Today, the NCLEX-RN licensure exam focuses more on testing clinical judgment and decision-making skills than on the rote memorization of nursing concepts. The Next Gen NCLEX also includes new types of questions and challenges test takers to understand the “why” behind nursing concepts.
Every aspiring nurse must pass the NCLEX-RN to obtain a registered nurse (RN) license. This licensure exam is designed to assess whether a candidate possesses the knowledge, skills, and clinical judgment needed to practice as an entry-level nurse. Questions are formulated to evaluate a candidate’s skill in applying nursing concepts, analyzing patient information, and using clinical judgment. These criteria are reflected in the Next Generation NCLEX (Next Gen NCLEX or NGN), a format change for the exam introduced in 2023 that emphasizes practice-ready skills.
At Concordia University, St. Paul, we provide a comprehensive curriculum and thorough NCLEX prep to help our students succeed on the Next Gen NCLEX. Our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program can help you to fast-track your nursing education. You can graduate in as few as 16 months and take the NCLEX soon thereafter to become a practice-ready nurse.
Although the NCLEX might seem far away when you’re just getting started with nursing school, it’s never too early to begin preparing for the test. First, learn how the test is structured and the types of questions you can expect. Then, start using actionable strategies to prepare for your test date.
What Is the Next Gen NCLEX?
The NCLEX tests your nursing knowledge and ability to perform nursing duties competently. Because of this, it contains diverse content covering the subjects you studied in nursing school. The NCLEX requires nurse candidates to demonstrate extensive nursing knowledge and clinical judgment.
Discover the nursing qualifications and qualities you’ll need to succeed at CSP Global.
How the NCLEX-RN Is Structured
The NGN includes questions across a wide range of nursing topics. The main categories are:
- Safe and Effective Care Environment
- Health Promotion and Maintenance
- Psychosocial Integrity
- Physiological Integrity
- Pharmacology and Parenteral Therapies
Within these categories, there are many topics you could be tested on, including patient communication, pharmacology, emergency procedures, and infection control. You might be tested on triage, medication safety, and the interpretation of patient data, including data in lab reports.
Types of Questions You’ll See on the NCLEX
In addition to traditional multiple-choice, ordered response, and fill-in-the-blank questions, students taking the NCLEX-RN will answer case study, matrix, hot spot, bow-tie questions, and more. These question formats are intuitive and better reflect a comprehensive spectrum of nursing knowledge.
In addition to traditional multiple-choice, ordered response, and fill-in-the-blank questions, students taking the NCLEX-RN will answer case study, matrix, hot spot, bow-tie questions, and more. These question formats are intuitive and better reflect a comprehensive spectrum of nursing knowledge.
Practice answering the following types of questions as you study for the NCLEX-RN:
- Extended drag-and-drop items: You will need to pair items from two columns.
- Cloze items: These drop-down items present a case study and then ask for responses on the appropriate care decisions
- Matrix grid items: You’ll be presented with patient data and a case study, and you’ll need to make nursing judgments about the findings. You’ll check off the appropriate boxes in a matrix.
- Enhanced hot spot items: You’ll receive patient data and a scenario. You’ll highlight specific text within the scenario to answer questions.
- Bow tie items: You’ll drag and drop answers into a bow tie diagram. Based on a patient scenario, your answers will reflect the potential condition, two nursing actions, and two parameters that require monitoring.
How Clinical Judgment Is Tested
The NCLEX-RN is built to focus on nurse candidates’ ability to think critically, analyze patient care situations, and identify the most appropriate nursing response. The intention behind testing clinical judgment is to reduce medical errors, thereby improving patient care and safety.
To accomplish this, the researchers at the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) developed a Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM) to provide a foundation for measuring clinical judgment and decision-making. To accomplish this, the researchers evaluated existing literature in nursing, psychological assessments, nursing pedagogy, and cognitive psychology. They also analyzed data from over 200,000 NCLEX candidates and interviewed nursing experts.
