NCLEX Strategies

Question 1

Reword the question.

Answer 1

Read question carefully
Do not skim
Look for hints in the wording of the question stem (key words: first, best, initial…)
Reword in your own words

Question 2

Reword the question.

Answer 2

• Eliminate wrong answers
• Which answer choice best answers your question?
• What answers are left?
• Don’t predict the answers! You’re not the weatherman!!
• Recognize expected outcomes

Question 3

If you’re not sure about the topic of the question, read the answer choices for clues.

Answer 3

• Read the stem
• Identify the topic
• Read the answer choices
• Identify the nursing concept contained in answer choices

Question 4

Use Maslow’s needs to establish priorities

Answer 4

• Recognize that answers are both physical and psychosocial
• Eliminate psychosocial answers
• “Does this make sense?”
• ABC’s
• Correct answer!

Question 5

Maslow’s hierarchy

Answer 5

1) Physiological needs: fluid, nutrition, oxygen, elimination, temperature, shelter, rest and sex
2) Safety and security: threat of illness, accidents, environmental threats
3) Love and belonging: psychosocial
4) Self-esteem: psychosocial
5) Self-actualization: psychosocial

Question 6

Assessment versus Implementation

Answer 6

• Recognize both assess and implement answers
• Read stem to decide whether to assess or implement
• Select best assessment or implementation
• Correct answer!

Question 7

Safety question

Answer 7

• All answers must be implementations
• Try to answer based on knowledge, if you can’t, go to next step
• What will cause the patient the least harm?
• Correct answer!

Question 8

The NCLEX exam is NOT the real world!

Do everything by the book!

Answer 8

• Don’t use real world experience to answer NCLEX questions
• You have the time, staff, and the equipment needed!
• Take care of the patient first (NOT the equipment first!)
• The NCLEX exam tests the nurse’s judgment

Question 9

“Notify the physician” questions

Answer 9

• The buck stops HERE!
• Think before calling the physician
• What would you do in a situation BEFORE calling?

Question 10

Therapeutic Communication

Answer 10

• Eliminate “Don’t worry”
• Eliminate “Explore” answers, avoid being a junior psychiatrist!
• Don’t ask “Why?”
• Eliminate “authoritarian” answers
• Eliminate “focus on the nurse” answers

Question 11

Questions on Positioning

Answer 11

• Are you trying to prevent or promote?
• What are you trying to prevent or promote?
• Think A & P

Question 12

Management of Care questions

Answer 12

• Do not delegate assessment, teaching, or evaluation
• Delegate care for the stable patients with expected outcomes
• Delegate tasks that involve standard, unchanging procedures
• Stable versus unstable