The NCLEX-RN is the national licensure exam for registered nurses in the United States and Canada. Since 2023, the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) format has tested clinical judgment with item types that go far beyond multiple choice—select-all-that-apply, matrix grids, cloze dropdowns, ordered response, highlight, bowtie, and six-question unfolding case studies built on the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model.
CliniQuiz.AI gives you authentic NGN practice aligned to the 2026 NCSBN test plan:
All 7 NGN item types, including full unfolding case studies
Every client-need category and activity statement covered
Each question independently verified and cited to a reputable clinical source
Partial-credit scoring that mirrors the real exam
Try a real NGN question set below—no account required.
Sample Questions
The 1545 orders are received, and the nurse prepares to carry them out. Which action should the nurse take first?
Administer the intravenous corticosteroid over several minutes
Hang the intravenous magnesium sulfate over 20 minutes
Draw a repeat arterial blood gas to recheck the carbon dioxide
Add the nebulized ipratropium to the ongoing continuous albuterol
Show answer and explanation
Answer: Add the nebulized ipratropium to the ongoing continuous albuterol
Broadening the inhaled bronchodilator directly targets the tightening airways and takes effect fastest, so it is started first to interrupt the worsening obstruction.
The 0350 orders are received while the operating room is being readied. Which action should the nurse take first?
Send the repeat blood specimens to the laboratory
Gather belongings for the operating room transfer
Apply the prescribed oxygen by nonrebreather mask
Begin the transfusion of packed red blood cells
Show answer and explanation
Answer: Apply the prescribed oxygen by nonrebreather mask
Delivering oxygen with the client already positioned off the vena cava improves oxygen delivery to the fetus at once and can be started immediately, making it the first action while the other orders are carried out.
The 1050 orders are received. Which action should the nurse take first?
Give the calcium gluconate with continuous cardiac monitoring
Infuse the potassium chloride over 1 hour through the pump
Start the 1,000 mL isotonic fluid bolus over 1 hour
Give the as-needed ondansetron for the nausea
Show answer and explanation
Answer: Give the calcium gluconate with continuous cardiac monitoring
The client already shows carpopedal spasm from the low calcium, which can progress to laryngospasm or seizure, so replacing calcium under cardiac monitoring is the most urgent of the ordered actions.
At 1040 the nurse is administering the ordered emergency medications, which include propylthiouracil by mouth and potassium iodide oral solution. Which action is essential when the nurse gives these two medications?
Give the potassium iodide first and follow it with the propylthiouracil
Hold the propranolol until the potassium iodide has been given
Give the propylthiouracil and wait at least 1 hour before giving the potassium iodide
Give the potassium iodide and propylthiouracil together at the same time
Show answer and explanation
Answer: Give the propylthiouracil and wait at least 1 hour before giving the potassium iodide
The thionamide must be on board first so it blocks new hormone synthesis; giving the iodine at least an hour later prevents the iodine from being used as raw material to make even more hormone.
To direct the client's emergency care, the nurse first determines the greatest immediate threat. Which problem places the client at the greatest immediate risk?
Risk for organ damage from the high temperature
Risk for physical injury from the severe agitation
Risk for circulatory collapse from the rapid, irregular heart rate
Risk for falling oxygen levels from the chest infection
Show answer and explanation
Answer: Risk for circulatory collapse from the rapid, irregular heart rate
A sustained heart rate near 150 with an irregular rhythm can exhaust the heart and drop cardiac output, making circulatory collapse the greatest immediate threat and the focus of emergency care.
The NCLEX-RN draws questions from eight client-need categories with published weights. Knowing the weights tells you where your study time earns the most.
Every NCLEX includes three unfolding case studies: six questions following one client through the six steps of the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model.
NGN scoring gives partial credit on select-all-that-apply questions: plus one for each correct pick, minus one for each wrong one. That changes how to answer them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the NCLEX-RN?
Between 85 and 150. The test adapts to your answers and stops once it is 95% sure you are above or below the passing standard. Every exam includes 15 unscored pretest questions you cannot tell apart from the rest, plus three case studies of six questions each. In 2025 the average first-time US candidate answered 103 questions, and 59% stopped at the minimum of 85.
How long is the NCLEX-RN?
Up to 5 hours, including the introduction and two optional breaks offered after about 2 and 3.5 hours. The clock keeps running during breaks. Most people finish well inside the limit: the 2025 average for first-time candidates was 2 hours 14 minutes.
What happens if I get all 150 questions or run out of time?
Reaching 150 is not a bad sign on its own. At that point you pass if your final ability estimate is at or above the standard. If time runs out, you pass only if you answered at least 85 questions and your final estimate is at or above the standard.
Does the NCLEX give partial credit?
Yes, on questions with more than one correct answer. Select-all-that-apply items use plus/minus scoring, so each wrong choice cancels a right one. Items that tell you how many answers to pick give a point for each correct choice. Linked items use rationale scoring, where you only earn the point when both related parts are right. See how SATA scoring works.
What is the NCLEX-RN pass rate?
In 2025, 86.7% of first-time US-educated candidates passed, compared with 47.3% of first-time internationally educated candidates. US-educated repeat takers passed at 52.7%.
How much does the NCLEX-RN cost?
$200 to register, plus $150 if you test outside the US. The fee rises to $350 for registrations made on or after February 1, 2027, the first increase since 2000. The date you register sets the price, so a retake registered after that date also costs $350. Your board of nursing charges its own licensure fee on top.
What changed in the 2026 NCLEX-RN test plan?
Very little. The plan that took effect April 1, 2026 keeps the same format, question types, category weights, and passing standard. Safety and Infection Control was renamed Safety and Infection Prevention and Control, and activity statements were updated from the 2024 practice analysis. See the 2026 test plan, category by category.
How soon can I retake the NCLEX if I fail?
After 45 days, up to eight times a year, though some boards of nursing set stricter limits. Your Candidate Performance Report shows how you did in each test plan area, which is the best place to start your next round of study.
When do I get my NCLEX results?
Official results come from your board of nursing, usually within six weeks. If your board takes part, you can buy unofficial Quick Results for $7.95 two business days after the exam.
How should I practice for the Next Gen NCLEX?
Practice every NGN item type, not only multiple choice, and score yourself with partial credit so your results reflect the real exam. CliniQuiz has more than 600 NCLEX-RN questions across all seven NGN item types, plus full unfolding case studies. Start with our guide to NGN question types.