The result is the NCJMM, which offers a framework for the cognitive aspects of nursing decisions. The NCJMM aligns with the established nursing process, which guides nurses from recognizing patient cues during an assessment through taking action and evaluating the outcome. The questions and answers of the NCLEX use the NCJMM as a basis for testing clinical judgment and decision-making skills.
Try some actionable strategies to prepare for nursing school.
How to Prepare for the NCLEX
Whether you are just beginning your nursing journey or are well on your way, there is no better time than the present to begin studying for the NCLEX-RN. High quality nursing education programs begin preparing students in their very first nursing courses and continue throughout the entire curriculum.
Start Early
The NCLEX-RN is a high-stakes test and the culmination of years of work. Regardless of where you are in your nursing journey, it is never too early to start thinking about the exam. You also don’t need to wait until you’re further in the program to study. You can begin to familiarize yourself with question formats from the very beginning.
Create a Study Plan
You can create a study plan for the NCLEX-RN as soon as you start the ABSN program at CSP Global. At CSP Global, your courses have NCLEX-RN study materials and assessments built into nursing courses. You will be able to use artificial intelligence (AI) to develop practice questions and flashcards. Adaptive quizzing can also be used to refine your knowledge of the content you can expect to see on the licensure exam. Students who engage regularly in the tutorials, videos, quizzes, and practice assessments have a higher likelihood of passing the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt.
CSP Global also has proctored assessments that measure the student’s likelihood of passing the NCLEX-RN in that content area. After these assessments, students receive a list of topics in which they need to remediate and can complete focused reviews of those areas.
Become Familiar With the Test Format
It is a good idea to become familiar with the test format and question types. CSP Global has built their course nursing exams to reflect the same types of questions that are on the NCLEX-RN. This ensures students have a lot of practice answering different question types before sitting for the NCLEX-RN.
Focus on the “Why”
At CSP Global, we prepare you for success in the program and beyond. Our ABSN coursework, labs, and clinical learning experiences are designed to give you the tools to succeed academically and in practical nursing applications. The NCLEX tests these factors, so choosing a high-quality nursing program is vital to building the proper foundation for learning and studying.
Although you will need to memorize plenty of information, it’s even more important to understand the concepts behind the data. Look for relevant case studies to deepen your understanding of clinical concepts. If you’re struggling to understand the “why” in any particular clinical situation, reach out to your nursing instructors for help. Remember, nurses care for individual patients and their families and the circumstances for each are unique. Nurses have to integrate knowledge from multiple content areas to assess and formulate care plans. This means what you learn has to be applied and individualized which requires more than memorization of discreet facts.
Use Smart Test-Taking Tips
It can be helpful to review some strategies for taking the NCLEX-RN. Consider the following:
- Read the stem of the question very carefully to understand what the question is really asking.
- Never choose an answer that indicates the patient doesn’t need a nursing response. In other words, never avoid taking any action.
- Always choose to assess the patient rather than immediately calling for a physician.
- Always choose the ABCs. If you’re asked about your priorities in patient care, Airway, Breathing, and Circulation always come first.
- Expect to answer each question within one minute unless it requires dosage calculation.
Prepare for the NCLEX With CSP Global
At Concordia University, St. Paul, we prepare you for success in the program and beyond. Our ABSN coursework, labs, and clinical learning experiences are designed to give you the tools to succeed academically and in practical nursing applications. The NCLEX tests these factors, so choosing a high-quality nursing program is vital to building the proper foundation for learning and studying.
CSP Global ABSN pass rates are higher than the national average, with 2025 St. Paul campus graduates earning an 86.9% pass rate and Portland campus students earning an 92% pass rate. Our consistently high NCLEX pass rates are due to many factors, including our comprehensive curriculum, NCLEX prep resources, supportive faculty, and focus on practical training.
Contact an admissions advisor at CSP Global today and start working toward your future in nursing.