Best 8 NCLEX Prep Resources To Pass In 75 Questions
You’re either finishing up your final term of nursing school, or you’ve already taken your exit exams and are preparing for the NCLEX-RN exam. And you might be thinking to yourself ‘What resources are going to be the most helpful for the real deal?’
Let’s be completely honest—you can prepare for it in a lot of different ways. But the only truly correct way is the one that works best for you—seriously.
These 8 resources are ones that either friends or myself, have used personally or wish were available when I was preparing for the exam a few years ago.
Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination
By far the best resource that I used to prepare for the NCLEX. It was also my companion during each nursing course as a study aid. There are over 5,000 practice questions in-text and online.
When I was in school, I used the 6th edition, but the most current edition is the 8th edition. I mostly used the in-text questions for study during nursing school.
But for preparation for the NCLEX, I used the online platform to simulate the digital test-taking environment. I’d take a 75+ question practice test with just my laptop, a blank piece of paper, and a pencil.
It was probably the most useful method of studying for the NCLEX.
There is also an app associated with this review book that is free to download but has in-app purchases.
While I can’t vouch for the app from experience, it claims to have some pretty cool features like audio, image, and video-type questions, nurse educators on standby, and the ability to bookmark and include notes on tricky questions for later reference.
Mosby's Comprehensive Review of Nursing for the NCLEX-RN® Examination
With over 4,000 questions, this one is another great review book. The most updated version is the 20th edition. I found it to be similar to Saunders in a number of ways and used it throughout my nursing program also.
The book comes with two comprehensive exams reflective of the NCLEX test plan and a companion CD for practice. I found this book helpful when I ran out of questions in the Saunders review book.
The latest edition of this review includes alternate item formatted questions (audio, graphics), an NCLEX toolkit for strategizing your exam review, and a new section on nursing management with questions on delegation and leadership.
Lippincott's Q&A Review for NCLEX-RN
While I’m not a huge fan of Lippincott’s review book, some friends that were enrolled in other nursing programs really liked it.
The most recent 13th edition contains seven comprehensive tests. But oddly enough, the book only claims to focus on four ‘major’ sections of obstetrics, pediatrics, medical-surgical, and mental health nursing. Even some of the customer reviews mentioned some frustration that there was no substantial review of pharmacology.
To its credit, Lippincott’s has a ton of questions—over 6,000, but I found the questioning style differed from Saunders and ultimately the NCLEX itself, in my opinion.
Lippincott can be used in conjunction with its paid online learning resource, PassPoint.
Davis’ Drug Guide for Nurses
The most recent edition of Davis’ Drug Guide is the 17th edition. Although, you would probably be okay ordering an older edition without any issue.
The drug guide provides sections divided by ‘cure’ and ‘care’ for quick, need-to-know information while studying for the NCLEX. It also includes high-alert medications in special formatting, so you won’t overlook key patient safety considerations.
Davis’ Drug Guide for Nurses also has an online platform in collaboration with Unbound Medicine with over 5,000 drugs and FDA news alerts. As of right now, one-year free access to the online platform is included with purchase.
Kaplan NCLEX-RN Drug Guide
If you’re looking for a fast, no frills, synopsis of the essential need-to-know info for the drugs mentioned in your NCLEX study prep questions, this is going to be more your pace than Davis’ Drug Guide for Nurses.
At only 336 pages, this is a much more paired down drug guide with only 300 of the most common drugs you’ll run into on the NCLEX. Each medication is broken down into six components:
generic name
brand name
class
purpose
side effects; and,
nursing considerations.
The most recent edition of this guide is the 8th edition.
My Mastery: NCLEX & Nursing (formerly NCLEX RN Mastery App)
Apps are a light-weight tool to study for the NCLEX and are much more mobile than textbooks and even a laptop.
This app has more than 3,000 questions with nurse educator-crafted rationales for better understand. It also advertises that it has two full NCLEX simulations (strictly on web).
My Mastery: NCLEX & Nursing also has a number of resources for use even after you’ve aced the NCLEX. These include case studies, a library of explainers, and audio/video lessons.
There is a monthly subscription for NCLEX prep of $29.99/month or $59.99/3mo.
Mosby’s NCLEX RN App
Appearing just as useful as its textbook-equivalent, Mosby’s NCLEX RN App boasts more than 2800+ questions and 7 practice exams with rationales.
Each practice exam contains 265 questions which is a dream come true for people that need brand new questions each time to test their knowledge. This app can be used even without internet.
The app is free to download, but costs $27.99 for complete access.
PassPoint
Learning resource containing adaptive quizzes and exams authentic to the NCLEX. It also contains immediate remediation with explainers on the exam content. PassPoint helps you to identify opportunities for improved understanding in your knowledge and mastery of content.
At $199 for a year of access, this is a pricier but potentially more helpful way to determine what areas you should be focusing on strengthening your understanding.
Even though this exam is a big deal, you can prepare for it in a bunch of different ways. And the best way is the one that makes you confident—even if still a bit nervous—that you can go into that proctored exam and get that nursing license.
As long as you have a solid understanding of the exam question style, formatting, and rationales, you will be just fine on the big day.
What resources have been working wonders for you? Share below!
While you may have a strategy in mind or in place to study for the NCLEX exam, you may be asking yourself if you should be considering taking an NCLEX prep course for good measure.
If you’re wondering if taking an NCLEX prep course is right for you, you can read more to find out here.