Free NCLEX-PN®
practice questions.

Free practice set · 3 questions

3 more free NCLEX-PN® practice questions

Real questions from the same bank the app serves. Pick an answer in your head, then open the rationale to see why the correct option holds and why each other option falls short. No account needed for these.

1. Question 1 of 3 · Mental Health & Psychosocial Care

   A 32-year-old woman is recovering on the medical-surgical unit after an emergency hysterectomy performed following a life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage. She is alert and oriented, but the LPN notes a flat affect, minimal eye contact, and slowed speech. When the LPN enters the room, the client states, "I don't know how I'll cope without being able to have more children. I used to talk things through with my sister when I was upset, but I haven't called her since surgery." The client's spouse is present and speaks for her in most exchanges. There are no reported hearing, language, or literacy barriers. Which response by the LPN is most appropriate?

   1. A"It sounds like this loss is really weighing on you. Would you like help reaching out to your sister?"
   2. B"Let's focus on your incision care for now; we can talk feelings another time."
   3. C"I'll let your husband know how you're feeling so he can help you through this."
   4. D"Try not to worry, many women feel this way at first but you'll adjust just fine."
   Show the answer and rationale

   Correct answer: A. "It sounds like this loss is really weighing on you. Would you like help reaching out to your sister?"

   Her words identify both the loss and its emotional impact, while her history points to a support resource she has used. Therapeutic communication means listening to and acknowledging what the client says, then keeping her actively involved as she considers what might help. Attending to the sister she named provides a client-led direction for that conversation and respects her voice, particularly while her spouse is speaking for her.

   A. "It sounds like this loss is really weighing on you. Would you like help reaching out to your sister?"

   Satisfies the "use therapeutic communication" rule by reflecting and validating feelings, and the "reinforce effective coping strategies" rule by supporting reconnection with her sister, a prior effective coping resource.

   B. "Let's focus on your incision care for now; we can talk feelings another time."

   Violates the therapeutic-communication rule by dismissing the disclosed grief over lost fertility and redirecting to a task, blocking emotional expression.

   C. "I'll let your husband know how you're feeling so he can help you through this."

   Violates the reinforce-coping rule by handing the psychosocial responsibility to the spouse instead of the nurse directly engaging and supporting the client.

   D. "Try not to worry, many women feel this way at first but you'll adjust just fine."

   Violates the therapeutic-communication rule by offering false reassurance and a cliché instead of acknowledging the client's actual feelings about infertility.

2. Question 2 of 3 · Mobility, Injury & Orthopedic Care

   A 32-year-old woman on the medical-surgical unit has a nasogastric feeding tube placed 2 days ago for nutritional support after bowel surgery. Documentation confirms tube position was verified by x-ray. The LPN notes a Braden Scale score of 14, mild redness at the nares from the tube, and slight moisture at the sacrum from occasional incontinence. Vital signs are temperature 37.1°C, heart rate 82/min, respirations 18/min, blood pressure 118/72 mmHg. The client is due for her next intermittent tube feeding of 240 mL formula. The head of the bed is currently at 15 degrees. What should the LPN do before administering the scheduled feeding?

   1. ABegin the feeding as scheduled since placement was already confirmed by x-ray earlier.
   2. BRaise the head of the bed to at least 30-45 degrees and check gastric residual volume before feeding.
   3. CChange the feeding rate to reduce sacral moisture without contacting the registered nurse.
   4. DLeave the client positioned as is and reposition her after the feeding is complete instead.
   Show the answer and rationale

   Correct answer: B. Raise the head of the bed to at least 30-45 degrees and check gastric residual volume before feeding.

   Before each intermittent enteral feeding, the nurse elevates the head of the bed to at least 30-45 degrees and reverifies tube placement and residual volume per policy, since a prior x-ray confirms initial placement but does not guarantee the tube has not migrated over subsequent days. This follows the "verify tube placement before enteral feeding" rule and supports the "reposition and offload to protect skin" rule by ensuring safe positioning during care. Relying solely on the earlier x-ray without rechecking placement and residual immediately before this feeding is unsafe and increases aspiration risk with the bed only at 15 degrees. A Braden score of 14 indicates at-risk skin requiring a scheduled turning and offloading routine. Deferring repositioning until after feeding delays pressure injury prevention. Independently altering the feeding rate to manage moisture exceeds LPN scope. Formula rate changes require an RN/provider order, and skin moisture should instead be managed with routine hygiene and reported findings, not unilateral rate adjustment. HOB elevation and pre-feeding verification prevent aspiration, and scheduled repositioning with clean, dry skin protects tissue integrity. Any new findings should be reported to the RN rather than acted on independently.

