NURSING ENTRANCE EXAM
NLN NEX Exam and Practice Exam
A+
2026/2027
National League for Nursing Nursing Entrance Exam — Comprehensive Practice Assessment
A+ 5 100%
QUESTIONS VERIFIED EXAM DOMAINS COVERED RATIONALES INCLUDED
CATEGORIES
■ 1. Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability
■ 2. Mathematics and Numerical Reasoning
■ 3. Human Anatomy and Physiology
■ 4. Biology and Life Sciences
■ 5. Chemistry and Physical Sciences
STUVIAACTUALEXAM
Aligned to NLN Nursing Entrance Exam content domains • Original Practice Content
, SECTION: READING COMPREHENSION AND VERBAL ABILITY
Q1. A nursing student reads a passage stating that hand hygiene is the single most effective method to prevent the spread of infection in
healthcare settings. Based on this information, the student can correctly conclude that:
A. Wearing gloves makes hand washing unnecessary
B. Hand hygiene remains essential even when gloves are used
C. Only soap and water are effective for hand hygiene
D. Infection rates are unrelated to hand hygiene practices
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The passage emphasizes hand hygiene as the most effective prevention method. Standard infection-control knowledge confirms that gloves do
not replace hand hygiene; both are required.
Q2. In the sentence “The patient’s condition was precarious after surgery,” the word precarious most nearly means:
A. Dangerous or uncertain
B. Stable and improving
C. Completely resolved
D. Mildly uncomfortable
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Precarious means insecure, unstable, or involving risk. In a clinical context it signals that the patient’s status is fragile and requires close
monitoring.
Q3. A paragraph describes a study in which patients who received early ambulation after surgery had shorter hospital stays than those who
remained on bed rest. The main idea of the paragraph is that:
A. Bed rest is always the safest postoperative option
B. Surgery itself causes longer hospitalizations
C. Ambulation has no effect on recovery time
D. Early ambulation is associated with shorter hospital stays
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The central finding presented is the comparison of length of stay between early-ambulation and bed-rest groups, supporting the benefit of early
mobility.
Q4. The term “benign” when used to describe a tumor most accurately means:
A. Cancerous and spreading
B. Immediately life-threatening
C. Non-cancerous and not invasive
D. Of unknown origin
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Benign tumors are non-malignant; they do not invade surrounding tissue or metastasize, in contrast to malignant tumors.
Q5. A passage states that dehydration can lead to confusion in older adults. A logical inference from this statement is that:
A. Assessing hydration status is important when evaluating mental status changes
B. Confusion in older adults is never related to fluid status
C. Only young adults become confused from dehydration
D. Confusion always indicates a primary brain disorder
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: If dehydration can cause confusion, then evaluating fluid balance is a relevant part of the differential assessment of mental-status changes in the
elderly.
Q6. In the phrase “the medication was administered prophylactically,” the word prophylactically means:
A. After symptoms appeared
B. To prevent disease or complications
C. Only for pain relief
D. In emergency doses only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Prophylactic means preventive. Medications given prophylactically are intended to prevent infection or other complications before they occur.
NLN NEX Exam and Practice Exam 2026/2027 | Page 2
, Q7. A reading passage explains that the nurse must verify the patient’s identity using two identifiers before administering medication. The
primary purpose of this practice is to:
A. Speed up the medication administration process
B. Eliminate the need for documentation
C. Allow family members to give medications
D. Prevent medication errors related to wrong-patient events
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Two-identifier verification is a core patient-safety practice designed specifically to reduce the risk of administering medication to the wrong person.
Q8. The word “acute” in the medical phrase “acute pain” most nearly means:
A. Sudden in onset and often severe
B. Long-lasting and chronic
C. Mild and easily ignored
D. Related only to mental health
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Acute refers to a condition that has a rapid onset and is typically of short duration, often intense; it contrasts with chronic.
Q9. A paragraph notes that patients with limited health literacy may have difficulty understanding discharge instructions. An appropriate
nursing action implied by this information is to:
A. Use plain language, teach-back methods, and visual aids
B. Provide only written materials in complex medical language
C. Assume all patients can read at a college level
D. Avoid giving any discharge information
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Recognizing limited health literacy leads to strategies such as plain language, teach-back, and visual supports to ensure understanding.
Q10. The term “contraindication” refers to:
A. A reason to give a medication or treatment
B. The usual dose of a drug
C. A condition or factor that makes a treatment inadvisable
D. A side effect that is always mild
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A contraindication is a specific situation in which a drug, procedure, or treatment should not be used because it may be harmful.
Q11. A passage describes a nurse who notices a change in a patient’s respiratory rate and immediately notifies the provider. This action
best demonstrates:
A. Ignoring subtle clinical changes
B. Waiting until the end of the shift to report findings
C. Delegating assessment entirely to another staff member
D. Timely recognition and communication of a potential problem
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Prompt recognition of a change and timely communication are essential components of safe nursing practice and early intervention.
Q12. In the sentence “The laboratory results were inconclusive,” the word inconclusive means:
A. Clearly diagnostic of disease
B. Completely normal
C. Falsified by the laboratory
D. Not definitive or decisive
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Inconclusive means the results do not allow a firm conclusion; further testing or clinical correlation is usually needed.
