NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) study guides

Pharmacology questions test medication classes, mechanisms, side effects, contraindications, and parenteral / IV calculations.

Pediatric items test growth and development milestones, immunisation schedules, infectious diseases, and family-centred care.

Psychosocial integrity covers therapeutic communication, crisis intervention, psychiatric diagnoses, abuse, and addictions.

Maternal-newborn covers prenatal care, labor stages, postpartum, newborn assessment (APGAR), and breastfeeding support.

Med-surg covers adult acute and chronic disease management — cardiac, respiratory, renal, GI, endocrine, neuro, and oncology.

Fundamentals covers basic nursing skills: vital signs, hygiene, positioning, skin integrity, infection control, and the nursing process.

Leadership covers RN-LPN-UAP delegation, supervision, conflict resolution, and patient-assignment prioritisation.

NGN (Next Generation NCLEX) items use case studies, bow-tie, matrix, and drag-and-drop formats to test clinical judgment across a 6-step model.

Safety and infection control covers fall risk, restraint use, error reporting, sterile technique, and hospital-acquired-infection prevention.

Health promotion covers screening, immunisation across the lifespan, lifestyle counseling, and developmental-stage care.

Reduction of risk covers diagnostic procedures, complication recognition, and abnormal-finding management across body systems.

Physiological adaptation covers the management of acute, chronic, and life-threatening conditions including ICU and emergency scenarios.

Basic care covers nutrition, elimination, mobility, sleep, complementary therapies, and end-of-life care.

Critical care covers ICU-level interventions: ventilator management, vasopressors, ICP monitoring, and ACLS protocols.

Oncology covers chemotherapy administration, radiation precautions, neutropenic protocols, and palliative-care transitions.

Cardiac assessment, dysrhythmia interpretation, ACS/MI care, heart-failure management, and post-cardiac-cath nursing are heavily tested under Physiological Adaptation.

Airway management, ABG interpretation, COPD/asthma management, pneumonia care, and chest tube nursing are core Physiological Adaptation content.

Diabetes (T1DM/T2DM, DKA, HHS), thyroid disorders, adrenal insufficiency, and SIADH/DI are core endocrine content tested under Physiological Adaptation.

AKI/CKD, dialysis nursing, urinary catheter care, BPH, and electrolyte management are renal/GU content tested under Physiological Adaptation and Reduction of Risk.

GI bleeding, IBD, cirrhosis (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy), pancreatitis, and bowel obstruction are core GI/hepatic content tested under Physiological Adaptation.

Stroke (ischemic vs. hemorrhagic), seizure management, increased ICP, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury are core neuro content under Physiological Adaptation.

Fracture care, traction nursing, post-op joint replacement, compartment syndrome, and osteoporosis are core MSK content tested under Reduction of Risk and Physiological Adaptation.

Sepsis recognition, fever workup, isolation precautions (standard, contact, droplet, airborne), and antibiotic stewardship are heavily tested under Safety/Infection Control.

Polypharmacy, fall prevention, delirium vs. dementia, end-of-life care, and Beers Criteria medication safety are core geriatric content tested under Health Promotion and Safety.

Scope of practice, delegation, informed consent, mandatory reporting, ethical principles, and HIPAA are core content tested under Management of Care.