10+ Common NCLEX Questions and How to Answer Them (2025)
The NCLEX exam is a significant milestone for every nursing student. To pass with confidence, it’s essential to understand common NCLEX question formats and master the rationale behind correct answers. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through 12 high-yield NCLEX-style questions—plus a bonus SATA, case scenario, and FAQ—to strengthen your critical thinking and test readiness.
📘 Want a full prep plan? Start with our 25 NCLEX Study Tips That Actually Work
🏥 Medication Safety & Allergic Reactions
1. What should a nurse do first when a patient develops a medication allergy?
Answer: Stop the medication, assess the patient, and notify the provider.
Rationale: This prioritizes patient safety. Early recognition and immediate discontinuation prevent further harm.
🫁 Cardiopulmonary Emergencies
2. What is the priority intervention for chest pain?
Answer: Assess vitals, apply oxygen, and notify the physician.
Rationale: Chest pain could indicate myocardial infarction. Oxygen helps reduce myocardial workload and tissue damage.
3. What should the nurse do during respiratory distress?
Answer: Administer oxygen, elevate the HOB, monitor O2 sats, and stay with the patient.
Rationale: Ensuring oxygenation is a top priority. Patient reassurance prevents panic and further oxygen consumption.
💡 Mnemonic: RAT BED – Restlessness, Anxiety, Tachycardia... (early signs of hypoxia)
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🧠 Neurologic & Positioning Safety
4. How should the nurse position a patient post-lumbar puncture?
Answer: Supine and flat for 4–6 hours.
Rationale: Reduces risk of cerebrospinal fluid leakage and associated headache.
5. What is the nursing priority during a seizure?
Answer: Protect the patient from injury—lower them to the ground, remove objects, and turn them to the side.
Rationale: Preventing injury and maintaining airway are primary.
🧬 Trauma & Critical Care
6. What’s the correct positioning for a suspected spinal cord injury?
Answer: Neutral spine with cervical collar—do not move the patient.
Rationale: Movement can exacerbate spinal cord injury.
7. How should the nurse position a client with SOB?
Answer: High Fowler’s position.
Rationale: Improves ventilation and lung expansion.
🔗 Related: Vital Organs to Know for the NCLEX
🌡️ Fever & Wound Care
8. What’s the nursing intervention for post-op fever and wound drainage?
Answer: Assess, obtain culture if ordered, notify provider, and initiate wound care.
Rationale: Early detection and intervention prevent systemic infection.
9. What to do when a patient develops a new fever?
Answer: Monitor vitals, administer antipyretics, encourage hydration, and offer comfort measures.
Rationale: Controls the fever while addressing underlying causes.
❤️ Hypertension & Allergic Reaction
10. What’s the nurse’s first step in hypertensive crisis?
Answer: Administer antihypertensives as ordered and monitor BP.
Rationale: Reduces risk of stroke or organ damage.
11. What is the priority in a patient with anaphylaxis?
Answer: Administer epinephrine and initiate emergency protocols.
Rationale: Epinephrine counteracts bronchoconstriction and hypotension—both life-threatening.
📋 BONUS: SATA Question
12. Which interventions apply to a client with heart failure? (Select all that apply)
- Administer prescribed diuretics
- Monitor daily weights
- Elevate HOB
- Encourage 2L fluid intake
- Restrict sodium intake
Rationale: Fluid management and sodium restriction help reduce preload and prevent fluid overload.
🧠 Case-Based Scenario
Scenario: A 70-year-old female with a history of COPD presents with confusion, a respiratory rate of 8/min, and oxygen saturation of 88% on room air. What should the nurse do first?
Answer: Apply oxygen via nasal cannula and notify the provider.
Why? Hypoxia and CO2 retention can cause confusion. Oxygen must be titrated carefully in COPD patients to avoid suppressing their respiratory drive.
❓ Frequently Asked NCLEX Prep Questions
What is the best way to approach SATA questions?
Focus on each statement independently. Avoid overthinking and only check the ones that are 100% true for the condition or priority.
How do I know what the NCLEX is really asking?
Look for keywords like “priority,” “first,” or “most concerning.” Always think ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) or Maslow’s hierarchy.
What’s the difference between a “priority” question and “first action” question?
“Priority” = What’s most important based on the situation.
“First action” = What the nurse actually does before anything else.
✅ Final Thoughts
- Know the rationale, not just the right answer
- Practice different question formats (SATA, drag-and-drop, case-based)
- Use tools like GoodNurse.com to prep faster
- Don’t cram—spread studying out with consistent reviews
You’ve got this. 🚀 Review smart, breathe deep, and remember: the NCLEX tests how you think as a nurse—not just what you memorize.
