NCLEX Pharmacology: What’s Tested & How to Study
The NCLEX pharmacology section is a critical part of the exam, but it’s often seen as a formidable hurdle by nursing students. The NCLEX doesn’t just test your drug memorization skills; it will also assess your ability to apply pharmacological knowledge safely and effectively in real-world patient care scenarios. In this guide, we’ll review what’s tested on the NCLEX pharmacology section so you can study efficiently. Keep reading to learn about the most commonly tested drugs on the NCLEX and other key tips and strategies to help you study for the NCLEX pharmacology section.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What does the NCLEX pharmacology section test?
- What percentage of the NCLEX exam covers pharmacology?
- What drugs are tested on the NCLEX?
- Tips to Study Drugs on the NCLEX
- NCLEX Pharmacology Pop Quiz
[ READ NEXT: 10 Tips to Pass the Next Gen NCLEX ]
What does the NCLEX pharmacology section test?
The pharmacology section of the NCLEX is officially known as, “Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies.” This section will test your knowledge and understanding of providing care related to the administration of medications and parenteral therapies.
Here are some of the key content areas the NCLEX pharmacology section will test you on:
- Drug classifications
- High-yield medications
- How a drug works (its pharmacodynamics)
- Drug side effects
- Adverse reactions to drugs
- Dosage calculations
- Clinical judgment
- Patient assessment
- Patient education
- Safety measures
For the complete list, you can visit the NCSBN’s Next Generation NCLEX Test Plan.
What percentage of the NCLEX exam covers pharmacology?
According to the NCSBN, approximately 16% of NCLEX items are in the “Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies” category, with an acceptable range of 13-19%. Because the NCLEX is adaptive, there is not a fixed number of pharmacology questions. However, pharmacology is one of the largest sections on the NCLEX, which is why it’s crucial you spend adequate time preparing for NCLEX pharmacology questions.
What drugs are tested on the NCLEX?
The NCLEX focuses on high-yield topics and drug classes. It’s important to understand the big picture when studying pharmacology for the NCLEX. This includes how a drug class works, its common uses, critical side effects, and nursing considerations.
The table below showcases some of the must-know drugs for the NCLEX:
| Cardiovascular Drugs | You should be familiar with ACE inhibitors (-prils), beta-blockers (-olols), diuretics, and calcium channel blockers. Know their mechanisms of action, how they affect blood pressure and heart rate, and key nursing interventions like monitoring for orthostatic hypotension. |
| Antibiotics | NCLEX questions often revolve around drug classes like penicillins and cephalosporins. Focus on understanding common side effects and the importance of checking for allergies before administration. |
| Pain Management | Opioids and NSAIDs are commonly tested on the NCLEX. For opioids, you must know about the risk of respiratory depression and the use of the antidote naloxone. |
| Diabetes Medications | The various types of insulin (rapid, short, intermediate, and long-acting) and their onset, peak, and duration are essential. You must also know the signs of hypoglycemia and how to treat it. |
| Psychiatric Medications | Be prepared for NCLEX questions on SSRIs, benzodiazepines, and antipsychotics. A key focus is patient safety and education regarding side effects like serotonin syndrome or withdrawal symptoms. |
| High-Alert Medications | These are drugs that have a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm if used incorrectly. Examples include insulin, heparin, and opioids. The NCLEX loves to test your knowledge of the safety measures associated with these drugs. |
Controlled Substance Schedules: What to Know for the NCLEX
For the NCLEX and your future career as a nurse, you must understand controlled substances to ensure the safety of your patience and to ensure you’re adhering to legal and ethical standards. Medications regulated by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 are given the following classifications.
- Schedule I: High abuse potential and no accepted medical use.
Examples: heroin, marijuana, peyote, Ecstasy, and LSD.
- Schedule II: High abuse potential with severe dependence liability.
Examples: narcotics, amphetamines, and some barbiturates.
- Schedule III: Less abuse potential than Schedule II medications and moderate dependence liability.
Examples: nonbarbiturate sedatives, nonamphetamine stimulants, anabolic steroids, and limited amounts of certain narcotics.
- Schedule IV: Less abuse potential than Schedule III medications and limited dependence liability.
Examples: sedatives, anxiolytics, and nonnarcotic analgesics.
- Schedule V: Limited abuse potential.
Examples: small amounts of narcotics, such as codeine, used as antidiarrheals or antitussives.
Special Considerations for Medications Tested on the NCLEX
Review the following special considerations for medication tested on the NCLEX below.
- Black box warning, also known as boxed warning: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning placed by the manufacturer on a prescription medication package insert. It communicates that the medication carries a significant risk of serious or even life-threatening adverse effects.
- Off-label use: Use of medications for an unapproved indication or in an unapproved age group, unapproved dosage, or unapproved route of administration.
- Pregnancy and lactation: Prior to June 2015, the FDA required that most prescribed medications be labeled for risk according to letter categories A (remote possibility of fetal harm), B, C, D, and X (studies show evidence of fetal risk). In June 2015, the FDA changed to a system in which providers assess the benefit versus the risk of a given medication for individual pregnant women and nursing mothers. FDA guidelines call for subsequent counseling of pregnant and lactating clients, “allowing them to make informed and educated decisions for themselves and their children.” The FDA created a pregnancy exposure registry to collect and maintain data on the effects of approved medications prescribed to and used by pregnant women (FDA Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Final Rule, December 3, 2014).
Tips to Study Drugs on the NCLEX
Review our best tips to study drugs on the NCLEX.
Set your mind for future success.
Focus on the fact that, after you pass the NCLEX and become a licensed registered nurse (not “if you pass”), you will be using the information you learn in your daily life, both personal and work. You will be using medication information every day. Likewise, you need to study these go-to medications every day, even if it’s only in short bursts.
Study with a partner.
If you know a fellow student who is as motivated as you are, talk to that person about setting up a “buddy system” where you can review your latest learning with each other. Make it a game: Quiz each other, Jeopardy! style, with one person giving the generic name and the other person guessing the purpose of that medication. You may be surprised by how these games energize you to prepare and remember.
Be on the lookout for medication groupings.
The same suffix used in 2 or more medications hints at similarities in medication category and subcategory. Take the hint! Be alert for these “family” groupings, and chart them in your active study. Here is an example you can follow:
Don’t worry about brand names on the NCLEX.
You will not see any trade/brand names on your NCLEX. The NCSBN, which develops the exam, strives for consistency over time—a stance that favors either the generic name or the medication category/ subcategory. Trade and brand names are at the discretion of the many pharmaceutical manufacturing companies that produce them. Trade and brand names can change. Generic names are more stable, and thus are used by the NCSBN. However, please note that in practice, trade/brand names are often what patients report, so it is important information to know for your nursing career.
Remember to study herbal supplements.
Expect to see herbal supplements on your NCLEX. The NCSBN has added these to the detailed test plans for RN and PN testing. Herbal supplements may interfere with medications or cause difficulties when used in certain circumstances—and more people are using them. As a future nurse, you need to understand their implications for your clients.
Take a quick final review.
Before test day, review what you’ve learned so the medications are fresh in your mind!
NCLEX Pharmacology Pop Quiz
Are you ready for NCLEX pharmacology questions? Take our short quiz below and review the answer explanations.
Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Dr. Christi Doherty DNP, RNC-OB, CNE, CHSE, CDP. Dr. Doherty is the Executive Director of Nursing & i-Human Patients at Kaplan North America. She is a skilled researcher, valued professor of nursing, experienced clinical nurse, and designer of virtual simulations. Dr. Doherty has earned certifications in nursing education, healthcare simulation education, diversity, and inpatient obstetrics.
