NCLEX-RN practice test 2026: a free 85-question timed exam

85 questions · 170 minutes · scored the moment you finish · no sign-up

This free NCLEX-RN-style practice test has 85 original questions, the real exam's minimum length, spread across the eight Client Needs subcategories of the 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, on a 170-minute clock. You get your percent correct, a practice band, your score in each Client Needs area and a clinical judgment rationale for every answer. It is not adaptive, so it cannot predict a pass; it shows exactly which areas to fix before your date.

85
questions, the real minimum: 170 min
on the clock: 8
Client Needs areas scored: Free
no sign-up

Last checked 13 November 2026 · Exam facts from NCSBN (nclex.com, ncsbn.org); our test is fixed-length practice, not the adaptive exam

85
questions
170 min
time limit
Free
instant score

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 13 November 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on this NCLEX-RN practice test?

85 original questions written from current nursing practice, with each Client Needs subcategory near the middle of its 2026 Test Plan range, so the mix of delegation, safety, pharmacology, labs and emergencies matches what NCSBN says the exam covers.

The eight Client Needs subcategories, their 2026 Test Plan ranges and how many questions each has in our mock
Client Needs subcategory	Category	2026 Test Plan range	Questions in our mock
Management of Care	Safe and Effective Care Environment	15-21%	15
Safety and Infection Prevention and Control	Safe and Effective Care Environment	10-16%	11
Health Promotion and Maintenance	Health Promotion and Maintenance	6-12%	8
Psychosocial Integrity	Psychosocial Integrity	6-12%	7
Basic Care and Comfort	Physiological Integrity	6-12%	8
Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies	Physiological Integrity	13-19%	14
Reduction of Risk Potential	Physiological Integrity	9-15%	10
Physiological Adaptation	Physiological Integrity	11-17%	12

Management of Care and Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies are the two biggest areas on the real test plan, and they are the two biggest on ours: 15 and 14 questions. Four of the pharmacology questions are dosage calculations whose numbers change in every mock: tablets, liquids, IV pump rates, drip rates, weight-based pediatric doses, heparin and dopamine infusions.

Most questions are written the way the NCLEX asks them: a client, a finding, and a decision. Which client do you see first? Which task can you delegate? Which finding do you report? Which statement shows the teaching worked? The rationale under each answer names the principle (airway first, acute before chronic, assess before you act) so you can use it on questions you have never seen.

What this practice test copies, and what it does not
Questions	85, the real exam's minimum length, weighted by the eight Client Needs subcategories
Clock	170 minutes: 2 minutes a question, the pace that would finish 150 items in 5 hours
Item type	Single answer with four options. We do not imitate select-all-that-apply, matrix, bowtie or case-study screens
Adaptive?	No. Everyone gets the same questions in a mock, from easier to harder
Your result	Percent correct, a practice band and your score in each Client Needs area. Not a pass prediction and not logits

Can I practise one Client Needs area at a time?

Yes. Every Client Needs subcategory has a free 12-question drill on its topic page, with every rationale shown at the end.

NCLEX management of care and safety questions
2 free drills
Delegation to UAPs and LPNs, assignment, consent, confidentiality, ethics, isolation precautions, PPE and falls.
NCLEX pharmacology practice questions
1 free drill
Adverse effects, antidotes, therapeutic levels, insulin, anticoagulants, blood products and dosage calculation.
NCLEX prioritization questions
1 free drill
Physiological Adaptation: emergencies, shock, sepsis, DKA, stroke and the "who do you see first" questions.
NCLEX physiological integrity questions
2 free drills
Basic Care and Comfort and Reduction of Risk Potential: mobility, nutrition, labs, diagnostic tests and complications.
NCLEX health promotion and psychosocial questions
2 free drills
Maternity, newborn and growth and development, therapeutic communication, suicide risk and withdrawal.

Take the full mock first, then drill the area with the lowest score. A weak Management of Care or pharmacology score moves your total most, because those areas have the most questions.

How is the real NCLEX-RN different from this practice test?

The real NCLEX-RN is computerized adaptive: it gives 85 to 150 items in up to 5 hours and keeps choosing items near your ability until it is 95% sure you are above or below the passing standard of 0.00 logits. Ours gives everyone the same 85 questions and scores percent correct.

