NCLEX-PN Case Study Practice

Original unfolding case studies with fictional clients. Each case has six items that follow the clinical judgment steps: recognize cues, analyze, prioritize, plan, act, and evaluate. New information appears as the case unfolds. Answers reflect the LPN/VN role: collecting data, recognizing changes, providing care within scope, and reporting to the RN or provider.

• Long-term care facilityChange in Condition: Pneumonia in a Long-Term Care ResidentAn 84-year-old resident with a history of COPD develops new confusion, cough, and worsening respiratory status.
• Long-term care facilityHypoglycemia in a Resident with Type 2 DiabetesA resident with type 2 diabetes on insulin skips breakfast and becomes shaky and diaphoretic before the mid-morning insulin dose.
• Orthopedic unitPostoperative Day 2 After Hip ReplacementA client on postoperative day 2 after hip replacement develops calf pain and swelling that raises concern for deep vein thrombosis.
• Medical-surgical unitIncreasing Sedation After Postoperative Opioid AnalgesiaA client receiving opioid analgesia after abdominal surgery becomes increasingly sedated with slow respirations, requiring prompt recognition and escalation.
• Pediatric outpatient clinicA Child With Worsening Wheeze at the ClinicA 7-year-old with a history of asthma is brought in by a caregiver for worsening cough and wheeze.
• Prenatal outpatient clinicNew Symptoms at a Prenatal VisitA client at 32 weeks gestation arrives for a routine visit reporting headache and swelling, with an elevated blood pressure noted.
• Inpatient behavioral health unitA Concerning Statement on the Behavioral Health UnitAn adult client admitted for depression begins giving away personal belongings and makes a statement that concerns the nurse.
• Long-term care facilityFrequent Watery Stools in a Long-Term Care ResidentA resident receiving antibiotics for a recent infection develops frequent watery stools, raising concern for Clostridioides difficile infection.

NCLEX®, NCLEX-RN®, NCLEX-PN® and NCSBN® are registered trademarks of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN). Dosage Calcs is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or approved by NCSBN. All NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN practice questions on this site are original educational content written for Dosage Calcs; they are not official or actual exam questions.