NCLEX-RN practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q1A registered nurse (RN) is making client care assignments for the shift. Which task is most appropriate to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
✓ Correct answer: C. Assisting a stable client with morning hygiene and ambulation
Assisting a stable client with hygiene and ambulation is within the UAP scope of practice. Assessment, care planning, and client teaching require the clinical judgment of the RN and cannot be delegated.
Q2The nurse receives shift report on four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?
✓ Correct answer: A. A client with new-onset shortness of breath and oxygen saturation of 88%
Airway and breathing take priority (ABCs). New shortness of breath with a saturation of 88% signals a potentially life-threatening problem and must be assessed first. The other needs are important but not immediately life-threatening.
Q3A client is scheduled for surgery and asks the nurse to explain the risks of the procedure. What is the nurse's most appropriate response?
✓ Correct answer: B. Notify the surgeon that the client has questions before signing consent
Obtaining informed consent — including explaining risks, benefits, and alternatives — is the surgeon's responsibility. The nurse witnesses the signature and ensures the client understands; unanswered questions must be referred to the surgeon before consent is signed.
Q4Which situation requires the nurse to complete an incident (occurrence) report?
✓ Correct answer: D. A client falls while walking to the bathroom unassisted
An incident report documents events that are not consistent with routine care, such as a client fall, regardless of injury. A medication refusal that is documented in the record, a routine transfer, and a family request are part of normal care.
Q5The nurse is caring for a client who has a living will. The client's adult child insists that 'everything be done.' What should guide the nurse's actions?
✓ Correct answer: C. The client's documented advance directive
A valid advance directive (living will) expresses the client's own wishes and legally directs care. The client's documented decisions take precedence over family preferences. The nurse should support the family while honoring the client's directive.
Q6An RN is supervising a licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN). Which assigned client is most appropriate for the LPN/LVN?
✓ Correct answer: A. A stable client receiving a scheduled oral antibiotic
LPNs/LVNs may care for stable clients and administer many routine medications such as scheduled oral antibiotics. Initial assessments, complex first-dose IV chemotherapy, and teaching about a new diagnosis require the RN.
Q7The nurse discovers that a colleague accessed the electronic health record of a client they are not caring for. What is the nurse's priority action?
✓ Correct answer: B. Report the breach of confidentiality through the proper channel
Accessing a record without a care-related need is a breach of confidentiality (and HIPAA). The nurse is obligated to report the breach through the appropriate institutional channel. Charting accusations in the client record is inappropriate.
Q8Four clients are awaiting care in the emergency department. Using triage principles, which client should be seen first?
✓ Correct answer: C. An adult with crushing chest pain and diaphoresis
Triage prioritizes the most life-threatening condition. Crushing chest pain with diaphoresis suggests an acute coronary event and must be seen first. The other clients are stable or non-urgent.
Q9The nurse is creating the plan of care for a client. Which action best reflects appropriate client advocacy?
✓ Correct answer: D. Ensuring the client has the information needed to make decisions
Advocacy means supporting the client's right to make informed, autonomous decisions. The nurse ensures the client has accurate information; it does not mean deciding for the client or steering them toward a particular choice.
Q10A nurse is delegating to a UAP. Which instruction reflects the most appropriate delegation communication?
✓ Correct answer: A. Report the client's blood pressure to me immediately if it is below 90/60
Effective delegation is specific and includes the expected outcome and what to report back. Telling the UAP exactly what value to report demonstrates clear, measurable direction; vague instructions risk errors.
Use the free NCLEX-RN Practice sample, download the PDF, then unlock web-based timed mock exams for a full exam rehearsal.
Theory