You have read your notes. You have highlighted half the textbook. But can you answer a question under pressure?
That is what practice questions test. This guide gives you ten original sample questions with answers, plus a simple method for using practice questions well. It also covers how to spot weak or unreliable question banks.
This is general guidance, not an official NMCN document. The sample questions below are written by me to teach common nursing ideas.
What Are NMCN CBT Practice Questions?
NMCN stands for the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. It runs the professional qualifying examination, which is the licensing exam. CBT means computer-based test, where you answer on a screen instead of on paper.
Practice questions are exam-style questions you answer before the real thing. Most are multiple choice: you read a question and pick the best answer from a short list.
They do two jobs. They show you what you don't know yet, and they train you to think quickly while you read.
Why Practice Questions Matter More Than Re-Reading
Reading your notes again feels productive. It often is not. Your eyes pass over words you already know, and your brain relaxes.
Answering a question forces your brain to pull the fact out of memory. Education research calls this retrieval practice, and it is widely linked to better recall than re-reading alone. That is a general learning finding, not an NMCN rule.
So make questions the centre of your study time, not an extra at the end.
Related article:
How to Prepare for the NMCN CBT: A Study Plan That Works
10 Sample NMCN CBT-Style Practice Questions
Cover the answer under each question, pick your choice first, then check.
Question 1: Setting priorities
Four patients need help at the same time. Which one should the nurse see first?
- A. A patient two days after surgery who rates pain 4 out of 10
- B. A patient with asthma who is wheezing and breathing 32 times a minute
- C. A patient who needs a routine dressing change
- D. A patient who wants to ask about going home tomorrow
Answer: B. Breathing problems threaten life fastest. A fast, noisy breathing raHow to Prepare for the NMCN CBT: A Study Plan That Workste in an asthma patient is an emergency. When you must choose, think airway, breathing, circulation first.
Question 2: Drug calculation
The doctor orders 500 mg of a syrup. The bottle says 250 mg in every 5 mL. How many millilitres (mL) will you give?
- A. 5 mL
- B. 7.5 mL
- C. 10 mL
- D. 12.5 mL
Answer: C. 500 ÷ 250 = 2 doses of 5 mL, which is 10 mL. Always check that your answer is sensible before you pick it.
Question 3: Drip rate
A patient must receive 1,000 mL of IV fluid over 8 hours. The giving set delivers 20 drops per mL. About how many drops per minute should run?
- A. 21
- B. 42
- C. 60
- D. 84
Answer: B. Total drops = 1,000 × 20 = 20,000. Total minutes = 8 × 60 = 480. 20,000 ÷ 480 is about 42 drops per minute.
Question 4: Safety in pregnancy
Which sign in a pregnant woman needs urgent medical attention?
- A. Mild tiredness in the afternoon
- B. Slight swelling of the ankles after standing all day
- C. Severe headache with blurred vision and a swollen face
- D. Mild backache
Answer: C. These signs can point to pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy condition with high blood pressure that can harm both mother and baby. The WHO lists severe headache and blurred vision among the danger signs in pregnancy.
Question 5: Child health
A 3-year-old has watery diarrhoea but is alert and drinking well. What does WHO guidance recommend giving?
- A. Antibiotics at once
- B. Oral rehydration solution (ORS) and zinc
- C. Only plain water
- D. Stopping all food for 24 hours
Answer: B. ORS replaces lost water and salts. WHO also recommends zinc for children with diarrhoea. Food should continue.
Question 6: Infection control
Which of these is NOT one of the WHO's "5 Moments for Hand Hygiene"?
- A. Before touching a patient
- B. Before a clean or aseptic procedure
- C. After touching a patient's surroundings
- D. Before writing in the patient's notes
Answer: D. The five moments are before touching a patient, before a clean or aseptic (germ-free) procedure, after body fluid exposure risk, after touching a patient, and after touching a patient's surroundings. Writing notes is not on the list.
Question 7: Talking with patients
A patient the night before surgery says, "I can't sleep." Which reply is best?
- A. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."
- B. "You should sleep. You need rest."
- C. "You seem worried. Would you like to tell me what is on your mind?"
- D. "Everyone feels this way."
Answer: C. This is an open-ended question, one that cannot be answered with just yes or no. It invites the patient to talk. Options A, B and D shut the conversation down.
Question 8: After surgery
A patient is 6 hours after abdominal surgery. Which finding is the earliest warning of bleeding inside the body?
