Nursing Cram Sheet for the NCLEX-RN
The final mountain that nursing students must summit before becoming a registered nurse is the NCLEX. Preparing for the NCLEX can be stressful as taking in
amounts of information has never been easy. This is where this cram sheet can help-- it contains condensed facts about the licensure exam and key nursing info
When exam time comes, you can write and transfer this vital information from your head to a blank sheet of paper provided by the testing center.
1. TEST INFORMATION 3. HEMATOLOGY VALUES 7. CHEMISTRY VALUES
• Six hours – the maximum time allotted for the • RBCs: 4.5 – 5.0 million • Glucose: 70 – 110 mg/dL
NCLEX is 6 hours. Take breaks if you need a time • WBCs: 5,000 – 10,000 • Specific Gravity: 1.010 – 1.030
out or need to move around. • Platelets: 200,000 – 400,000 • BUN: 7-22 mg/dL
• 75/265 – the minimum number of question you can • Hemoglobin (Hgb): 12 – 16 gm (F); 14 – 18 gm • Serum creatinine: 0.6 – 1.35 mg/dL
answer is 75 and a maximum of 265. (M). • LDH: 100-190 U/L
• Read the question and answers carefully – do • Hematocrit (Hct): 37 – 47 (F); 40 – 54 (M) • Protein: 6.2 – 8.1 g/dL
not jump into conclusions or make wild guesses.
• Albumin: 3.4 – 5.0 g/dL
• Look for keywords – avoid answers with absolutes
4. SERUM ELECTROLYTES • Bilirubin: <1.0 mg/dL
like always, never, all, every, only, must, except,
• Total Cholesterol: 130 – 200 mg/dL
none, or no.
• Don’t read into the question – Never assume • Sodium: 135 – 145 mEq/L • Triglyceride: 40 – 50 mg/dL
anything that has not been specifically mentioned • Potassium: 3.5 – 5.5 mEq/L • Uric acid: 3.5 – 7.5 mg/dL
and don’t add extra meaning to the question. • Calcium: 8.5 – 10.9 mEq/L • CPK: 21-232 U/L
• Eliminate answers that are clearly wrong or • Chloride: 95 – 105 mEq/L
incorrect – to increase your probability of selecting • Magnesium: 1.5 – 2.5 mEq/L 8. THERAPEUTIC DRUG LEVELS
the correct answer! • Phosphorus: 2.5 – 4.5 mEq/L
• Watch for grammatical inconsistencies – • Carbamazepine (Tegretol): 4 – 10 mcg/m
Subjects and verbs should agree. If the question is 5. ABG VALUES • Digoxin (Lanoxin): 0.8 – 2.0 ng/ml
an incomplete sentence, the correct answer should • Gentamycin (Garamycin): 5 – 10 mcg/ml
complete the question in a grammatically correct • pH: 7.36 – 7.45 <2.0 mcg/ml (valley)
manner. • Lithium (Eskalith): 8 – 1.5 mEq/L
• HCO3: 24 – 26 mEq/L
• Rephrase the question – putting the question into •
2
CO : 35 – 45 mEq/L • Phenobarbital (Solfoton): 15 – 40 mcg/m
your own words can pluck the unneeded info and • PaO2: 80% – 100% • Phenytoin (Dilantin): 10 – 20 mcg/dL
reveal the core of the stem. • Theophylline (Aminophylline): 10 – 20 m
• SaO2: >95
• Make an educated guess – if you can’t make the • Tobramycin (Tobrex): 5 – 10 mcg/mL (pea
best answer for a question after carefully reading it, 2.0 mcg/mL (valley)
choose the answer with the most information. 6. ACID-BASE BALANCE
• Valproic Acid (Depakene): 50 – 100 mcg/
• Vancomycin (Vancocin): 20 – 40 mcg/ml
2. VITAL SIGNS • Remember ROME (respiratory opposite/metabolic
to 15 mcg/ml (trough)
equal) to remember that in respiratory acid/base
disorders the pH is opposite to the other
• Heart rate: 80 – 100 bpm 9. ANTICOAGULANT THERAPY
components.
• Respiratory rate: 12-20 rpm
• Use the Tic-Tac-Toe Method for interpreting ABGs.
