-level nursing prac ce as iden fied by research and the job
analysis study of newly licensed registered nurses. Each candidate will receive different levels of
ques ons in a computer adap ve format. The focus of the exam is not on clinical special es.
The test has a minimum of 75 ques ons and a maximum of 265 ques ons, so a test taker can
answer any number of ques ons between these two numbers un l they either reaches a
passing standard or fails.
3. In trends class, a student tells the instructor, "I don't think I can possibly pass the NCLEX-RN. I
hated psych nursing, but now I've heard that a huge amount of the NCLEX is psych related."
What is the best response from the instructor?
a. "Perhaps you should consider retaking the psychiatric nursing course."
b. "There are equal numbers of ques ons related to each aspect of client needs."
c. "Psychosocial integrity is the basis for 6% to 12% of the examina on."
d. "You will need to take a review course in which they teach psychiatric nursing principles." -
CORRECT ANSWER ANS: C
The last detailed test plan (2013) from the Na onal Council designated from 6% to 12% of the
total ques ons to be from the area of psychosocial integrity. The student may not be able to
retake nursing courses or a review course. Sta ng that content area has the same amount of
ques ons would be inaccurate. Each of the categories of client needs has a different
percentage, so ques ons are based on that percentage from the detailed test plan, not on equal
numbers from each area. Students o en hear incorrect informa on and rumors about NCLEX.
4. Which statement indicates the graduate nurses understanding of the process at the NCLEX
tes ng site?
a. "I will be thumb-printed and photographed."
b. "I will be placed in a locked tes ng cubicle."
c. "I will answer 300 test ques ons."
d. "I will be given some ques ons as a paper-and-pencil test." - CORRECT ANSWER ANS:
A
