2026 NCLEX-RN BOARD EXAM WITH NGN | FULL
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND RATIONALES
1. 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.”
Answer: B
Rationale:
The purpose of the NCLEX-RN Examination is to determine whether a candidate is competent to
provide safe, effective, entry-level nursing care. The exam measures competency rather than
preparing nurses for practice. Although unsuccessful candidates may receive information
regarding weak areas, that is not the primary purpose of the examination. Employers only receive
pass/fail results and do not receive specific scores.
2. Which statement by the nursing professor is accurate about the NCLEX-RN
exam?
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.”
Answer: C
Rationale:
The NCLEX-RN test plan is based on entry-level nursing practice identified through research
and job analysis studies conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
(NCSBN). Questions are designed to reflect real-world nursing responsibilities. Due to computer
adaptive testing (CAT), candidates receive varying numbers and difficulty levels of questions.
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, 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 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.”
Answer: C
Rationale:
Psychosocial Integrity accounts for approximately 6%–12% of the NCLEX-RN examination.
Questions are distributed according to the NCLEX test plan percentages and are not equally
divided among content areas.
4. Which statement indicates the graduate nurse’s understanding of the process
at the NCLEX testing site?
A. “I will be thumb-printed and photographed.”
B. “I will be placed in a locked testing cubicle.”
C. “I will answer 300 test questions.”
D. “I will be given some questions as a paper-and-pencil test.”
Answer: A
Rationale:
Candidates are required to undergo identity verification procedures, including photographing and
biometric identification such as palm vein scanning or thumb-printing. NCLEX is administered
entirely on computer, and the number of questions varies from 75 to 265.
5. Which statement made by the graduate nurse indicates understanding of the
NCLEX-RN passing standard?
A. “Candidates seeking licensure in California and New York must score higher.”
B. “The passing score is the same for licensure in all states.”
C. “Candidates from BSN programs must score one standard deviation higher than ADN
graduates.”
D. “ADN graduates must answer 80% of the 265 questions correctly to pass.”
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PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND RATIONALES
1. 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.”
Answer: B
Rationale:
The purpose of the NCLEX-RN Examination is to determine whether a candidate is competent to
provide safe, effective, entry-level nursing care. The exam measures competency rather than
preparing nurses for practice. Although unsuccessful candidates may receive information
regarding weak areas, that is not the primary purpose of the examination. Employers only receive
pass/fail results and do not receive specific scores.
2. Which statement by the nursing professor is accurate about the NCLEX-RN
exam?
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.”
Answer: C
Rationale:
The NCLEX-RN test plan is based on entry-level nursing practice identified through research
and job analysis studies conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
(NCSBN). Questions are designed to reflect real-world nursing responsibilities. Due to computer
adaptive testing (CAT), candidates receive varying numbers and difficulty levels of questions.
Page 1 of 7
, 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 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.”
Answer: C
Rationale:
Psychosocial Integrity accounts for approximately 6%–12% of the NCLEX-RN examination.
Questions are distributed according to the NCLEX test plan percentages and are not equally
divided among content areas.
4. Which statement indicates the graduate nurse’s understanding of the process
at the NCLEX testing site?
A. “I will be thumb-printed and photographed.”
B. “I will be placed in a locked testing cubicle.”
C. “I will answer 300 test questions.”
D. “I will be given some questions as a paper-and-pencil test.”
Answer: A
Rationale:
Candidates are required to undergo identity verification procedures, including photographing and
biometric identification such as palm vein scanning or thumb-printing. NCLEX is administered
entirely on computer, and the number of questions varies from 75 to 265.
5. Which statement made by the graduate nurse indicates understanding of the
NCLEX-RN passing standard?
A. “Candidates seeking licensure in California and New York must score higher.”
B. “The passing score is the same for licensure in all states.”
C. “Candidates from BSN programs must score one standard deviation higher than ADN
graduates.”
D. “ADN graduates must answer 80% of the 265 questions correctly to pass.”
Page 2 of 7
