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.
Q11The nurse is prioritizing care for a group of clients. Which principle should guide the order of care?
✓ Correct answer: B. Address actual life-threatening problems before potential ones
Prioritization is guided by urgency: actual, life-threatening problems (airway, breathing, circulation) come before potential problems and lower-acuity needs. Room order, family presence, and task batching do not determine priority.
Q12A client tells the nurse they want to leave the hospital against medical advice (AMA). What is the nurse's first action?
✓ Correct answer: C. Notify the provider and explain the risks of leaving to the client
A competent adult has the right to refuse treatment and leave. The nurse should notify the provider, ensure the client understands the risks, and document the discussion. Restraining a competent client is false imprisonment.
Q13Which client problem is the highest priority for the nurse to address using Maslow's hierarchy of needs?
✓ Correct answer: D. A client with an obstructed airway after vomiting
Physiological needs — especially airway — are the foundation of Maslow's hierarchy and take priority over safety, love/belonging, and self-actualization needs. An obstructed airway is an immediate physiological threat.
Q14The charge nurse is reviewing documentation. Which entry by a staff nurse requires follow-up?
✓ Correct answer: A. Client appears to be in a lot of pain and is probably faking discomfort
Documentation must be objective and free of judgmental or unsupported conclusions. Stating that a client is 'faking' is subjective and inappropriate. The other entries are objective and measurable.
Q15A nurse is coordinating discharge for a client who will need home oxygen and physical therapy. Which action best supports continuity of care?
✓ Correct answer: B. Initiate a referral to case management and home care services
Coordinating referrals to case management and home care before discharge ensures needed equipment and services are in place, supporting safe continuity of care. Leaving arrangements entirely to the client risks gaps in care.
Q16The nurse is assigned to care for several clients. Which task should the nurse perform personally rather than delegate?
✓ Correct answer: C. Evaluating a client's response to a newly started medication
Evaluating a client's response to therapy requires nursing assessment and judgment and cannot be delegated. Routine vital signs, ambulation assistance, and recording I&O on stable clients may be delegated to UAP.
Q17A nurse is caring for a client on contact precautions for Clostridioides difficile infection. Which action is correct?
✓ Correct answer: B. Wash hands with soap and water after providing care
C. difficile spores are not reliably killed by alcohol-based rubs, so hands must be washed with soap and water. Contact precautions require gown and gloves; an N95 and negative-pressure room are for airborne precautions.
Q18Which client requires placement in an airborne infection isolation (negative-pressure) room?
✓ Correct answer: C. A client with active pulmonary tuberculosis
Active pulmonary tuberculosis spreads via airborne droplet nuclei and requires a negative-pressure room and N95 respirator. MRSA wounds need contact precautions and influenza needs droplet precautions; a UTI requires standard precautions.
Q19Before administering medication, the nurse should verify the client's identity using which method?
✓ Correct answer: A. Two client identifiers, such as name and date of birth
The Joint Commission requires at least two client identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) that are not the room number. This prevents administering medication to the wrong client.
Q20A nurse is applying a restraint to a confused client who is pulling at a critical IV line. Which action is appropriate?
✓ Correct answer: D. Ensure two fingers fit under the restraint and assess skin regularly
Restraints must allow two fingers underneath to avoid compromising circulation, be secured to the bed frame (not side rails), use quick-release knots, and require a provider order and frequent assessment. Restraints are a last resort after less restrictive measures fail.
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