The Complete Guide to NCLEX Flashcards
The NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is administered by the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing) and uses Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) to evaluate nursing competency. Whether you are preparing for the NCLEX-RN (registered nurse) or NCLEX-PN (practical/vocational nurse), strategic flashcard use can significantly improve your chances of passing on the first attempt.
Understanding the NCLEX Test Plan
The NCLEX is organized around four Client Needs categories, each with specific percentage weights. Your flashcards should reflect this distribution:
- Safe and Effective Care Environment (21-27%): Management of care, safety and infection control, delegation, legal/ethical issues
- Health Promotion and Maintenance (6-12%): Growth and development, prevention, screening, lifestyle choices
- Psychosocial Integrity (6-12%): Mental health, therapeutic communication, coping, crisis intervention
- Physiological Integrity (60-69%): Basic care, pharmacology, risk reduction, physiological adaptation
NCLEX-RN vs. NCLEX-PN: Key Differences
While both exams test nursing knowledge, the NCLEX-RN includes more questions on delegation, supervision, and complex clinical judgment. RN candidates must demonstrate ability to manage care for multiple patients and supervise LPNs/LVNs. Create flashcards that address these scope-of-practice distinctions.
Creating Effective NCLEX Flashcards
NCLEX tests application, not just recall. Your flashcards should emphasize clinical reasoning:
Priority card: "Which patient should the nurse see first?" → Include rationale using ABCs, Maslow's, acute vs. chronic
Pharmacology card: "Nursing implications for metoprolol" → Assessment before administration, patient teaching, adverse effects to monitor
Clinical judgment card: "Client with chest pain—priority nursing actions" → Assessment findings to look for, interventions in order, when to notify provider
Organizing Your NCLEX Flashcard Deck
- Pharmacology: Drug classes, prototypes, nursing implications, patient teaching (100-150 cards)
- Priority & Delegation: Which patient first, what can be delegated to UAP/LPN (80-100 cards)
- Lab Values: Normal ranges, critical values, nursing interventions (60-80 cards)
- Disease Processes: Pathophysiology, signs/symptoms, nursing care by body system (100-120 cards per major system)
- Special Populations: Pediatrics, maternity, mental health, geriatrics (80-100 cards each)
LectureScribe creates flashcards from your nursing school lectures, NCLEX review courses, and clinical experiences—capturing the specific content your program emphasizes while aligning with NCSBN test plan categories.