★ NCLEX-RN Test Plan
Your Study Map
Everything on the exam sorts into 4 Client Needs Categories and 8 subcategories. Use this map to see exactly where each topic, drug class, and skill belongs.
Safe Care
26–38%
Health Promo
6–12%
Psychosocial
6–12%
Physiological
39–63%
1
Safe and Effective Care Environment
A. Management of Care
17–23%Leadership & Delegation
RN/RPN/LPN/UAP roles · Assignment · Supervision
Prioritization
ABCs · Maslow · Stable vs unstable · Acute vs chronic
Ethical & Legal Issues
Consent · Advance directives · Organ donation · HIPAA
Care Coordination
Referrals · Case management · Discharge planning
Advocacy
Patient advocacy · Incident reporting · Chain of command
Quality Improvement
RCA · Sentinel events · Risk management
B. Safety and Infection Control
9–15%Infection Prevention
Hand hygiene · PPE · Isolation precautions
Isolation Types
Airborne · Droplet · Contact
Safety
Falls · Restraints · Seizure · Aspiration precautions
Emergency Prep
RACE · PASS · Disaster triage
Equipment Safety
Oxygen · Electrical · Infusion pumps
2
Health Promotion and Maintenance
6–12%Infants
Milestones · Reflexes
Toddlers
Safety · Nutrition
Preschoolers
Development
School Age
Cognitive development
Adolescents
Identity · Sexual development
Adults
Aging
Older Adults
Normal aging changes
Prenatal Care
Pregnancy changes · Screening · Nutrition
Labor & Delivery
Stages of labor · Fetal monitoring · OB emergencies
Postpartum Care
Maternal & newborn assessment
Health Screening
Vaccines · Cancer screening · Preventive care
3
Psychosocial Integrity
6–12%Mental Health Disorders
Anxiety · GAD · Panic · Depression/MDD · Bipolar · Schizophrenia
Crisis Intervention
Suicide precautions · Violence precautions · Grief & loss
Therapeutic Communication
Active listening · Reflection · Clarification
Substance Use Disorders
Alcohol withdrawal · Opioid withdrawal · Addiction
Stress Management
Coping mechanisms · Defense mechanisms
4
Physiological Integrity
A. Basic Care and Comfort
6–12%Mobility
Ambulation · ROM exercises · Positioning
Nutrition
Enteral feeding · TPN basics · Special diets
Elimination
Urinary catheters · Ostomies · Bowel management
Sleep, Rest & Hygiene
Skin care · Oral care
Pain Management
Acute · Chronic · Non-pharmacologic methods
B. Pharmacological & Parenteral Therapies
13–19%Medication Administration
Rights of administration · Dosage calculations
IV Therapy
Peripheral IVs · Central lines · PICC lines
Blood Products
Transfusions · Transfusion reactions
TPN
Administration & monitoring
Cardiac Drugs
ACE inhibitors · ARBs · Beta blockers · CCBs
Diuretics
Loop · Thiazide · Potassium-sparing
Anticoagulants
Heparin · Warfarin · DOACs
Insulins
Rapid · Short · Intermediate · Long acting
Psychiatric Meds
SSRIs · MAOIs · Antipsychotics
Respiratory Drugs
Bronchodilators · Corticosteroids · Antibiotics
C. Reduction of Risk Potential
9–15%Diagnostic Tests
ABGs · ECG · Cath · Stress tests · Endoscopy · Lumbar puncture
Lab Values — Electrolytes
Sodium · Potassium · Calcium · Magnesium
Lab Values — Other
CBC · Coagulation · Renal · Liver
Monitoring
Post-op complications · Compartment syndrome · Shock · Sepsis · Increased ICP
Procedures
Chest tubes · Traction · Dialysis · Mechanical ventilation
D. Physiological Adaptation
11–17%Cardiovascular
HTN · Heart failure · MI · Cardiogenic shock · Dysrhythmias · PVD
Respiratory
Asthma · COPD · Pneumonia · PE · ARDS · Respiratory failure
Neurological
Stroke · Seizures · Parkinson’s · MS · Increased ICP · SCI
Endocrine
Diabetes · DKA · HHS · Hyperthyroidism · Adrenal disorders
Renal
AKI · CKD · Nephrotic syndrome · Glomerulonephritis
Gastrointestinal
GERD · PUD · Pancreatitis · Cirrhosis · Hepatitis · IBD
Hematologic
Anemia · Sickle cell · DIC · Leukemia
Musculoskeletal
Fractures · Osteoporosis · Osteomyelitis · Arthritis · Amputations
Immune
HIV/AIDS · Autoimmune disorders · Transplant care
Integumentary
Burns · Pressure injuries · Skin cancer · Wound care
Fluid & Electrolyte
Hypo/hypernatremia · Hypo/hyperkalemia · Hypo/hypercalcemia · Hypo/hypermagnesemia
Acid-Base Balance
Metabolic/respiratory acidosis & alkalosis
High-Yield Topics
The 15 areas tested most frequently across the exam
01Prioritization (ABCs, Maslow, Safety)
02Infection Control & Isolation
03Pharmacology
04Diabetes
05Electrolytes (especially Potassium)
06Heart Failure
07MI & ECG Basics
08Respiratory Disorders (COPD, Asthma, Pneumonia)
09Renal Failure
10Maternity & Newborn
11Mental Health
12Delegation & Assignment
13Shock & Sepsis
14Fluid & Acid-Base Balance
15NGN Case Studies (multi-system)
Building a full study plan? These categories expand into roughly 150–200 major topics, each with detailed notes, key lab values, medications, and NGN-style practice questions.