The real exam, with where each fact comes from
Who sets it	The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), for the nursing regulatory body (NRB) that will license you; Pearson VUE delivers itPublished by the ownerNCSBN, 2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin (PDF)
Format	Computerized adaptive test: each answer changes which item comes nextPublished by the ownerNCSBN, NCLEX-RN Test Plan effective April 2026 (PDF)
Length	85 to 150 items. A minimum-length exam is 52 content items, 18 items in 3 clinical judgment case studies and 15 unscored pretest itemsPublished by the ownerNCSBN, NCLEX-RN Test Plan effective April 2026 (PDF)
Time	5 hours, including the tutorial and every breakPublished by the ownerNCSBN, 2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin (PDF)
Passing standard	0.00 logits, in force through 31 March 2029. Not a percentPublished by the ownerNCSBN, "Passing Standard"
Test plan	2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029Published by the ownerNCSBN, "2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan"
Fee	US$200 for every registration, including retakes; US$350 for registrations from 1 February 2027Published by the ownerNCSBN, "NCLEX Fee Changes Feb. 1"
Retakes	At least 45 test-free days between attempts, up to 8 a year; some boards set stricter limitsPublished by the ownerNCSBN, 2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin (PDF)

Because the real exam adapts, the questions get harder as you answer correctly, and most candidates, passing or failing, answer roughly half of their items right. That is why a percent correct on a fixed practice test cannot be turned into a pass prediction, and why we do not try. What a fixed mock does well is show you, area by area, where your knowledge has gaps, on questions of a known level.

The real exam also uses Next Generation item types: three six-item clinical judgment case studies on a minimum-length exam, plus select-all-that-apply, matrix, drop-down, drag-and-drop, highlight and bowtie formats, some scored with partial credit. Our engine shows single-answer questions only, so we do not fake those screens; how the NGN formats work is explained on the exam guide, and our questions train the same clinical judgment behind them.

What do NCLEX-RN questions look like?

A client, a finding and a decision, with four plausible options. Try the six below; two are worked step by step and the rest open when you tap.

NCLEX-RN-style question 1 · Prioritization
After the morning report, which client should the RN assess first?
1. AA client with type 2 diabetes whose fasting glucose is 182 mg/dL
2. BA client 12 hours after a cholecystectomy who rates incisional pain 5 out of 10
3. CA client with pneumonia who is newly restless, with a respiratory rate of 30 and SpO2 of 87%
4. DA client with rheumatoid arthritis who has morning joint stiffness
Worked answer
C: A client with pneumonia who is newly restless, with a respiratory rate of 30 and SpO2 of 87%. New restlessness with tachypnea and an SpO2 of 87% is acute hypoxemia, a breathing problem that is getting worse. The other three are expected or chronic and stable.
1. Sort each client: acute or chronic, expected or unexpected, stable or unstable.
2. Glucose 182, pain 5 after surgery and morning stiffness are expected for those conditions.
3. Restlessness, RR 30 and SpO2 87% are new, unexpected and about breathing: see that client first.
The trap: Picking the "number" (glucose 182) because it is abnormal. Abnormal is not the same as unstable: the question is who could deteriorate in the next few minutes.
NCLEX-RN-style question 2 · Dosage calculation
The order is 1,000 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride over 8 hours by gravity. The tubing delivers 15 gtt/mL. How many drops per minute should the nurse set? Round to the nearest whole drop.
1. A21 gtt/min
2. B31 gtt/min
3. C125 gtt/min
4. D42 gtt/min
Worked answer
B: 31 gtt/min. 1,000 mL × 15 gtt/mL ÷ 480 minutes = 31.25, which rounds to 31 gtt/min.
1. Change hours to minutes: 8 × 60 = 480 min.
2. Multiply volume by drop factor: 1,000 × 15 = 15,000 gtt.
3. Divide: 15,000 ÷ 480 = 31.25, so 31 gtt/min.
The trap: 125 is the pump rate in mL/h. On a gravity set you need drops per minute, so the drop factor and the 60 both come in.
NCLEX-RN-style question 3 · Transmission-based precautions
A client is admitted with suspected measles. Which room and equipment does the RN request?
1. AA private room with the door open and a surgical mask
2. BAn airborne infection isolation room and an N95 respirator
3. CA semi-private room with a client who has influenza
4. DA standard room and gloves only
Show the worked answer
B: An airborne infection isolation room and an N95 respirator. Measles is airborne: a negative-pressure airborne infection isolation room with the door closed, and a fit-tested N95 or higher respirator for staff.
1. Name the route: measles spreads through the air.
2. Airborne precautions mean negative pressure and an N95.
3. Droplet (surgical mask) and contact (gloves) precautions are not enough.
The trap: Choosing droplet precautions because measles is "a respiratory virus". The airborne three to learn are measles, varicella and tuberculosis.
NCLEX-RN-style question 4 · Emergencies
A client with a new tracheostomy suddenly has noisy breathing, an SpO2 of 84% and anxiety. What should the RN do first?
1. ASuction the tracheostomy
2. BNotify the provider
3. CRaise the head of the bed and wait for the SpO2 to rise
4. DChange the tracheostomy ties
Show the worked answer
A: Suction the tracheostomy. Noisy breathing with falling saturation in a client with a tracheostomy is most often secretions blocking the tube. Suctioning clears the airway at once; calling for help follows if it does not.
1. What is the threat? Airway obstruction.
2. Most likely cause with a trach: secretions.
3. The fix within the nurse's scope that opens the airway now: suction.
The trap: "Notify the provider" is never first when the nurse can fix the airway in seconds. Act, then report.
NCLEX-RN-style question 5 · Laboratory values
Which laboratory result for a client receiving IV heparin should the RN report right away?
1. APlatelets fell from 250,000 to 95,000/mm³ over 6 days
2. BaPTT within the ordered therapeutic range
3. CHemoglobin 13.8 g/dL
4. DPotassium 4.1 mEq/L
Show the worked answer
A: Platelets fell from 250,000 to 95,000/mm³ over 6 days. A fall in platelets of more than 50% about 5 to 10 days into heparin suggests heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, which raises the risk of clots. Heparin is stopped and the provider notified.
1. What does heparin cause that labs show? HIT.
2. Platelets from 250,000 to 95,000 is a fall of more than half.
3. Timing (day 6) fits HIT: report it.
The trap: Looking only for the "out of range" number. A therapeutic aPTT is the goal, while the platelet trend is the danger.
NCLEX-RN-style question 6 · Therapeutic communication
A client newly diagnosed with cancer says, "Why is this happening to me?" Which response by the RN is best?
1. A"Everything happens for a reason."
2. B"This must be very hard for you. Tell me what you are feeling."
3. C"You should focus on getting better."
4. D"Don't worry, the treatment works for most people."
Show the worked answer
B: "This must be very hard for you. Tell me what you are feeling.". Acknowledging the feeling and inviting the client to talk is therapeutic. Clichés, advice and false reassurance block the conversation.
1. The client is expressing a feeling, not asking for facts.
2. Look for the option that names the feeling and opens the door.
3. Rule out advice, reassurance and platitudes.
The trap: Choosing reassurance because it sounds kind. On the NCLEX, "don't worry" is almost always the wrong answer.

