1|Page
Chapter 05: NCLEX-RN® Examination And
The New Graduate| Comprehensive
Questions With Answers 2026
The graduate nurse understands the purpose of the NCLEX-RN® exam when
stating which of the following?
a.
"The exam provides feedback to the candidate regarding areas of weakness in
nursing practice."
b.
"The exam determines the candidate's ability or inability to meet minimum
standards for safe practice."
c.
"The exam gives employers an opportunity to hire graduates who have scored
highest among first-time licensure candidates."
d.
"The exam prepares new graduates as efficient, effective staff nurses."
. - correct-answer -ANS: B
The purpose of the NCLEX-RN® Exam is to determine whether a candidate is
competent to perform safe, effective, entry-level nursing care. It does not prepare
nurses but rather measures their performance on a test. Candidates who are
unsuccessful receive information 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|Page
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 specialties 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
National Council. The test plan reflects entry-level nursing practice as identified by
research and the job analysis study of newly licensed registered nurses. Each
candidate will receive different levels of questions in a computer adaptive format.
The focus of the exam is not on clinical specialties. The test has a minimum of 75
questions and a maximum of 265 questions, so a test taker can answer any
number of questions between these two numbers until they either reaches a
passing standard or fails.
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.
, 3|Page
"Perhaps you should consider retaking the psychiatric nursing course."
b.
"There are equal numbers of questions related to each aspect of client needs."
c.
"Psychosocial integrity is the basis for 6% to 12% of the examination."
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 National Council designated from 6% to
12% of the total questions to be from the area of psychosocial integrity. The
student may not be able to retake nursing courses or a review course. Stating that
content area has the same amount of questions would be inaccurate. Each of the
categories of client needs has a different percentage, so questions are based on
that percentage from the detailed test plan, not on equal numbers from each
area. Students often hear incorrect information and rumors about NCLEX.
Which statement indicates the graduate nurses understanding of the process at
the NCLEX® testing site?
a.
"I will be thumbprinted and photographed."
b.
"I will be placed in a locked testing cubicle."
c.
"I will answer 300 test questions."
d.
Chapter 05: NCLEX-RN® Examination And
The New Graduate| Comprehensive
Questions With Answers 2026
The graduate nurse understands the purpose of the NCLEX-RN® exam when
stating which of the following?
a.
"The exam provides feedback to the candidate regarding areas of weakness in
nursing practice."
b.
"The exam determines the candidate's ability or inability to meet minimum
standards for safe practice."
c.
"The exam gives employers an opportunity to hire graduates who have scored
highest among first-time licensure candidates."
d.
"The exam prepares new graduates as efficient, effective staff nurses."
. - correct-answer -ANS: B
The purpose of the NCLEX-RN® Exam is to determine whether a candidate is
competent to perform safe, effective, entry-level nursing care. It does not prepare
nurses but rather measures their performance on a test. Candidates who are
unsuccessful receive information 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|Page
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 specialties 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
National Council. The test plan reflects entry-level nursing practice as identified by
research and the job analysis study of newly licensed registered nurses. Each
candidate will receive different levels of questions in a computer adaptive format.
The focus of the exam is not on clinical specialties. The test has a minimum of 75
questions and a maximum of 265 questions, so a test taker can answer any
number of questions between these two numbers until they either reaches a
passing standard or fails.
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.
, 3|Page
"Perhaps you should consider retaking the psychiatric nursing course."
b.
"There are equal numbers of questions related to each aspect of client needs."
c.
"Psychosocial integrity is the basis for 6% to 12% of the examination."
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 National Council designated from 6% to
12% of the total questions to be from the area of psychosocial integrity. The
student may not be able to retake nursing courses or a review course. Stating that
content area has the same amount of questions would be inaccurate. Each of the
categories of client needs has a different percentage, so questions are based on
that percentage from the detailed test plan, not on equal numbers from each
area. Students often hear incorrect information and rumors about NCLEX.
Which statement indicates the graduate nurses understanding of the process at
the NCLEX® testing site?
a.
"I will be thumbprinted and photographed."
b.
"I will be placed in a locked testing cubicle."
c.
"I will answer 300 test questions."
d.
