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Next Generation NCLEX

One client. Six questions. Real clinical judgment.

Next Gen NCLEX (NGN) case studies follow one client through an unfolding situation. You read the nurse's notes, vital signs, lab results and orders, then answer six linked questions that move from noticing what matters to checking whether your care worked. Satapass gives you full case studies in the same layout, grouped by topic, with a rationale for every item. See how each format works on the NCLEX question types page.

Create your account The six questions
  • 6 questionsPer case study
  • Tabbed recordBeside each question
  • By topicPractise one at a time
What a case study is

A real shift, compressed into six questions

Instead of testing one fact at a time, a case study tests how you think. The client's record sits in tabs beside every question and can change as the case moves on, so you must keep re-reading the data, just as you would at the bedside.

  • Nurse's notes with the history and what the client is reporting.
  • Vital signs and their trend across the shift.
  • Lab results and diagnostic findings.
  • Orders from the provider to act on, question or prioritise.
6Linked questionsEach one tests a different step of clinical judgment.
4 tabsClient recordNotes, vitals, labs and orders beside every item.
NGNItem formatsMatrix, cloze, drop-down, highlight, drag and drop and more.
PartialCreditMany items score part of the points for part of the answer.
The six questions

Each question tests one step of clinical judgment

The six questions follow the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model in order. Knowing which step you are on tells you what the question is really asking.

  1. 1 Question 1

    Recognize cues

    Which findings in the record matter? Pick out the data that is relevant and needs attention.

    Example: highlight the findings that require follow-up.
  2. 2 Question 2

    Analyze cues

    What do those findings mean together? Link the data to possible conditions.

    Example: a matrix of findings against possible conditions.
  3. 3 Question 3

    Prioritize hypotheses

    Which problem is most urgent or most likely? Rank by risk.

    Example: a drop-down rationale, "the client is most at risk for X as shown by Y".
  4. 4 Question 4

    Generate solutions

    What outcomes do you want, and which interventions get there?

    Example: select all the interventions to include in the plan of care.
  5. 5 Question 5

    Take action

    Which action comes first? Act on the top priority.

    Example: choose the nurse's priority action, or order the steps.
  6. 6 Question 6

    Evaluate outcomes

    Did it work? Compare new data with what you expected.

    Example: a matrix of findings marked improved or not improved.
On Satapass

Three ways to practise case studies

Work through a single condition until it clicks, mix case studies into your tests, or review them in depth with every rationale.

By topic

Case studies are grouped by topic, so you can practise one area, such as cardiac or maternity care, until you are confident with it.

Cardiovascular 5 of 6
Respiratory 3 of 5
Maternity 2 of 5
Pediatrics 1 of 4

In tutor mode

See the correct answers and the rationale after each of the six questions, so you learn how the data points to the answer.

Rationale Sudden shortness of breath, tachycardia, hypoxia and anxiety in a client after abdominal surgery point to a pulmonary embolism. Immobility after surgery increases the risk of a clot.

In timed tests

Add case studies to a timed test to practise managing six linked questions under the clock, as you will on exam day.

Case study time used00:11:24 Timed

With stand-alone NGN items

Bowtie and trend items also appear on their own, outside case studies. Practise them by choosing those question types in the test builder.

BowtieTrendMatrixClozeHighlight
Strategy

How to work through a case study

Case studies reward a steady routine. Use the same approach every time and it becomes second nature by exam day.

Read the whole record first

Before the first question, scan every tab so you know the client's baseline and history.

Re-check the tabs each time

New data appears as the case unfolds. Look again before every question.

Name the step

Ask which clinical judgment step the question is testing. It tells you what to look for.

Use the notepad

Jot down abnormal values and trends so you do not have to hunt for them on every question.

Think priority

Airway, breathing and circulation, then safety. Unstable findings come before stable ones.

Mind the scoring

Some items take away points for wrong picks. Only select what the data supports.

Watch your time

Six questions take longer than six stand-alone items. Practise some case studies in timed tests.

Learn from every rationale

Read why each option is right or wrong, then try another case study on the same topic.

Questions

Common questions about NGN case studies

More answers are in the full FAQ.

Contact support

Each NGN case study has six linked questions about one client. Each question tests a different step of clinical judgment.

The record sits in tabs beside each question: nurse's notes, vital signs, lab results and orders. It can change as the case unfolds.

Yes. Case studies are grouped by topic, so you can work through one area, such as respiratory or maternity care, at a time.

Many NGN items can earn part of the points. Some items take away points for incorrect selections, so only choose what the data supports.

Yes. Bowtie and trend items also appear as stand-alone questions. You can practise them by choosing those question types in the test builder.
Keep exploring

Get ready for every NGN format

Question types Every NCLEX format explained, with tips and the scoring rule for each one. View question types Tutor and timed tests Learn with rationales after each answer, or practise under a countdown. About the modes Adaptive CAT An 85-question adaptive test that ends with a pass or fail result. About the CAT

Make case studies your strongest section.

Create your account and work through NGN case studies by topic, with the client record beside every question.

Create your account See pricing