Next Generation NCLEX Case Studies: How They Work
5 min read · Updated
Since April 2023 the NCLEX-RN has included three unfolding case studies of six questions each. Each case shows a client record that updates as time passes, and its questions follow the steps of clinical judgment from noticing a problem to checking whether your care worked.
The six steps
| Step | What the question asks you to do |
|---|---|
| Recognize cues | Pick out the findings in the record that matter |
| Analyze cues | Link the findings to the conditions they suggest |
| Prioritize hypotheses | Decide which problem is most urgent or most likely |
| Generate solutions | Choose the outcomes and interventions that fit |
| Take action | Decide what to do first or which prescriptions to carry out |
| Evaluate outcomes | Judge from new data whether the client is improving |
How to work through a case
- Read the whole record before the first question, and note the time stamps.
- Re-read the record at each question: new vital signs or notes often appear as the case moves on.
- Answer each question from the data in front of you, not from what you assume happened next.
Three cases in every exam
Each of our full-length exams ends with three unfolding case studies, with the client record beside every question.