Free NCLEX Exam Syllabus Resources

Question types

Most of the questions of the NCLEX exam are worded multiple choice questions. In recent years, however, the Boards of Nursing have added broader questions that don't involve multiple choice. For example, some questions:

• Require identifying and selecting a particular area of a drawn body-part pertaining to the question
• Involve selecting multiple correct answers (via check boxes)
• Calculating an answer for a mathematical question (usually for medication dosages) and inputting the answer
• Arranging according to order a certain medical or nursing procedure (e.g. how to don sterile gloves, or how to do a guaiac test)
• Candidates will also encounter fill in the blank questions. Besides multiple choice, these are what are known as "New Format Questions".