NLN NEX Reading Comprehensive Exam Questions and
Answers with Rationales 2026/2027 Update
Passage 1: The Changing Role of Nurses
Nursing has changed considerably over the past century. Nurses once focused
primarily on carrying out physicians' orders and providing basic bedside care.
Today, nurses perform a much broader range of responsibilities. They educate
patients, coordinate care, interpret clinical information, advocate for patients,
and participate in decisions about treatment. These responsibilities require nurses
to combine scientific knowledge with communication, critical thinking, and ethical
judgment.
Technology has also transformed nursing practice. Electronic health records allow
nurses to access patient information quickly, while monitoring devices can
provide continuous data about vital signs. However, technology does not
eliminate the need for human judgment. A monitor may indicate that a patient's
heart rate has changed, but the nurse must determine whether the change is
clinically significant and what action is appropriate.
The modern nurse therefore serves as both a caregiver and an interpreter of
information. Effective nursing requires not only knowledge of disease and
treatment but also the ability to understand patients' concerns and communicate
information clearly.
Questions 1–10
1. What is the primary purpose of the passage?
A. To argue that technology has made nurses unnecessary
B. To describe how nursing responsibilities have expanded
C. To explain how physicians became nurses
D. To compare hospitals from different countries
Answer: B
Rationale: The passage focuses on the broader responsibilities nurses have today
and how technology has influenced their work.
,2. According to the passage, modern nurses are expected to:
A. Avoid making independent judgments
B. Focus only on physical care
C. Coordinate care and educate patients
D. Replace all physicians
Answer: C
Rationale: The passage specifically identifies patient education and care
coordination as modern nursing responsibilities.
3. What does the author suggest about technology?
A. It eliminates clinical judgment.
B. It is unrelated to nursing.
C. It provides useful information but does not replace judgment.
D. It makes communication unnecessary.
Answer: C
Rationale: The author explains that technology provides data, but nurses must
interpret its significance.
4. In context, "advocate" most nearly means:
A. Speak or act in support of
B. Diagnose independently
C. Supervise financially
D. Avoid responsibility
Answer: A
Rationale: A nurse advocates by supporting and protecting a patient's interests.
5. Which skill is NOT specifically identified as important for modern nursing?
A. Communication
B. Critical thinking
C. Ethical judgment
D. Mechanical engineering
,Answer: D
Rationale: The passage mentions communication, critical thinking, and ethical
judgment but not mechanical engineering.
6. Why does the author mention a heart monitor?
A. To demonstrate that monitors are unreliable
B. To illustrate the difference between data and clinical judgment
C. To show that nurses should ignore technology
D. To explain how heart monitors are manufactured
Answer: B
Rationale: The example demonstrates that receiving information is different from
interpreting and acting on it.
7. What can be inferred about nursing education?
A. It must prepare nurses to interpret information.
B. It should focus only on memorization.
C. It no longer requires scientific knowledge.
D. It is primarily technical training.
Answer: A
Rationale: The passage emphasizes scientific knowledge combined with judgment
and communication.
8. The tone of the passage is primarily:
A. Humorous
B. Informative
C. Hostile
D. Sarcastic
Answer: B
Rationale: The author presents factual information in a neutral, explanatory
manner.
, 9. Which statement best summarizes the final paragraph?
A. Nurses should avoid technology.
B. Nursing requires both clinical knowledge and communication skills.
C. Patients should interpret medical information themselves.
D. Nurses primarily serve as caregivers.
Answer: B
Rationale: The final paragraph emphasizes the combination of knowledge,
interpretation, and communication.
10. Which statement is supported by the passage?
A. Technology has completely replaced bedside care.
B. Nurses have fewer responsibilities than in the past.
C. Technology can provide information that requires professional interpretation.
D. Communication is less important because of electronic records.
Answer: C
Rationale: This is directly supported by the discussion of electronic records and
monitoring devices.
Passage 2: Sleep and Learning
Sleep is often considered a period of inactivity, but the brain remains highly active
during sleep. Researchers have found that sleep contributes to memory
consolidation, the process by which newly learned information becomes more
stable and easier to retrieve later. This may explain why students who regularly
obtain adequate sleep often perform better than students who routinely sacrifice
sleep to study for long periods.
Sleep deprivation can affect attention, reaction time, and decision-making. A tired
person may believe that he or she is functioning normally while actually making
more errors. For this reason, studying late into the night may produce less benefit
than expected if fatigue reduces the student's ability to concentrate.
