9 NCLEX Examination Writing Tips You Should Know In 2023
If you're preparing to take the NCLEX RN exam, it's natural to feel a bit overwhelmed. After all, this standardized test is designed to assess your knowledge, skills, and abilities as a nurse, and passing it is a requirement for licensure in the United States and Canada. However, the more you know about the NCLEX RN, the more confident you will feel when it comes time to take the exam.
In this blog, we will provide you with valuable NCLEX writing tips and strategies for the exam day to help you prepare for and succeed in the exam. Whether you are a first-time test-taker or a repeat test-taker, this blog will provide you with useful information to help you approach the exam with confidence and increase your chances of passing. So, let's get started!
Top 5 NCLEX Writing Tips
Here are some of the top NCLEX writing tips you should know:
1. Avoid ‘Reading Into the Question’
Answer the questions based on what is presented in the question and nothing more. Students tend to become subject to the “What if?” syndrome on the NCLEX RN exam, where they consider information beyond what is actually being asked. A great strategy to prevent this from happening to you is:
Identify strategic words or phrases in the question and focus on answering the question based on them. For example: most likely, increased, decreased, best, early, late, highest priority, most appropriate, and need for further teaching.
2. Identify Unexpected versus Expected Outcomes
Consider the question below as an example of how to identify unexpected versus expected outcomes in clients on your NCLEX registered nurse exam:
Which of the following symptoms observed by the nurse during the first 12 hours after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) requires immediate intervention?
a) Redness and pain at the insertion site
b) Pulse 70 beats per minute and blood pressure 115/83
c) Chest discomfort
d) Hemoglobin value of 116 g/L (16 g/dL)
This question is at the application level as it tests your ability to make safe judgments about client care. It requires you to know what is expected after a PCI and what is not.
Unexpected outcomes after a PCI include myocardial infarction (MI) as indicated by chest pain, ST segment elevation on ECG, and hemorrhagic shock as indicated by increased pulse and decreased blood pressure.
Option a), b), and d) do not indicate unexpected outcomes of PCI or suggest MI or hemorrhagic shock, whereas option c) indicates an unexpected outcome. Chest discomfort can lead to chest pain, which the nurse should recognize as a symptom of MI.
3. Establish Your Highest Priority Action
Students struggle with prioritization questions on the NCLEX RN exam because all question options may be correct, but you need to identify the correct order of nursing actions or which has the highest priority.
Here are two great NCLEX writing tips and strategies to help you answer prioritization questions more effectively on the NCLEX exam:
Remember your ABCs! Airway, Breathing, and Circulation - if an option addresses a potential airway concern, this takes priority over a circulatory issue!
When in doubt, recall Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs - physiological problems need to be attended to first before psychological ones.
4. Tackling Negative Event Query Questions
You may or may not have heard the term “Negative event query” before, but you have seen these types of questions in your nursing school exams. These questions ask you to determine and select the answer that is incorrect with the presented information in the question. These are usually used when the nurse is required to evaluate the effectiveness of health teaching, medication, or treatment.
These questions are one of the most difficult for students. It’s among the top NCLEX tips to make sure you read the question in its entirety and focus on the phrase being presented in the question.
Common phrases in negative event queries include: Least likely, least priority, need for follow-up, has not met the outcome criteria, and has not been met.
5. Eliminate Comparable or Alike Options
Answer options on the NCLEX exam can have similar or the same meanings, i.e. tremors and hyperactive reflexes, which are two options available; but these are the same thing, so neither can be the correct answer.
As one of the best NCLEX testing strategies, if you don’t recognize a symptom or client condition, do not click on that as the correct answer option. Always use your knowledge, skill, and judgment first, and when these are lacking, use common sense next!
Tips for Exam Day
Nervous about the exam day? We’re here to help! Here are some important NCLEX strategies points to help you know more and prepare for the NCLEX NGN exam.
1. Don’t Worry About Memorizing Everything for Your NCLEX
It's one of the most important NCLEX test taking strategies to recognize that you will never know everything or retain all the details when it comes to the NCLEX RN exam, and that's okay. While knowing the content of the exam is certainly important, it's just as important to prepare yourself for how to write the exam.
Be prepared to write the maximum amount of questions for five hours (maximum time allowed). The exam gives you anywhere from 85 to 150 questions. Do not be discouraged if the exam goes past 85 questions; stay focused on what the question is asking you. Students can pass by answering the maximum amount of questions.
2. Keep Calm & You’ll Get More Questions Correct
Here is one of the other great tips to pass NCLEX. Once you start the test, read through each question carefully, consider what goes through your mind right away, then afterward, take a look at the answers. If the question is multiple choice, try your best to narrow it down to two options and decide between them based on your knowledge of the concept and common sense.
If the question is a select all that apply (SATA), treat every answer as a true/ false statement. On the NCLEX RN exam, one or all options could be correct for SATA questions. The most common mistake on SATA questions is students picking one additional incorrect answer. Be confident in your answers, and do not select an extra option unless you are sure (or pretty sure) it is correct.
