What's on the NCLEX-RN Exam?
The NCLEX examination is designed to test virtually every aspect of patient care that a new nurse will face. In other words, it covers all of nursing school, if not more. Some questions are very specific and technical like the choosing the name of an anatomical location or calculating a drug dosage. Other questions test your knowledge of the processes of nursing, such as what the nurse should do in a certain scenario. This second type are usually not as clear cut and may require more thought.
According to the NCBSN, the NCLEX determines if the nursing student has four things:
Nursing Process - which is the medical technicalities of caring for a patient, basically, how well you can identify what the patient's medical needs are and administer the appropriate treatment.
Caring - The psychological side of being a nurse - how well you can promote respect and trust between you and the patient. This also includes concepts such as hope, compassion, and encouragement.
Communication and Documentation - How well you can communicate with the patient (verbal and nonverbal), the patient's family, and your medical colleagues. Also tests your ability to properly document the patient's info as required of a nurse.
Teaching/Learning - Your ability to teach the patient or patient's family the skills necessary to improve the patient's quality of life.