These were written for this page, so none of them is in a mock. More, each with its trap, are on NCLEX-RN sample questions.

After the free NCLEX-RN-style mock

One mock shows your weakest Client Needs area. Two more full mocks and four drills for every area show whether it holds on questions you have not seen.

The NCLEX-RN Pass Pack gives you 3 full mocks on the real clock, 32 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The NCLEX-RN Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the NCLEX-RN Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

3
timed mocks: 32
topic drills: 1
score predictor

How do I read my NCLEX-RN practice result?

You get your percent correct, a practice band (Early practice, Building 55%+, Solid 65%+, Strong 75%+, Top 85%+) and a score in each Client Needs area. The bands are ours, on our questions; they are not logits and not a pass prediction.

Read the areas before the total. A total of 72% with Management of Care at 55% is a warning: that area is 15 to 21% of the real exam, and on an adaptive test a weak area keeps pulling your ability estimate down every time it comes up. Your result page names the weakest area and starts your study plan there.

Then read every rationale, including the ones you got right. On the NCLEX, getting a question right for the wrong reason is a miss waiting to happen on the next version of it. The rationale tells you the rule that decides the question.

The safest sign that you are ready is a Solid band or better on two different mocks, on questions you have not seen, with no Client Needs area below about 60%. That is our practice rule, not NCSBN's: the only real result is the one your board sends.

Do NCLEX practice tests help you pass?

Yes, when every miss sends you back to the principle behind it. Memorizing answers does not work: the real exam asks the same principles about clients you have never met.

Failing the NCLEX-RN is expensive in more ways than the fee. You pay US$200 again (US$350 if you register from 1 February 2027), wait at least 45 days, apply for a new Authorization to Test, and in many states lose a graduate nurse permit or a job offer that was waiting on your licence. That is weeks of RN pay gone, on top of the retake.

Passing first time means the licence, the RN title and your first nursing salary on schedule. A practice test is the cheapest way to see, before your date, which questions would have cost you that. The step-by-step plan from your ATT to test day is in how to pass the NCLEX, and the scoring in plain words is on NCLEX passing score.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the real NCLEX-RN?

No. It is an NCLEX-RN-style practice test with original questions. The real exam is set by NCSBN and taken at a Pearson VUE center. LifeScore is not affiliated with NCSBN.

Is this practice test adaptive like the real NCLEX?

No. Everyone gets the same 85 questions, from easier to harder. The real exam is adaptive and stops between 85 and 150 items.

What percent do I need to pass the NCLEX?

There is no percent. The NCLEX-RN passes you if its estimate of your ability is above 0.00 logits with 95% confidence (or at the end of the exam). See NCLEX passing score for how that works.

Does this practice test include select-all-that-apply and NGN case studies?

No. Our questions are single-answer. We describe the NGN formats on the exam guide rather than imitating them, and our questions practice the same clinical judgment steps.

How long should I study for the NCLEX-RN?

Many graduates study for 4 to 8 weeks after graduation. Use a mock to find your weakest areas first, so the weeks go where they matter.

Do I have to pay?

The full mock and the eight area drills are free with no sign-up. The Pass Pack, with two more full mocks, four drills per area and every rationale, is a one-time payment.

Walk in knowing your weakest area is fixed

Three full NCLEX-RN-style mocks of 85 questions, four drills for each Client Needs area and a rationale for every answer, in one payment with no subscription.