Answers with Rationales 2026/2027 Update
Passage 1: The Changing Role of Nurses
Nursing has changed considerably over the past century. Nurses once focused
primarily on carrying out physicians' orders and providing basic bedside care.
Today, nurses perform a much broader range of responsibilities. They educate
patients, coordinate care, interpret clinical information, advocate for patients,
and participate in decisions about treatment. These responsibilities require nurses
to combine scientific knowledge with communication, critical thinking, and ethical
judgment.
Technology has also transformed nursing practice. Electronic health records allow
nurses to access patient information quickly, while monitoring devices can
provide continuous data about vital signs. However, technology does not
eliminate the need for human judgment. A monitor may indicate that a patient's
heart rate has changed, but the nurse must determine whether the change is
clinically significant and what action is appropriate.
The modern nurse therefore serves as both a caregiver and an interpreter of
information. Effective nursing requires not only knowledge of disease and
treatment but also the ability to understand patients' concerns and communicate
information clearly.
Questions 1–10
1. What is the primary purpose of the passage?
A. To argue that technology has made nurses unnecessary
B. To describe how nursing responsibilities have expanded
C. To explain how physicians became nurses
D. To compare hospitals from different countries
Answer: B
Rationale: The passage focuses on the broader responsibilities nurses have today
and how technology has influenced their work.
,2. According to the passage, modern nurses are expected to:
A. Avoid making independent judgments
B. Focus only on physical care
C. Coordinate care and educate patients
D. Replace all physicians
Answer: C
Rationale: The passage specifically identifies patient education and care
coordination as modern nursing responsibilities.
3. What does the author suggest about technology?
A. It eliminates clinical judgment.
B. It is unrelated to nursing.
C. It provides useful information but does not replace judgment.
D. It makes communication unnecessary.
Answer: C
Rationale: The author explains that technology provides data, but nurses must
interpret its significance.
4. In context, "advocate" most nearly means:
A. Speak or act in support of
B. Diagnose independently
C. Supervise financially
D. Avoid responsibility
Answer: A
Rationale: A nurse advocates by supporting and protecting a patient's interests.
5. Which skill is NOT specifically identified as important for modern nursing?
A. Communication
B. Critical thinking
C. Ethical judgment
D. Mechanical engineering
,Answer: D
Rationale: The passage mentions communication, critical thinking, and ethical
judgment but not mechanical engineering.
6. Why does the author mention a heart monitor?
A. To demonstrate that monitors are unreliable
B. To illustrate the difference between data and clinical judgment
C. To show that nurses should ignore technology
D. To explain how heart monitors are manufactured
Answer: B
Rationale: The example demonstrates that receiving information is different from
interpreting and acting on it.
7. What can be inferred about nursing education?
A. It must prepare nurses to interpret information.
B. It should focus only on memorization.
C. It no longer requires scientific knowledge.
D. It is primarily technical training.
Answer: A
Rationale: The passage emphasizes scientific knowledge combined with judgment
and communication.
8. The tone of the passage is primarily:
A. Humorous
B. Informative
C. Hostile
D. Sarcastic
Answer: B
Rationale: The author presents factual information in a neutral, explanatory
manner.
, 9. Which statement best summarizes the final paragraph?
A. Nurses should avoid technology.
B. Nursing requires both clinical knowledge and communication skills.
C. Patients should interpret medical information themselves.
D. Nurses primarily serve as caregivers.
Answer: B
Rationale: The final paragraph emphasizes the combination of knowledge,
interpretation, and communication.
10. Which statement is supported by the passage?
A. Technology has completely replaced bedside care.
B. Nurses have fewer responsibilities than in the past.
C. Technology can provide information that requires professional interpretation.
D. Communication is less important because of electronic records.
Answer: C
Rationale: This is directly supported by the discussion of electronic records and
monitoring devices.
Passage 2: Sleep and Learning
Sleep is often considered a period of inactivity, but the brain remains highly active
during sleep. Researchers have found that sleep contributes to memory
consolidation, the process by which newly learned information becomes more
stable and easier to retrieve later. This may explain why students who regularly
obtain adequate sleep often perform better than students who routinely sacrifice
sleep to study for long periods.
Sleep deprivation can affect attention, reaction time, and decision-making. A tired
person may believe that he or she is functioning normally while actually making
more errors. For this reason, studying late into the night may produce less benefit
than expected if fatigue reduces the student's ability to concentrate.
