Practical Nursing Complete NCLEX Question Bank 2026

Free preview · Original latest version

Sample questions from Practical Nursing Complete NCLEX Question Bank 2026

This material has 90 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.A practical nurse is caring for four clients. Which finding should the nurse report to the RN immediately?

   • A.A client with heart failure who has new crackles and increasing shortness of breath
   • B.A client with osteoarthritis who requests a warm blanket
   • C.A client with diabetes whose premeal glucose is 148 mg/dL
   • D.A client 2 days after surgery who reports pain of 4 on a 0-to-10 scale

   Rationale: New crackles and worsening shortness of breath may indicate acute fluid overload and require prompt reporting. The other findings are not immediate emergencies and can be addressed through routine care or monitoring. The exam takeaway is to prioritize new, potentially life-threatening changes over stable comfort needs.

2. 2.A client with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis is admitted to the unit. Which action should the practical nurse take?

   • A.Place the client in a negative-pressure room and wear a fit-tested respirator
   • B.Place the client in a private room and wear a surgical mask
   • C.Use contact precautions and wear gloves for all client contact
   • D.Keep the client in a room with the door open for frequent observation

   Rationale: Tuberculosis requires airborne precautions, including a negative-pressure room and a fit-tested respirator. A surgical mask and private room alone do not provide adequate airborne protection, and contact precautions are not the primary transmission-based precautions. The exam takeaway is to match isolation measures to the route of transmission.

3. 3.A practical nurse prepares to administer digoxin to an adult client. The apical pulse is 54 beats/min. What should the nurse do?

   • A.Hold the medication and report the pulse to the RN
   • B.Give the medication with food to reduce nausea
   • C.Recheck the pulse after the medication is given
   • D.Ask the client to walk, then measure the pulse again

   Rationale: A slow apical pulse may signal a risk of digoxin-related bradycardia, so the nurse should hold the dose and promptly report the finding according to agency policy. Giving the dose or checking the pulse afterward could expose the client to harm. Walking the client is not an appropriate way to reassess a low pulse.

4. 4.A client with diabetes is awake, diaphoretic, and shaky; the blood glucose is 58 mg/dL. The client can swallow safely. Which action is appropriate?

   • A.Give 15 g of a fast-acting oral carbohydrate and recheck the glucose in about 15 minutes
   • B.Give the scheduled rapid-acting insulin and recheck the glucose in 1 hour
   • C.Offer a high-fat snack and wait 30 minutes before checking the glucose
   • D.Withhold all food and report the result at the end of the shift

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.A client who had a stroke coughs and develops a wet-sounding voice while drinking water. What should the practical nurse do first?

   • A.Stop the oral intake and report the finding to the RN
   • B.Offer smaller sips through a straw
   • C.Encourage the client to drink more slowly
   • D.Place the client flat to rest between sips

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.