Free NCLEX practice exam — self-score your readiness
Five NCLEX-RN questions in the categories that fail more students than any other: prioritization, delegation, pharmacology safety, and unstable-client recognition. Score yourself honestly — 5/5 means you're ready, 4/5 means you're close, 3/5 or below means you need targeted weak-area review. No signup required.
What this free NCLEX practice exam measures
The actual NCLEX-RN is a computerized adaptive test (CAT) that adjusts difficulty in real time. Five questions can't simulate that adaptivity, but they can sample your performance on the topics that most heavily drive pass/fail outcomes: management of care, safety, pharmacology, and physiological adaptation. Those four categories alone make up over 50% of the live test.
How to interpret your score
- 5/5 correct. You're likely ready. Take a full 75-question readiness exam to confirm and book your test date.
- 4/5 correct. You're close. Identify which one you missed and review that category in depth. One miss could be a knowledge gap or a stem-reading habit.
- 3/5 correct. You have meaningful gaps. Build a 2–4 week focused study plan and prioritize the categories you missed.
- 2/5 or below. Don't book your test yet. You need 4–8 weeks of structured practice (75–100 questions/day with rationale review) before you'll have the depth to pass.
What a real NCLEX-RN practice exam includes
A proper readiness exam mirrors the live test in three ways: it uses the full set of NGN item types (case study, bow-tie, matrix, cloze, hotspot, SATA), it spans all eight client need categories at the NCSBN-published percentages, and it has at least 75 questions so the difficulty distribution evens out. Clarity premium includes five such timed readiness exams.
How the NCLEX-RN actually decides if you pass
The exam ranges from 75 to 145 questions. It ends in one of three ways:
- The 95% rule. The algorithm is 95% certain you're above or below the passing standard. Most students end here, between 75 and 145 items.
- Maximum length (145 items). If the algorithm is still uncertain at question 145, your performance on the final 60 items is averaged against the passing standard.
- Time runs out (5 hours including breaks). A "run-out-of-time" rule uses your last 60 questions to determine pass/fail.
The biggest mistake students make on practice exams
They take the test, see a score, and move on without reviewing rationales. The rationale is where the learning happens — not the question itself. A student who does 50 questions with deep rationale review will outperform a student who does 200 questions and only checks the score.
For each question below, force yourself to write one sentence: "The cue I missed was ___." If you got it right, write: "The pattern I used was ___." Both habits build transferable judgment.
What's in the full Clarity readiness exam
Clarity premium ($9.99/mo NCLEX Monthly, $15.99/mo full Premium) includes five timed readiness exams, each modeled on the live NCLEX-RN format with NGN item types woven throughout. After every exam you get a category-by-category breakdown showing your strongest and weakest areas, plus an AI tutor that walks you through any item you missed in plain English.
Try these 5 questions now
No signup required. Tap an answer to reveal the rationale.
- Question 1 · Prioritization · MCQ
A nurse on a medical unit has received report on four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?
- a.A client with pneumonia and a temperature of 101.2°F
- b.A client 1 day post-op who reports 6/10 incisional pain
- c.A client with COPD and an SpO2 of 86% on 2L oxygen
- d.A client with cellulitis awaiting IV antibiotics
Show answer + rationale
Correct: C. ABC principles: airway and breathing trump everything else. SpO2 of 86% on supplemental oxygen represents an acute oxygenation problem requiring immediate assessment. While the COPD client's baseline may be lower than 95%, 86% is dangerous and the trajectory matters. The other clients have problems that can be addressed in sequence after the unstable one is stabilized.
- Question 2 · Cardiac · NGN case study
A 62-year-old client arrives in the ED with crushing substernal chest pain radiating to the left arm, diaphoresis, and a heart rate of 112 bpm. The 12-lead ECG shows ST elevation in leads II, III, and aVF. Troponin is 4.8 ng/mL. The provider orders aspirin 325 mg, sublingual nitroglycerin, and prepares for cardiac catheterization. Which finding would most prompt the nurse to hold the nitroglycerin?
