NCLEX-PN practice test

NCLEX-PN Basic Care and Comfort Practice Test

Mobility, elimination, nutrition, hygiene, sleep and pressure injury care. Here are 8 NCLEX-PN basic care and comfort questions, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-14 by the Tigertest team. Based on the NCSBN 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan Client Needs categories. Original questions, not affiliated with NCSBN.

1. 1.

   The PN provides perineal care for a female client. Which action is correct?

   • A.

     Wipe from the rectal area toward the pubic area with firm strokes

   • B.

     Use the same part of the washcloth for each stroke to save linen

   • C.

     Cleanse from front to back with a clean area of the cloth

   • D.

     Use very hot water to kill the bacteria on the skin

   Answer: C.

   Washing from front to back with a fresh area of the cloth for each stroke keeps rectal bacteria away from the urethra. Hot water burns delicate skin, and reusing the same cloth surface moves organisms around.

2. 2.

   The PN observes a client with weakness in the left leg walking with a standard walker. Which observation shows correct technique?

   • A.

     Moves the walker, then steps in with the weaker leg

   • B.

     Lifts the walker off the floor to turn around in the hall

   • C.

     Leans the trunk forward over the walker while walking

   • D.

     Steps the stronger leg forward before moving the walker

   Answer: A.

   The walker is moved forward first, then the weaker leg steps into it so the arms share that leg's load, and the stronger leg follows. Leaning over the walker or leading with the strong leg leaves the weak leg unsupported, and the walker should stay on the floor while turning in small steps.

3. 3.

   While bathing a client, the PN finds a shallow open area over the coccyx with a pink-red, moist wound bed and no slough or bruising. Which stage should the PN report to the RN?

   • A.

     Stage 1

   • B.

     Stage 2

   • C.

     Stage 3

   • D.

     Unstageable

   Answer: B.

   A shallow open wound with a pink-red bed and no slough is a stage 2 pressure injury (partial-thickness skin loss). Stage 1 skin is intact, stage 3 shows fat in the wound bed, and unstageable means slough or eschar hides the base.

4. 4.

   A client is 1 day after a total hip replacement through a posterior approach. Which position should the PN maintain?

   • A.

     Hips flexed past 90 degrees for comfort

   • B.

     Operative leg crossed over the other leg

   • C.

     Legs separated with an abduction pillow

   • D.

     Lying on the operative side

   Answer: C.

   After a posterior approach, the legs are kept abducted with a wedge pillow and the hip is not flexed beyond 90 degrees, crossed or turned inward, because those positions can dislocate the new joint. Lying on the operative side is avoided in the early days.

5. 5.

   The PN provides mouth care to an unconscious client. Which action is correct?

   • A.

     Rinse the mouth with a large amount of water and let it drain

   • B.

     Sit the client straight up at 90 degrees for the procedure

   • C.

     Use lemon and glycerin swabs to moisten the dry mucosa

   • D.

     Turn the client to the side with the head turned toward the PN

   Answer: D.

   A side-lying position with the head turned lets fluid drain out of the mouth instead of into the airway, and only small amounts of fluid are used with suction nearby. Lemon-glycerin swabs dry and irritate the mucosa, and an unconscious client cannot be safely propped straight up for oral care.

6. 6.

   A client with chronic kidney disease is on a potassium-restricted diet. Which lunch choice shows the client understands the reinforced teaching?

   • A.

     Apple slices and white rice

   • B.

     Baked potato with the skin on

   • C.

     Orange juice and a sliced banana

   • D.

     Tomato soup with cooked spinach

   Answer: A.

   Apples and white rice are low in potassium. Potatoes with skin, oranges, bananas, tomatoes and spinach are all high-potassium foods that a client with kidney disease must limit.

7. 7.

   A newly admitted long-term care resident tells the PN, "I just can't fall asleep here." Which action should the PN take first?

   • A.

     Request a prescription for a sleeping pill from the provider

   • B.

     Ask about the resident's bedtime routine at home

   • C.

     Encourage a long nap after lunch to make up the lost sleep

   • D.

     Serve the evening meal right before bed so she is full

   Answer: B.

   The PN collects data first: learning the resident's usual routine (bedtime, snack, lighting, prayer, reading) lets the team recreate it, which is the safest sleep aid for an older adult. Sedatives raise fall risk, daytime naps and a late heavy meal make nighttime sleep worse.

8. 8.

   A client with chronic low back pain asks the PN about using a heating pad at home. Which instruction should the PN reinforce?

   • A.

     Place the heating pad directly on bare skin

   • B.

     Use the highest setting for faster relief

   • C.

     Leave the heat on all night while sleeping

   • D.

     Limit each application to about 20 minutes

   Answer: D.

   Heat is applied over a cloth layer on a low to medium setting for about 20 minutes at a time; longer or hotter applications cause burns and rebound vasoconstriction. Falling asleep on a heating pad is a common cause of burns in older adults.