• Blood pressure: 110-120/60 mmHg • Sodium warfarin (Coumadin) PT: 10 – 12
Read more about it here
• Temperature: 37 °C (98.6 °F) (http://bit.ly/abgtictactoe). seconds (control). The antidote is Vitamin K
• INR (Coumadin): 0.9 – 1.2
, !
• Heparin PTT: 30 – 45 seconds (control). The 13. EPIDURAL ANESTHESIA: STOP 1 6 . M E D I C A T IO N C L A S S I F IC A T I O N S
antidote is protamine sulfate.
• APTT: 3 – 31.9 seconds • STOP is a treatment for maternal hypotension after • Antacids – reduces hydrochloric acid in the
• Fibrinogen level: 203 – 377 mg/dL an epidural anesthesia. stomach.
• Stop infusion of Pitocin. • Antianemics – increases blood cell produc
10. UNIT CONVERSIONS • Turn the client on her left side. • Anticholinergics – decreases oral secretio
• Oxygen therapy. • Anticoagulants – prevents clot formation,
• 1 teaspoon (t) = 5 ml • Push IV fluids, if hypovolemia is present. • Anticonvulsants – used for management
• 1 tablespoon (T) = 3 t = 15 ml seizures and/or bipolar disorders.
• 1 oz = 30 ml 14. PREGNANCY CATEGORY OF DRUGS • Antidiarrheals – decreases gastric motility
• 1 cup = 8 oz reduce water in bowel.
• 1 quart = 2 pints • Category A – No risk in controlled human studies • Antihistamines – block the release of hista
• 1 pint = 2 cups • Category B – No risk in other studies. Examples: • Antihypertensives – lower blood pressure
• 1 grain (gr) = 60 mg Amoxicillin, Cefotaxime. increases blood flow.
• 1 gram (g) = 1,000 mg • Category C – Risk not ruled out. Examples: • Anti-infectives – used for the treatment of
• 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 lbs Rifampicin (Rifampin), Theophylline (Theolair). infections,
• 1 lb = 16 oz • Category D – Positive evidence of risk. Examples: • Bronchodilators – dilates large air passag
• Convert C to F: C+40 multiply by 9/5 and subtract Phenytoin, Tetracycline. asthma or lung diseases (e.g., COPD).
40 • Category X – Contraindicated in Pregnancy. • Diuretics – decreases water/sodium from t
• Convert F to C: F+40 multiply by 5/9 and subtract Examples: Isotretinoin (Accutane), Thalidomide of Henle.
40 (Immunoprin), etc. • Laxatives – promotes the passage of stoo
• Category N – Not yet classified • Miotics – constricts the pupils.
11. MATERNITY NORMAL VALUES • Mydriatics – dilates the pupils.
15. DRUG SCHEDULES • Narcotics/analgesics – relieves moderate
severe pain.
• Fetal Heart Rate: 120 – 160 bpm
• Variability: 6 – 10 bpm • Schedule I – no currently accepted medical use
• Amniotic fluid: 500 – 1200 ml 17. RULE OF NINES
and for research use only (e.g., heroin, LSD,
• Contractions: 2 – 5 minutes apart with duration of MDMA).
< 90 seconds and intensity of <100 mmHg. • Schedule II – drugs with high potential for abuse • For calculating Total Body Surface Area (T
• AVA: The umbilical cord has two arteries and one and requires written prescription (e.g., Ritalin, burns:
vein. hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), • Head and neck: 9%
and fentanyl). • Upper limbs: 18% (9% each)
12. APGAR SCORING • Schedule III – requires new prescription after six • Anterior torso: 18%
months or five refills (e.g., codeine, testosterone, • Posterior torso: 18%
• Appearance, Pulses, Grimace, Activity, Reflex ketamine). • Legs: 36% (18% each)
Irritability. • Schedule IV – requires new prescription after six • Genitalia: 1%
• Done at 1 and 5 minutes with a score of 0 for months (e.g., Darvon, Xanax, Soma, and Valium).
absent, 1 for decreased, and 2 for strongly positive. • Schedule V – dispensed as any other prescription
• Scores 7 and above are generally normal, 4 to 6 or without prescription (e.g., cough preparations,
fairly low, and 3 and below are generally regarded Lomotil, Motofen).
as critically low.
