Free NCLEX-PN Health Promotion and Maintenance Practice Test – Part 1 (Updated 2026)

1. A community health nurse is teaching a group of young adults about primary prevention strategies. Which statement by a participant indicates correct understanding of primary prevention?

2. A 45-year-old male client with a family history of cardiovascular disease asks the nurse about prevention strategies. The nurse knows that which modifiable risk factor should be the priority to address?

3. A nurse is reinforcing teaching about breast self-examination (BSE) to a 35-year-old female client. Which instruction should the nurse include?

4. Which statement by a client indicates understanding of secondary prevention measures?

5. A 50-year-old male client who smokes 1 pack per day tells the nurse, “I know smoking is bad, but my grandfather smoked until he was 90 and never got cancer.” What is the most appropriate response by the nurse?

6. A nurse is teaching a client about skin cancer prevention. Which recommendation is most important for the nurse to include?

7. A community health nurse is developing a health promotion program for a low-income neighborhood with limited access to fresh produce and safe exercise areas. Which intervention should the nurse prioritize?

8. A client with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes asks the nurse about preventing complications. Which statement by the nurse describes tertiary prevention?

9. Which resource should a practical nurse recommend to a client seeking help for alcohol substance abuse?

10. A practical nurse is reinforcing teaching about testicular self-examination (TSE) to a 25-year-old male client. Which instruction should the nurse include?

11. A 2-month-old infant is brought to the clinic for a well-child visit. According to the CDC childhood immunization schedule, which vaccines should the practical nurse prepare to administer?

12. A parent refuses the rotavirus vaccine for their 6-week-old infant, stating, “My sister’s baby got intussusception after this vaccine.” Which response by the practical nurse is most appropriate?

13. The practical nurse is preparing to administer an intramuscular vaccine to a 12-month-old toddler. Which site and technique should the nurse use?

14. A 4-year-old child is brought to the clinic for immunizations before starting preschool. The mother reports the child received DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV13, HepB, MMR, and Varicella vaccines on schedule through age 2. The child had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to the first dose of DTaP at 2 months, which required emergency treatment. Which action should the practical nurse take?

15. A 28-year-old pregnant woman at 32 weeks gestation asks about vaccines she should receive. She received Tdap during her previous pregnancy 3 years ago. She has no known allergies and is generally healthy. Which vaccines are recommended for administration during pregnancy?

16. The practical nurse is reviewing vaccine storage. The refrigerator temperature has been reading 46°F (8°C) for the past 6 hours. According to CDC vaccine storage guidelines, which action should the nurse take?

17. A 65-year-old patient asks about pneumococcal vaccination. They received PCV13 (Prevnar 13) 5 years ago and PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23) 3 years ago. The patient has type 2 diabetes with no other high-risk conditions. Which response by the practical nurse is correct?

18. A 45-year-old patient with HIV (CD4 count 180 cells/mm³) presents for routine vaccinations. The patient received all childhood vaccines but has not received any vaccines in 20 years. The patient had chickenpox as a child. Which vaccines should the practical nurse prepare to administer? Select all that apply and determine the best approach.

19. Five minutes after receiving an intramuscular influenza vaccine, a patient reports feeling “funny” and develops urticaria (hives) on the face and neck, wheezing, and difficulty swallowing. The practical nurse recognizes signs of anaphylaxis. Which is the priority action?

20. A 15-month-old child received MMR and Varicella vaccines yesterday. Today, the mother calls the clinic reporting a temperature of 101°F (38.3°C) and a few small red spots on the child’s trunk. Which response by the practical nurse is most appropriate?

21. A licensed practical nurse (LPN) is preparing to perform a physical assessment on a client. In which order should the LPN perform the four basic assessment techniques for most body systems?

22. The LPN is measuring a client’s oral temperature and obtains a reading of 100.4°F (38°C). The client states they just drank a cup of hot coffee 10 minutes ago. What should the LPN do?

23. The LPN is assessing a client’s apical pulse and counts 62 beats per minute. The client’s radial pulse was previously documented as 78 beats per minute. What is the most appropriate action by the LPN?

24. When measuring blood pressure using a manual sphygmomanometer, which Korotkoff sound represents the systolic blood pressure reading?

25. The LPN is preparing to measure blood pressure on a client who is obese. The standard adult cuff bladder measures 12 cm × 23 cm. What should the LPN do?

26. The LPN is assessing a client’s pain using the PQRST mnemonic. What does the “Q” in PQRST represent?

27. The LPN is caring for a 4-year-old child who needs pain assessment after a tonsillectomy. The child is crying and pointing to their throat. Which pain assessment tool is most appropriate for this child?

28. The LPN is calculating the BMI for a client who weighs 180 pounds and is 5 feet 8 inches tall. The LPN calculates a BMI of 27.4. How should the LPN interpret and document this finding?