3. Practice with quizzes
Utilize practice exams and review the rationales for both correct and incorrect answers. This will help you identify areas of weakness and reinforce your understanding of key concepts. By taking practice exams, you can simulate the experience of a real exam and assess your level of preparedness.
4. Manage your time
Time management is crucial during the nursing license exam. It's important to practice answering questions within the allotted time frame to ensure that you can effectively manage your time during the actual exam.
To implement this tip, you can do the following:
Use a timer to simulate the actual exam environment and challenge yourself to complete each question within the allotted time.
Keep track of your time while practicing. Monitor how much time you spend on each question and compare it to the time limit specified in the actual exam. This will help you gauge your pacing and make adjustments as needed.
Prioritize questions strategically. If you encounter a difficult question, don't spend too much time on it. Mark it for review and move on to the next question. This will ensure that you have enough time to answer all questions and come back to the marked questions later if time permits.
Practice managing breaks. The NCLEX exam allows for breaks during the test, so practice taking short breaks during your practice exams to simulate the real exam conditions. Use this time to relax, take deep breaths, and refocus.
By practicing time management during your exam preparation, you will develop a sense of timing and be better equipped to manage your time effectively during the actual NCLEX exam, which can help reduce stress and improve your overall performance.
What is the NGN, and how is it different from the previous NCLEX?
The NGN will test the writer's clinical judgment and critical decision-making through the use of case studies that mimic the real-world nursing environment in a variety of healthcare settings. Similar to the previous NCLEX exam, this exam will be conducted via a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) in which the questions adapt to the writer's proficiency.
The NGN will have a minimum of 85 questions and a maximum of 150, with the total test time remaining at 5 hours. There will be 15 unscored items in the first 85 questions, and these can be a combination of standalone and case study items. The first 70 graded questions include 3 case studies with 6 questions attached and 52 standalone items. Students that receive more than 85 questions will be tested on standalone items only. 10% will be NGN standalone question types to test clinical judgment, and 90% will be to test knowledge items and client needs, using the previous question types, such as multiple choice and selecting all that apply.
The NGN exam is unlike any other exam you have taken in nursing school. Why? Because the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has created a Clinical Judgement Measurement Model that involves applying a variety of cognitive skills, including recognizing cues, analyzing cues, prioritizing hypotheses, generating solutions, taking action, and evaluating outcomes.
This chart describes each of these cognitive skills and uses an example to promote your understanding of how to best tackle exam questions:
Don’t worry about memorizing them; here at Smart’n, we have your back. Our different NGN case study types test all 6 clinical skills that you’ll see on test day!
What are the different question types on the NGN Exam?
There are different types of questions on the NGN exam, and knowing them can help you pass your exam easier. Here are the two different types:
1. Standalone Case Studies
Here’s a snapshot of a standalone case study from Smart’n:
In this question, the clinical information about the client is presented at the beginning and goes unchanged throughout the duration of the 6 questions.
Bow-tie questions
Bow-tie questions are a type of standalone question common on the NGN.
Here is a bow-tie question from Smart’n:
2. Unfolding Case Studies
Unfolding case studies reveal new information as the writer proceeds through the questions
The writer must adapt to the changing scenario and keep in mind the pertinent details required to answer the question correctly.
Here’s a snapshot of an unfolding case study on Smart’n:
How should I prepare for the NGN exam?
The best way to prepare for the NGN exam is to do lots of practice questions! 1.5-2 months of structured studying is plenty of time to achieve success on the NCLEX exam!
Don’t know where to start? At Smart’n, we offer personalized quizzes to help you feel prepared for test day. The more questions you do on Smart’n, the more our AI can suggest topics and generate personalized quizzes to target your focus areas.
We suggest starting with the typical NCLEX-style questions. When you feel prepared and ready for the NGN challenge, practice our NGN case studies on every topic.
We created this 2 month's NCLEX study calendar for you to organize your studying, but don’t worry if you get off track! Smart’n has the technology to track your progress as you proceed through our high-quality NCLEX-style questions and create specific quizzes to help you succeed on test day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, staying up-to-date with the latest NCLEX writing tips is crucial for nursing students in 2023. With the ever-evolving nature of the NCLEX exam, being prepared with the right strategies is essential for success. By practicing the NCLEX writing tips mentioned in this blog, nursing students can improve their chances of passing the exam and obtaining their nursing license.
FAQs
1. Is the NCLEX changing in 2023?
The NCLEX exam has officially changed in the form of questions and scoring methods as of April 1st, 2023.
2. What is the maximum questions for the NCLEX 2023?
The maximum number of questions for the NCLEX is 150.
3. How to prepare for new NCLEX 2023?
Review the latest NCLEX test plan.
Use reputable study materials.
Create a study schedule.
Focus on weak areas.
Practice time management.
Utilize NCLEX-style questions.
Review rationales.
Take breaks and practice self-care.
Seek support.
Stay confident and positive.