- A. A rising pulse rate and growing restlessness
- B. A sharp fall in blood pressure
- C. Cold, grey skin
- D. Loss of consciousness
Answer: A. The body speeds up the heart first to make up for blood loss. A big drop in blood pressure often comes later. Spotting early signs lets you act sooner.
Question 9: Community health
Which vaccine is routinely given to newborns in Nigeria's immunisation schedule?
- A. Measles
- B. BCG
- C. Yellow fever
- D. Meningitis A
Answer: B. BCG protects against severe forms of tuberculosis in children. Schedules can be updated, so confirm the current one with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) or your school.
Question 10: Giving medicines safely
A doctor prescribes amoxicillin. The patient's chart says "allergic to penicillin." What should the nurse do?
- A. Give it with close watching
- B. Give half the dose
- C. Hold the drug and tell the prescriber
- D. Ask the patient's relative to decide
Answer: C. Amoxicillin belongs to the penicillin family. Never give a drug you suspect is unsafe. Hold it, report it, and let the prescriber choose another.
How to Answer Any Multiple-Choice Question
Here is a routine you can use on every question, including in the exam hall.
- Read the last line first. Find out what is being asked. Look for words like first, best, except and most likely.
- Cover the options and think of your own answer. Then look for it in the list.
- Remove clearly wrong options. Two usually fall away quickly.
- Pick the safest, most patient-focused option. If two seem right, ask which one protects the patient right now.
- Move on. If you are stuck, flag the question and come back.
How to Use Practice Questions Well
Start early, not late. Do 20 to 30 questions a day in the weeks before your sitting. Regular short sessions work better than a single huge session.
Mix your subjects. Do not do only one subject at a time near the end. The exam will not be grouped by topic.
Review every wrong answer. Write down why you missed it. Was it a missing fact? A rushed reading? A calculation slip? The reason tells you what to fix.
Keep an error notebook. A small book or phone note works. Add the topic and the correct fact each time you slip. Read it again each week.
Practise on a screen. If the exam is on a computer, train your eyes and your hands on one. Reading 100 questions on a monitor feels different from reading a book.
Time yourself sometimes. Untimed practice builds knowledge. Timed practice builds speed. You need both.
Where Can You Find Good Practice Questions?
Start with sources you can trust:
- Your school. Ask your lecturers and exam officers for past tests and class revision sets.
- Your course textbooks. Many nursing textbooks end each chapter with review questions.
- The NMCN. Watch the Council's official channels for announcements about the exam.
- Study groups. Write questions for each other. Writing a good question teaches you the topic.
If you use online question banks, test them first. A good one gives a clear reason for every answer. Be careful with any site that cannot tell you where its questions came from.
Common Mistakes and Myths
Myth: "If I memorise past questions, I will pass."
Questions get reworded and new ones appear. Learn the idea behind each answer, not only the letter.
Myth: "Someone has the real exam questions."
Be very careful. Claims of "leaked" questions or "guaranteed passes" are common around exam time. Many are scams, and chasing them wastes time and money.
Mistake: Only doing questions you find easy.
It feels good, but it hides your weak spots. Seek out the topics that make you uncomfortable.
Mistake: Checking the answer too early.
If you look at the answer after reading only half the question, you train yourself to guess. Commit to a choice first.
Mistake: Ignoring the right answers.
Sometimes you pick the correct option for the wrong reason. Read the explanation even when you were right.
Your Questions, Answered
Are these the actual NMCN questions?
No. They are original samples that teach common ideas. Nobody outside the Council can promise you what will appear on exam day.
How many practice questions should I do a day?
There is no official number. Many students find 20 to 30 a day, with careful review, a workable pace.
Are past questions useful?
Yes, if you use them to find gaps and learn the ideas. They are less useful if you only memorise answers.
Will the NMCN CBT include drug calculations?
Dose and drip-rate calculations are a core nursing skill, so practise them. For the exact content of your sitting, ask your school or check the Council's announcements.
Where can I check official exam dates and applications?
The NMCN website and its registration portal. Don't rely on social media posts alone.
Your Next Step
Don't just close this page. Open your phone's notes and write down the questions above that you got wrong. Beside each, write the topic. Then spend 30 minutes today studying the one topic that appears most.
That small habit, repeated daily, is how nervous students become confident ones. You can do this.