SOURCE: http://nurseslabs.com/nclex-cram-sheet/
The final mountain that nursing students must summit before becoming a registered nurse is the NCLEX. Preparing for the NCLEX can be stressful as taking in
amounts of information has never been easy. This is where this cram sheet can help-- it contains condensed facts about the licensure exam and key nursing info
When exam time comes, you can write and transfer this vital information from your head to a blank sheet of paper provided by the testing center.
1. TEST INFORMATION 3. HEMATOLOGY VALUES 7. CHEMISTRY VALUES
• Six hours – the maximum time allotted for the • RBCs: 4.5 – 5.0 million • Glucose: 70 – 110 mg/dL
NCLEX is 6 hours. Take breaks if you need a time • WBCs: 5,000 – 10,000 • Specific Gravity: 1.010 – 1.030
out or need to move around. • Platelets: 200,000 – 400,000 • BUN: 7-22 mg/dL
• 75/265 – the minimum number of question you can • Hemoglobin (Hgb): 12 – 16 gm (F); 14 – 18 gm • Serum creatinine: 0.6 – 1.35 mg/dL
answer is 75 and a maximum of 265. (M). • LDH: 100-190 U/L
• Read the question and answers carefully – do • Hematocrit (Hct): 37 – 47 (F); 40 – 54 (M) • Protein: 6.2 – 8.1 g/dL
not jump into conclusions or make wild guesses.
• Albumin: 3.4 – 5.0 g/dL
• Look for keywords – avoid answers with absolutes
4. SERUM ELECTROLYTES • Bilirubin: <1.0 mg/dL
like always, never, all, every, only, must, except,
• Total Cholesterol: 130 – 200 mg/dL
none, or no.
• Don’t read into the question – Never assume • Sodium: 135 – 145 mEq/L • Triglyceride: 40 – 50 mg/dL
anything that has not been specifically mentioned • Potassium: 3.5 – 5.5 mEq/L • Uric acid: 3.5 – 7.5 mg/dL
and don’t add extra meaning to the question. • Calcium: 8.5 – 10.9 mEq/L • CPK: 21-232 U/L
• Eliminate answers that are clearly wrong or • Chloride: 95 – 105 mEq/L
incorrect – to increase your probability of selecting • Magnesium: 1.5 – 2.5 mEq/L 8. THERAPEUTIC DRUG LEVELS
the correct answer! • Phosphorus: 2.5 – 4.5 mEq/L
• Watch for grammatical inconsistencies – • Carbamazepine (Tegretol): 4 – 10 mcg/m
Subjects and verbs should agree. If the question is 5. ABG VALUES • Digoxin (Lanoxin): 0.8 – 2.0 ng/ml
an incomplete sentence, the correct answer should • Gentamycin (Garamycin): 5 – 10 mcg/ml
complete the question in a grammatically correct • pH: 7.36 – 7.45 <2.0 mcg/ml (valley)
manner. • Lithium (Eskalith): 8 – 1.5 mEq/L
• HCO3: 24 – 26 mEq/L
• Rephrase the question – putting the question into •
2
CO : 35 – 45 mEq/L • Phenobarbital (Solfoton): 15 – 40 mcg/m
your own words can pluck the unneeded info and • PaO2: 80% – 100% • Phenytoin (Dilantin): 10 – 20 mcg/dL
reveal the core of the stem. • Theophylline (Aminophylline): 10 – 20 m
• SaO2: >95
• Make an educated guess – if you can’t make the • Tobramycin (Tobrex): 5 – 10 mcg/mL (pea
best answer for a question after carefully reading it, 2.0 mcg/mL (valley)
choose the answer with the most information. 6. ACID-BASE BALANCE
• Valproic Acid (Depakene): 50 – 100 mcg/
• Vancomycin (Vancocin): 20 – 40 mcg/ml
2. VITAL SIGNS • Remember ROME (respiratory opposite/metabolic
to 15 mcg/ml (trough)
equal) to remember that in respiratory acid/base
disorders the pH is opposite to the other
• Heart rate: 80 – 100 bpm 9. ANTICOAGULANT THERAPY
components.
• Respiratory rate: 12-20 rpm
• Use the Tic-Tac-Toe Method for interpreting ABGs.