- a.Blood pressure 88/52 mmHg
- b.Heart rate 102 bpm
- c.Reports pain of 7/10
- d.SpO2 95% on 2L nasal cannula
Show answer + rationale
Correct: A. Inferior wall MI (II, III, aVF) frequently involves the right ventricle, which is preload-dependent. Nitroglycerin causes venodilation, dropping preload, and in RV infarction can precipitate profound hypotension and shock. A systolic of 88 with an inferior STEMI is an absolute contraindication. Heart rate 102 is appropriate sympathetic response, pain warrants treatment, and SpO2 95% is acceptable.
- Question 3 · Delegation · MCQ
Which task is most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
- a.Assessing a new admission's pain level
- b.Teaching insulin injection technique
- c.Recording intake and output for a stable client
- d.Evaluating wound healing on a postoperative client
Show answer + rationale
Correct: C. Delegation rules: routine, predictable tasks for stable clients can go to UAP. Assessment, teaching, and evaluation are nursing process steps that require nursing judgment and cannot be delegated. I&O for a stable client is a measurable, repeatable task with no clinical judgment required.
- Question 4 · Pharmacology · SATA
A nurse is teaching a client about warfarin therapy. Which statements indicate the teaching has been effective? Select all that apply.
- a.I should call my provider if I see blood in my urine.
- b.I will avoid large amounts of leafy green vegetables.
- c.I can take ibuprofen for headaches.
- d.I will use an electric razor for shaving.
- e.I will get my INR checked as scheduled.
Show answer + rationale
Correct: A, B, D, E. Warfarin increases bleeding risk so hematuria warrants provider notification (A). Vitamin K from leafy greens antagonizes warfarin, so consistency rather than total avoidance is the goal, but large variations are problematic (B is acceptable phrasing). Electric razors reduce cut risk (D). INR monitoring is essential (E). Ibuprofen (C) is an NSAID that increases bleeding risk and is contraindicated — acetaminophen is preferred.
- Question 5 · Prioritization · MCQ
A nurse is caring for four postoperative clients. Which client requires the most immediate intervention?
- a.Post-op day 1 hip replacement with hemoglobin 9.8 g/dL
- b.Post-op day 2 cholecystectomy with absent bowel sounds in all four quadrants
- c.Post-op day 0 thyroidectomy with stridor and difficulty swallowing
- d.Post-op day 3 hysterectomy with urine output of 35 mL/hr
Show answer + rationale
Correct: C. Stridor post-thyroidectomy signals airway compromise from hematoma or laryngeal edema — surgical emergency, ABC priority. Hgb 9.8 post-hip is anticipated. Absent bowel sounds on day 2 post-cholecystectomy is concerning but not immediately life-threatening. Urine output 35 mL/hr meets the 30 mL/hr minimum.
These are 5 of 5,000+ NCLEX questions in the Clarity bank. The full bank includes real NGN case studies, bow-tie items, AI tutor follow-up, and 5 readiness exams.
Get 5,000+ more questions free for 10/day →Frequently asked questions
Is this NCLEX practice exam free?
Yes. All five questions are free with no signup required. Clarity also gives you 10 free questions per day with a free account, and unlocks five full timed readiness exams with a $9.99/mo NCLEX Monthly subscription.
How long is the actual NCLEX-RN?
The NCLEX-RN runs 75–145 questions over up to 5 hours including breaks. Most test-takers finish between 75 and 100 items as the adaptive algorithm reaches confidence.
What's a good score on an NCLEX practice exam?
On a 75-item NCLEX practice exam, 65% or higher correlates with a high pass probability if your category coverage is balanced. Below 55% strongly suggests delaying your test date.
How many practice questions should I do before the NCLEX?
Most successful test-takers complete 2,000–3,500 practice questions before sitting for the NCLEX-RN, with rationale review on every item. Less than 1,000 questions correlates with higher fail rates.
Should I take a practice exam the day before my NCLEX?
No. Test fatigue is real and a poor score the day before tanks your confidence. The day before should be light review of high-yield notes and rest. Take your last full practice exam 3–5 days out.