The NCLEX-PN is the licensing exam for practical and vocational nurses. The test plan has eight content areas, and Study Scheduler adds Clinical Judgment as a ninth topic so the case studies get their own study time. Coordinated Care (18–24%) is the largest published share, and Pharmacological Therapies (10–16%) gets the highest difficulty weighting in Study Scheduler.
Ranked by share of the exam weighted against Study Scheduler's difficulty rating, not share alone, since a smaller topic rated harder can be worth more study time than a bigger, easier one.
1Clinical Judgment (case studies)3 case studies · 18 items
Advance directives · Advocacy · Assignments and delegation · Client rights
3Pharmacological Therapies10–16%
Adverse effects, contraindications, side effects and interactions · Dosage calculations · Expected actions and outcomes · Medication administration
Full NCLEX-PN topic breakdown.
Every topic in the official NCSBN test plan, with its share of the exam, plus Clinical Judgment, which has no published share and is sized as an estimate. Study Scheduler allocates your study hours in this same proportion automatically.
Coordinated Care18–24%
Advance directives
Advocacy
Assignments and delegation
Client rights
Collaboration with the interdisciplinary team
Concepts of management and supervision
Confidentiality and information security
Continuity of care
Establishing priorities
Ethical practice
Informed consent
Information technology
Legal rights and responsibilities
Performance improvement (quality improvement)
Referral process
Resource management
Safety and Infection Control10–16%
Accident, error and injury prevention
Emergency response plan
Ergonomic principles
Handling hazardous and infectious materials
Home safety
Least restrictive restraints and safety devices
Reporting of incident, event, irregular occurrence or variance
Safe use of equipment
Security plan
Standard precautions, transmission-based precautions and surgical asepsis
Health Promotion and Maintenance6–12%
Aging process
Ante-, intra- and postpartum and newborn care
Community resources
Data collection techniques
Developmental stages and transitions
Health promotion and disease prevention
High-risk behaviors
Lifestyle choices
Self-care
Psychosocial Integrity9–15%
Abuse or neglect
Behavioral management
Coping mechanisms
Crisis intervention
Cultural awareness
End-of-life care concepts
Grief and loss
Mental health concepts
Religious and spiritual influences on health
Sensory and perceptual alterations
Stress management
Substance use and other disorders and dependencies
Support systems
Therapeutic communication
Therapeutic environment
Basic Care and Comfort7–13%
Assistive devices
Elimination
Mobility and immobility
Nonpharmacological comfort interventions
Nutrition and oral hydration
Personal hygiene
Postmortem care
Rest and sleep
Pharmacological Therapies10–16%
Adverse effects, contraindications, side effects and interactions
Dosage calculations
Expected actions and outcomes
Medication administration
Pharmacological pain management
Reduction of Risk Potential9–15%
Changes and abnormalities in vital signs
Diagnostic tests
Laboratory values
Potential for alterations in body systems
Potential for complications of diagnostic tests, treatments and procedures
Potential for complications from surgical procedures and health alterations
Therapeutic procedures
Physiological Adaptation7–13%
Alterations in body systems
Basic pathophysiology
Fluid and electrolyte imbalances
Medical emergencies
Unexpected response to therapies
Clinical Judgment (case studies)3 case studies · 18 items
Recognize cues
Analyze cues
Prioritize hypotheses
Generate solutions
Take action
Evaluate outcomes
Frequently asked about NCLEX-PN.
What is tested on the NCLEX-PN?
Eight content areas from the NCSBN test plan: Coordinated Care, Safety and Infection Control, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Psychosocial Integrity, Basic Care and Comfort, Pharmacological Therapies, Reduction of Risk Potential and Physiological Adaptation. Study Scheduler adds Clinical Judgment as its own topic for the case studies.
Which NCLEX-PN content area has the biggest share?
Coordinated Care, at 18–24% of the exam. Safety and Infection Control and Pharmacological Therapies are each 10–16%.
Is the NCLEX-PN different from the NCLEX-RN?
They are separate exams with separate test plans, so the content areas and their shares differ. Both are computer-adaptive and run 85–150 questions. Pick the one for the license you are applying for.
For how many hours to budget, week-by-week study plans, and how Study Scheduler weights your plan — see the full NCLEX study guide.
Example plan · NCLEX
See the week. Take the next step.
Your schedule combines topic study, review, mock practice, and time away. Actual blocks depend on your exam, study budget, and days off.