7 Hot Tips to Understanding NCLEX Questions
There are two parts to a question: A stem and the case. A question consists of the stem (part that asks the
question), the case (patient’s condition or the scenario), the answer, and distractors (choices that look correct
but are actually wrong). It is easier to analyze once you have identified the different parts of the question.
1. Identify the keywords
No matter how a long a question is, there is that one word or phrase that bears the most weight. Key words
may relate to the client, the actual problem, and to specific aspects of the problem.
2. Recurring words in question and answer
The same words may appear in the NCLEX question and in the correct answer. It may be the same word or a
synonym of the word.
3. Opposing answers
If two choices have opposites, like increased heart rate or decreased heart rate, one of the two choices is
usually the correct answer.
nclexpreceptor.com | Copyright 2019 1
There are two parts to a question: A stem and the case. A question consists of the stem (part that asks the
question), the case (patient’s condition or the scenario), the answer, and distractors (choices that look correct
but are actually wrong). It is easier to analyze once you have identified the different parts of the question.
1. Identify the keywords
No matter how a long a question is, there is that one word or phrase that bears the most weight. Key words
may relate to the client, the actual problem, and to specific aspects of the problem.
2. Recurring words in question and answer
The same words may appear in the NCLEX question and in the correct answer. It may be the same word or a
synonym of the word.
3. Opposing answers
If two choices have opposites, like increased heart rate or decreased heart rate, one of the two choices is
usually the correct answer.
nclexpreceptor.com | Copyright 2019 1