• Blood pressure: 110-120/60 mmHg • Sodium warfarin (Coumadin) PT: 10 – 12
Read more about it here
• Temperature: 37 °C (98.6 °F) (http://bit.ly/abgtictactoe). seconds (control). The antidote is Vitamin K
• INR (Coumadin): 0.9 – 1.2
, !
• Heparin PTT: 30 – 45 seconds (control). The 13. EPIDURAL ANESTHESIA: STOP 1 6 . M E D I C A T IO N C L A S S I F IC A T I O N S
antidote is protamine sulfate.
• APTT: 3 – 31.9 seconds • STOP is a treatment for maternal hypotension after • Antacids – reduces hydrochloric acid in the
• Fibrinogen level: 203 – 377 mg/dL an epidural anesthesia. stomach.
• Stop infusion of Pitocin. • Antianemics – increases blood cell produc
10. UNIT CONVERSIONS • Turn the client on her left side. • Anticholinergics – decreases oral secretio
• Oxygen therapy. • Anticoagulants – prevents clot formation,
• 1 teaspoon (t) = 5 ml • Push IV fluids, if hypovolemia is present. • Anticonvulsants – used for management
• 1 tablespoon (T) = 3 t = 15 ml seizures and/or bipolar disorders.
• 1 oz = 30 ml 14. PREGNANCY CATEGORY OF DRUGS • Antidiarrheals – decreases gastric motility
• 1 cup = 8 oz reduce water in bowel.
• 1 quart = 2 pints • Category A – No risk in controlled human studies • Antihistamines – block the release of hista
• 1 pint = 2 cups • Category B – No risk in other studies. Examples: • Antihypertensives – lower blood pressure
• 1 grain (gr) = 60 mg Amoxicillin, Cefotaxime. increases blood flow.
• 1 gram (g) = 1,000 mg • Category C – Risk not ruled out. Examples: • Anti-infectives – used for the treatment of
• 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 lbs Rifampicin (Rifampin), Theophylline (Theolair). infections,
• 1 lb = 16 oz • Category D – Positive evidence of risk. Examples: • Bronchodilators – dilates large air passag
• Convert C to F: C+40 multiply by 9/5 and subtract Phenytoin, Tetracycline. asthma or lung diseases (e.g., COPD).
40 • Category X – Contraindicated in Pregnancy. • Diuretics – decreases water/sodium from t
• Convert F to C: F+40 multiply by 5/9 and subtract Examples: Isotretinoin (Accutane), Thalidomide of Henle.
40 (Immunoprin), etc. • Laxatives – promotes the passage of stoo
• Category N – Not yet classified • Miotics – constricts the pupils.
11. MATERNITY NORMAL VALUES • Mydriatics – dilates the pupils.
15. DRUG SCHEDULES • Narcotics/analgesics – relieves moderate
severe pain.
• Fetal Heart Rate: 120 – 160 bpm
• Variability: 6 – 10 bpm • Schedule I – no currently accepted medical use
• Amniotic fluid: 500 – 1200 ml 17. RULE OF NINES
and for research use only (e.g., heroin, LSD,
• Contractions: 2 – 5 minutes apart with duration of MDMA).
< 90 seconds and intensity of <100 mmHg. • Schedule II – drugs with high potential for abuse • For calculating Total Body Surface Area (T
• AVA: The umbilical cord has two arteries and one and requires written prescription (e.g., Ritalin, burns:
vein. hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), • Head and neck: 9%
and fentanyl). • Upper limbs: 18% (9% each)
12. APGAR SCORING • Schedule III – requires new prescription after six • Anterior torso: 18%
months or five refills (e.g., codeine, testosterone, • Posterior torso: 18%
• Appearance, Pulses, Grimace, Activity, Reflex ketamine). • Legs: 36% (18% each)
Irritability. • Schedule IV – requires new prescription after six • Genitalia: 1%
• Done at 1 and 5 minutes with a score of 0 for months (e.g., Darvon, Xanax, Soma, and Valium).
absent, 1 for decreased, and 2 for strongly positive. • Schedule V – dispensed as any other prescription
• Scores 7 and above are generally normal, 4 to 6 or without prescription (e.g., cough preparations,
fairly low, and 3 and below are generally regarded Lomotil, Motofen).
as critically low.
SOURCE: http://nurseslabs.com/nclex-cram-sheet/