29. The LPN is performing a skin assessment on an older adult client and notes the following findings: skin is warm, dry, intact, with decreased turgor and multiple ecchymoses on the forearms. Which finding requires immediate reporting to the RN?

30. The LPN has completed a head-to-toe assessment and documented the following findings: BP 138/86, Pulse 88, Respirations 20, Temperature 98.6°F, SpO2 97% on room air. The client reports pain level 3/10. Which action by the LPN is most appropriate?

31. The nurse is collecting data on an 82-year-old client during a routine health screening. Which physiological change is considered a normal part of the aging process?

32. An 88-year-old female client tells the nurse, “I don’t feel like eating much anymore. Food just doesn’t taste the same.” Which age-related change best explains this client’s complaint?

33. The nurse is reinforcing teaching to a 76-year-old client newly prescribed furosemide (Lasix) for hypertension. Which statement by the client indicates a need for additional teaching about age-related medication safety?

34. An 81-year-old male client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit after hip surgery following a fall at home. His daughter reports that over the past two weeks, he has been “asking the same questions repeatedly” and “seems confused about what day it is.” This morning, he did not recognize his grandson. He has a history of hypertension and takes lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, and acetaminophen for arthritis pain. Vital signs are: BP 118/68, HR 78, RR 16, Temp 99.2°F (37.3°C). Which data collection finding is most important for the nurse to report to the RN immediately?

35. The nurse is caring for an 86-year-old client who is at high risk for falls. Which intervention should the nurse implement first when collecting data on this client’s fall risk?

36. The nurse is reinforcing teaching about osteoporosis prevention to a 68-year-old female client. Which nutrient is most important to include in the dietary teaching?

37. A 79-year-old female client has been living alone since her husband died 8 months ago. Her daughter reports that her mother “doesn’t seem to care about anything anymore,” has stopped attending her weekly book club, and recently quit cooking for herself, saying “there’s no point.” The client tells the nurse, “I just want to stay in bed. What’s the use?” Which action should the nurse take first?

38. The nurse is collecting data on a 74-year-old client who reports having difficulty sleeping. The client states, “I wake up several times during the night and can’t get back to sleep. I also wake up around 4:00 AM and just stay up.” Which response by the nurse demonstrates understanding of normal sleep changes in aging?

39. An 83-year-old client is admitted to the long-term care facility following a stroke with right-sided weakness. The nurse notes a reddened area on the client’s sacrum that does not blanch when pressed. The client is alert and oriented but has limited mobility and requires assistance to reposition. Which combination of interventions should the nurse implement for this client’s skin integrity? (Select the most appropriate interventions.)

40. The nurse is reinforcing teaching about advance directives to a 72-year-old client recently diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The client’s adult child is present and says, “I’ll just make all the decisions when Mom can’t anymore.” Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

41. A parent asks the practical nurse about Erikson’s developmental stage for a 3-year-old toddler. Which stage should the nurse identify as the primary psychosocial task for this age group?

42. A 4-year-old preschooler is admitted for outpatient surgery. The child believes that getting sick is a punishment for being “bad.” According to Piaget’s cognitive development theory, which stage is this child demonstrating?

43. A mother expresses concern that her 18-month-old toddler has a vocabulary of only 10 words, while her neighbor’s child of the same age speaks in short sentences. Which response by the practical nurse is most appropriate?

44. The practical nurse is providing discharge teaching to parents of a 6-month-old infant. The parents ask about introducing solid foods. Which anticipatory guidance should the nurse include?

45. A 15-year-old adolescent with type 1 diabetes tells the practical nurse, “I skip my insulin sometimes because I don’t want to be different from my friends. None of them have to worry about shots or checking their blood sugar.” According to Erikson, which developmental stage is this adolescent struggling with?

46. The practical nurse is caring for a 72-year-old client who recently retired after 45 years as a teacher. The client states, “I feel useless now that I’m not working. My whole life was about teaching, and now I have nothing to contribute.” According to Erikson’s theory, which psychosocial task is this client struggling with?

47. A parent asks the practical nurse about the recommended schedule for toilet training. The nurse explains that most children achieve daytime bladder control by which age?

48. The practical nurse is teaching a group of parents about developmental milestones. One parent asks what developmental milestone indicates school readiness for a 5-year-old child. Which response by the nurse is most accurate?

49. A mother brings her 4-week-old infant to the clinic, reporting that the baby cries inconsolably for several hours each evening, drawing up the legs and passing gas frequently. The baby is eating well and gaining weight appropriately. Which anticipatory guidance should the practical nurse provide?

50. A 52-year-old woman tells the practical nurse during a routine health visit, “I’ve been having hot flashes and night sweats for the past 6 months. I feel moody and have trouble sleeping. My mother went through menopause at age 50.” Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?