   A. Begin the feeding as scheduled since placement was already confirmed by x-ray earlier.

   Violates the verification rule by expanding the "feed without verifying tube placement" error pattern; feeding without rechecking placement/residual or with the HOB too low risks aspiration.

   B. Raise the head of the bed to at least 30-45 degrees and check gastric residual volume before feeding.

   Satisfies the "verify tube placement before enteral feeding" rule by rechecking placement/residual and elevating the HOB to the standard 30-45 degrees before feeding, reducing aspiration risk.

   C. Change the feeding rate to reduce sacral moisture without contacting the registered nurse.

   Violates LPN scope by expanding the "exceed LPN scope with orders or unassigned tasks" error pattern; adjusting feeding rate independently is outside scope and bypasses required RN/provider involvement.

   D. Leave the client positioned as is and reposition her after the feeding is complete instead.

   Violates the "reposition and offload to protect skin" rule by expanding the "skip repositioning or fail to report breakdown" error pattern; an at-risk Braden score requires scheduled offloading, not deferral.

3. Question 3 of 3 · GI Disorders & Nutrition Support

   A 32-year-old woman recovering from a traumatic brain injury is on the rehabilitation unit with a percutaneous gastrostomy tube placed 3 weeks ago for nutrition support. Her continuous feeding order is 65 mL/hr of a standard formula. Braden score is 14, and the LPN notes a reddened area over her sacrum that blanches with pressure; skin is intact but slightly moist. Vital signs: temperature 37.4°C, heart rate 88/min, respirations 18/min, blood pressure 118/72 mmHg. The head of the bed is currently at 15 degrees, and the client has been lying supine for several hours. It is time for the scheduled feeding assessment and the client's turning schedule. Which action should the nurse take first?

   1. AIndependently change the client's feeding rate and activity order based on the skin finding.
   2. BContinue the feeding as ordered and document the sacral redness for the next shift to address.
   3. CBegin the scheduled feeding now and reposition the client after the infusion finishes.
   4. DVerify gastrostomy tube placement and residual, then elevate the head of bed before continuing the feeding.
   Show the answer and rationale

   Correct answer: D. Verify gastrostomy tube placement and residual, then elevate the head of bed before continuing the feeding.

   Before initiating or continuing an enteral feeding, the nurse must verify tube placement and check residual volume per policy, and maintain head-of-bed elevation (at least 30 degrees) to reduce aspiration risk. This client's HOB is only at 15 degrees, an unsafe angle. The nurse must also follow the reposition-to-protect-skin rule, since a Braden score of 14 with existing blanchable redness signals high risk requiring scheduled offloading and skin protection measures. Beginning or continuing feeding without correcting the flat HOB and deferring repositioning violates both the aspiration-precaution rule and the missed-repositioning rule. Continuing routine care while withholding a report of a new skin change is also unsafe; blanchable redness in an at-risk client should prompt reporting to the RN, not deferral. Independently changing a feeding rate or activity order exceeds LPN/VN scope; such changes require RN or provider input, not autonomous nursing action. The safe approach is to verify placement and residual and correct positioning before feeding, while also prompting appropriate reporting and repositioning per schedule.

   A. Independently change the client's feeding rate and activity order based on the skin finding.

   Violates LPN scope of practice by independently altering feeding rate/activity orders instead of notifying the RN or provider; expands the "exceed LPN scope with orders or unassigned tasks" error pattern.

   B. Continue the feeding as ordered and document the sacral redness for the next shift to address.

   Violates the "reposition and offload to protect skin" rule and the reporting expectation by delaying report of new breakdown and skipping timely repositioning; expands the "continue routine care instead of reporting a change" error pattern.

   C. Begin the scheduled feeding now and reposition the client after the infusion finishes.

   Violates the "verify tube placement before enteral feeding" rule by continuing feeding with an unsafe flat HOB and deferring verification, risking aspiration; expands the "feed without verifying tube placement" error pattern.

   D. Verify gastrostomy tube placement and residual, then elevate the head of bed before continuing the feeding.

   Satisfies the "verify tube placement before enteral feeding" rule by verifying placement/residual and correcting HOB elevation to reduce aspiration risk before continuing the feeding, per standard protocol.