NLN NEX Exam and Practice Exam 2026/2027 | Page 3
NLN NEX Exam and Practice Exam
A+
2026/2027
National League for Nursing Nursing Entrance Exam — Comprehensive Practice Assessment
A+ 5 100%
QUESTIONS VERIFIED EXAM DOMAINS COVERED RATIONALES INCLUDED
CATEGORIES
■ 1. Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability
■ 2. Mathematics and Numerical Reasoning
■ 3. Human Anatomy and Physiology
■ 4. Biology and Life Sciences
■ 5. Chemistry and Physical Sciences
STUVIAACTUALEXAM
Aligned to NLN Nursing Entrance Exam content domains • Original Practice Content
, SECTION: READING COMPREHENSION AND VERBAL ABILITY
Q1. A nursing student reads a passage stating that hand hygiene is the single most effective method to prevent the spread of infection in
healthcare settings. Based on this information, the student can correctly conclude that:
A. Wearing gloves makes hand washing unnecessary
B. Hand hygiene remains essential even when gloves are used
C. Only soap and water are effective for hand hygiene
D. Infection rates are unrelated to hand hygiene practices
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The passage emphasizes hand hygiene as the most effective prevention method. Standard infection-control knowledge confirms that gloves do
not replace hand hygiene; both are required.
Q2. In the sentence “The patient’s condition was precarious after surgery,” the word precarious most nearly means:
A. Dangerous or uncertain
B. Stable and improving
C. Completely resolved
D. Mildly uncomfortable
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Precarious means insecure, unstable, or involving risk. In a clinical context it signals that the patient’s status is fragile and requires close
monitoring.
Q3. A paragraph describes a study in which patients who received early ambulation after surgery had shorter hospital stays than those who
remained on bed rest. The main idea of the paragraph is that:
A. Bed rest is always the safest postoperative option
B. Surgery itself causes longer hospitalizations
C. Ambulation has no effect on recovery time
D. Early ambulation is associated with shorter hospital stays
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The central finding presented is the comparison of length of stay between early-ambulation and bed-rest groups, supporting the benefit of early
mobility.
Q4. The term “benign” when used to describe a tumor most accurately means:
A. Cancerous and spreading
B. Immediately life-threatening
C. Non-cancerous and not invasive
D. Of unknown origin
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Benign tumors are non-malignant; they do not invade surrounding tissue or metastasize, in contrast to malignant tumors.
Q5. A passage states that dehydration can lead to confusion in older adults. A logical inference from this statement is that:
A. Assessing hydration status is important when evaluating mental status changes
B. Confusion in older adults is never related to fluid status
C. Only young adults become confused from dehydration
D. Confusion always indicates a primary brain disorder
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: If dehydration can cause confusion, then evaluating fluid balance is a relevant part of the differential assessment of mental-status changes in the
elderly.
Q6. In the phrase “the medication was administered prophylactically,” the word prophylactically means:
A. After symptoms appeared
B. To prevent disease or complications
C. Only for pain relief
D. In emergency doses only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Prophylactic means preventive. Medications given prophylactically are intended to prevent infection or other complications before they occur.
NLN NEX Exam and Practice Exam 2026/2027 | Page 2
, Q7. A reading passage explains that the nurse must verify the patient’s identity using two identifiers before administering medication. The
primary purpose of this practice is to:
A. Speed up the medication administration process
B. Eliminate the need for documentation
C. Allow family members to give medications
D. Prevent medication errors related to wrong-patient events
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Two-identifier verification is a core patient-safety practice designed specifically to reduce the risk of administering medication to the wrong person.
Q8. The word “acute” in the medical phrase “acute pain” most nearly means:
A. Sudden in onset and often severe
B. Long-lasting and chronic
C. Mild and easily ignored
D. Related only to mental health
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Acute refers to a condition that has a rapid onset and is typically of short duration, often intense; it contrasts with chronic.
Q9. A paragraph notes that patients with limited health literacy may have difficulty understanding discharge instructions. An appropriate
nursing action implied by this information is to:
A. Use plain language, teach-back methods, and visual aids
B. Provide only written materials in complex medical language
C. Assume all patients can read at a college level
D. Avoid giving any discharge information
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Recognizing limited health literacy leads to strategies such as plain language, teach-back, and visual supports to ensure understanding.
Q10. The term “contraindication” refers to:
A. A reason to give a medication or treatment
B. The usual dose of a drug
C. A condition or factor that makes a treatment inadvisable
D. A side effect that is always mild
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A contraindication is a specific situation in which a drug, procedure, or treatment should not be used because it may be harmful.
Q11. A passage describes a nurse who notices a change in a patient’s respiratory rate and immediately notifies the provider. This action
best demonstrates:
A. Ignoring subtle clinical changes
B. Waiting until the end of the shift to report findings
C. Delegating assessment entirely to another staff member
D. Timely recognition and communication of a potential problem
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Prompt recognition of a change and timely communication are essential components of safe nursing practice and early intervention.
Q12. In the sentence “The laboratory results were inconclusive,” the word inconclusive means:
A. Clearly diagnostic of disease
B. Completely normal
C. Falsified by the laboratory
D. Not definitive or decisive
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Inconclusive means the results do not allow a firm conclusion; further testing or clinical correlation is usually needed.
NLN NEX Exam and Practice Exam 2026/2027 | Page 3
