NCLEX
HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES
Concise • Comprehensive • Exam-Focused • Rapid Revision
THE CORE LENS
Think safety first: identify the abnormality, connect the pattern, choose the safest nursing action, then lock in the key
number.
What these notes do
• Turn long explanations into scan-friendly concepts, tables, rules, patterns, and decision steps.
• Keep the high-yield numbers, medication patterns, emergency cues, and prioritization rules together.
• Use visual memory anchors so related facts are learned as connected systems, not isolated lists.
FAST PATH
Understand → identify the abnormality → connect the pattern → choose the safest action → revise the key number.
Major areas covered
Labs • ABGs • infection control • PPE • mobility • restraints • medication administration • diabetes • OB/maternity • fetal
monitoring • psychiatric nursing • pediatrics • pharmacology • antimicrobials • blood therapy • IV fluids • burns • EKGs •
chest tubes • tracheostomy • addiction • prioritization • delegation • test-taking strategy
NCLEX • HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES 1
, CORE NUMBERS
1. LAB VALUES + CRITICAL THRESHOLDS
Lab Reference range
Potassium 3.5–5
Chloride 95–105
Hemoglobin Male 13–18; Female 12–16
Magnesium 1.5–2.5
BUN 10–20
Calcium 9–11
Phosphate 2.5–4.5
Creatinine 0.5–1.5
WBC 4–11
Sodium 135–145
THE “SIX” RULE
• pH in the 6s → critical/concerning.
• Potassium in the 6s → concerning; linked to possible cardiac arrhythmias.
• CO₂ >60 → concerning.
• O₂ <60 → concerning.
• Platelets <40,000 → concerning; the exception to the “six” pattern.
EXAM TIP
Do not react to a lab value in isolation. Ask whether the abnormality fits the presenting diagnosis and overall clinical picture.
NCLEX • HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES 2
, PROTECTION + ACID-BASE
2. NEUTROPENIA + ABGs
Neutropenic precautions
• WBC <1,000 OR neutrophils <500.
• Strict hand hygiene.
• Limit visitors and avoid visitors with relevant illnesses.
• Food-safety point: current CDC guidance emphasizes avoiding raw/undercooked foods and choosing washed/cooked
produce rather than a blanket ban on all fresh fruits and vegetables.
CLINICAL CLARIFICATION
For modern practice, food precautions should follow current institutional policy and immune status. The safety principle is
reducing exposure to foodborne pathogens.
ABG normal values
Component Normal Meaning
pH 7.35–7.45 Acid-base status
PaCO₂ 35–45 mmHg Respiratory component
HCO₃⁻ 22–26 mEq/L Metabolic component
PaO₂ 80–100 mmHg Oxygenation
MEMORY HOOK
7.35–7.45 ↔ 35–45. The paired numbers make pH and PaCO₂ easier to recall.
NCLEX • HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES 3
HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES
Concise • Comprehensive • Exam-Focused • Rapid Revision
THE CORE LENS
Think safety first: identify the abnormality, connect the pattern, choose the safest nursing action, then lock in the key
number.
What these notes do
• Turn long explanations into scan-friendly concepts, tables, rules, patterns, and decision steps.
• Keep the high-yield numbers, medication patterns, emergency cues, and prioritization rules together.
• Use visual memory anchors so related facts are learned as connected systems, not isolated lists.
FAST PATH
Understand → identify the abnormality → connect the pattern → choose the safest action → revise the key number.
Major areas covered
Labs • ABGs • infection control • PPE • mobility • restraints • medication administration • diabetes • OB/maternity • fetal
monitoring • psychiatric nursing • pediatrics • pharmacology • antimicrobials • blood therapy • IV fluids • burns • EKGs •
chest tubes • tracheostomy • addiction • prioritization • delegation • test-taking strategy
NCLEX • HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES 1
, CORE NUMBERS
1. LAB VALUES + CRITICAL THRESHOLDS
Lab Reference range
Potassium 3.5–5
Chloride 95–105
Hemoglobin Male 13–18; Female 12–16
Magnesium 1.5–2.5
BUN 10–20
Calcium 9–11
Phosphate 2.5–4.5
Creatinine 0.5–1.5
WBC 4–11
Sodium 135–145
THE “SIX” RULE
• pH in the 6s → critical/concerning.
• Potassium in the 6s → concerning; linked to possible cardiac arrhythmias.
• CO₂ >60 → concerning.
• O₂ <60 → concerning.
• Platelets <40,000 → concerning; the exception to the “six” pattern.
EXAM TIP
Do not react to a lab value in isolation. Ask whether the abnormality fits the presenting diagnosis and overall clinical picture.
NCLEX • HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES 2
, PROTECTION + ACID-BASE
2. NEUTROPENIA + ABGs
Neutropenic precautions
• WBC <1,000 OR neutrophils <500.
• Strict hand hygiene.
• Limit visitors and avoid visitors with relevant illnesses.
• Food-safety point: current CDC guidance emphasizes avoiding raw/undercooked foods and choosing washed/cooked
produce rather than a blanket ban on all fresh fruits and vegetables.
CLINICAL CLARIFICATION
For modern practice, food precautions should follow current institutional policy and immune status. The safety principle is
reducing exposure to foodborne pathogens.
ABG normal values
Component Normal Meaning
pH 7.35–7.45 Acid-base status
PaCO₂ 35–45 mmHg Respiratory component
HCO₃⁻ 22–26 mEq/L Metabolic component
PaO₂ 80–100 mmHg Oxygenation
MEMORY HOOK
7.35–7.45 ↔ 35–45. The paired numbers make pH and PaCO₂ easier to recall.
NCLEX • HIGH-VALUE EXAM STUDY NOTES 3
