NCLEX plays a significant role in evaluating the skills and competencies of future nurses to ensure they are fully qualified for their prospective roles in patient care and making safe clinical decisions. Evaluation techniques change along with the healthcare industry. This piece will explore NCLEX sample item types for the future generation, providing insight into creative methods for evaluating nursing ability.
How can Naxlex help?
Naxlex is the best nursing resource for students! We guarantee you will pass your NCLEX exam if you use our well-tailored practice exams. Additionally, we offer help in your weak areas via live assistance. Contact us to grab our premium package today!
The Development of NCLEX
Multiple-choice questions traditionally made up most NCLEX questions. These formats helped evaluate basic knowledge. But, there was a need to measure the two pillars of nursing practice: higher-order cognitive abilities and clinical judgment. In light of this restriction, the nursing community has worked on adding novel item types to the NCLEX framework.

Next-Generation NCLEX Sample Item Types
Clinical Judgment Measurement Model
Future nurses should show sound clinical judgment and decision-making abilities to get these questions right. The test's requirements include information analysis, action prioritization, and outcome prediction.
Extended Multiple-Response Questions
These questions differ from standard multiple-choice questions in that candidates must choose several right answers from a list of possibilities. This format evaluates knowledge and the capacity to distinguish between similar options—a crucial ability in therapeutic situations.
Extended drag-and-drop items
Extended drag-and-drop items require candidates to move or place responses into answer spaces. This type is similar to the current NCLEX-ordered response question format, except they might not use all the given answer choices. Certain responses may offer more options than answer spaces.
Hot-spot questions
In hot-spot questions, candidates highlight areas of concern within an image, such as an ECG or a patient's X-ray. Hot spot questions test observational abilities and the capacity to identify subtle clinical clues, an essential component of nursing evaluation. They do this by emphasizing visual interpretation.
SATA (Select All That Apply)
SATA questions are becoming more common in the upcoming NCLEX, even though they are not new. In these items, candidates must pick all applicable responses after being presented with a scenario and a list of options. Select All That Apply question types improve critical thinking and reasoning and, at the same time, require a deeper understanding of the content.
Cloze (drop-down) item type
They need you to select an option from a drop-down list. There could be multiple drop-down lists on the NGN for the cloze question. For example, students may read a passage and get to choose the right words or phrases within tables, charts, or sentence passages.
Matrix grid items
Matrix grid items permit candidates to select multiple responses on the chart presented. Each row or column might require an answer. This question type gives a scenario with patient data and then requires test-takers to judge the findings by ticking appropriate boxes in a supporting table. Measuring multiple aspects of a question in one test item is important.
Bow-tie items
Candidates will face "stand-alone" items that have one question. Bow-tie items fall in the "stand-alone" questions category, requiring you to drag and drop answers into the bow-tie-shaped figure.
Here, you will receive all information from medical records to question sets that will lead you to recognize and analyze the findings, make clinical judgments for appropriate care, and evaluate patient responses.
Select All That Apply (SATA) items
These new question types are scored per the revised NGN scoring model. Previously, NCLEX scored items as either 'all correct' or 'all incorrect' —a dichotomous model. Conversely, the Next Gen scoring model employs three scoring methods and gives partial credit for some items with multiple points—a polytomous model.
Ordered-Response Items
challenge applicants to rank nursing interventions in order of relevance. Ordered-response items evaluate a candidate's capacity for good clinical judgment under duress, a critical ability for providing safe and efficient patient care. They do this by mimicking real-world events.
The Benefits of Next-Generation Sample Items
The following are some of the main benefits of incorporating the Next Generation item types into the NCLEX framework:
Considers Real-World Practice: Next-generation item types better prepare nurses for the reality of patient care by closely mirroring the difficulties faced in practical settings.
Promotes Critical Thinking: The questions promote good critical thinking and improve clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities, all skills necessary for competent nursing practice.
Enhances Test Validity: Next-generation item types ensure that licensed nurses have the abilities required for safe and effective practice by measuring various competencies.
Preparing nurses for their future roles: The healthcare system is constantly evolving; hence, it is becoming increasingly important for aspiring nurses to stay updated and be familiar with new equipment, procedures, and care methods. Next-generation NCLEX example items significantly help future nurses develop the adaptive expertise needed to succeed in the changing healthcare system.
Conclusion: Next Generation NCLEX item types
NCLEX has advanced significantly with the addition of next-generation sample item types. By adopting next-generation evaluation methodologies, nursing regulatory authorities can more effectively assess prospective nurses' preparedness and ensure they have the knowledge and abilities required for safe and efficient practice. Nursing competency assessment techniques need to change along with the nursing profession. The NCLEX will continue to be a trustworthy indicator of nursing proficiency thanks to continued innovation and cooperation, enabling nurses to provide patients worldwide with high-quality care.
Start your journey with us today
Join 1000+ Nursing Students
Powerful learning and clinical tools combined into one platform. The Naxlex Knowledge and Qbanks give you instant and on-the-go nursing knowledge and guidance.