Nursing is undoubtedly one of the noblest professions in the world. There is no greater reward than the fulfillment of contributing to the healing and recovery of patients.
And with the rapidly increasing demand for nurses, now is the best time to establish a nursing career.
After completing your nursing degree or obtaining your practical nursing diploma, the next hurdle you have to overcome is the NCLEX examination.
So much has been said about this standardized exam, but one thing is for certain – complete preparation is needed to succeed.
To help you get that license, here are some of the best books you can use in preparation for the NCLEX.
NCLEX Exam Prep Comparison
Rank | Name | # of Pages | # of practice Tests | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1,152 | 1 | $$$$ | |
2 | 648 | 1 | $$ | |
3 | 256 | N/A | $$ | |
4 | 408 | N/A | $$$$ | |
5 | 1,132 | 6 | $$$ | |
6 | 1,216 | 2 | $$$ | |
7 | 864 | 2 | $$$$ |
The Ultimate Prep List
Going through hundreds of prep books can be exhausting, but that pales in comparison to the grueling preparation that the NCLEX RN requires.
So ahead of all this, we’re helping you cut the process short, making your nursing education just that bit easier. Forget about the other NCLEX review books on the market, because the best nursing licensure review materials are here.
Each comprehensive review has its own strengths, but they have one thing in common – all of them can help you finally use those two letters at the end of your name: RN.
The Saunders Comprehensive Review book is a favorite not only as NCLEX review material but as a companion throughout nursing school as well. Many rave reviews have sung this book’s praises, and the book is written by trusted names – Linda Anne Silvestri and Angela Elizabeth Silvestri.
Now on its 9th edition, the Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination is known for its extensive content.
The vast information is broken down into categories, and the tone used is generally easy to understand. As a result, the book is less intimidating, and the concepts are easier to absorb.
This NCLEX prep book may be more than a thousand pages long, but its layout keeps you engaged. The charts and graphs, as well as the colored pictures and descriptions, will shatter that monotony and boredom that often comes with studying from a textbook. This is great if you have a visual learning style.
This NCLEX prep book also offers more than 5,000 practice questions which can be found both in the book and online. In previous editions, the practice questions were located at the back of the book. However, this time, you’ll find them at the end of each chapter. This saves you time and preserves your patience – two things you’ll need as you brace for the NCLEX RN.
The practice test questions use the same alternate item format you will find in the actual test, helping you to hone your test-taking skills and offering an extra level of preparation.
However, one thing to note about the Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX RN is the practice questions are a bit on the easier side. If you want more of a challenge, it’s best to use this book in combination with another resource that has tougher practice questions.
Saunders has made sure to include test-taking strategies and the rationale behind the questions. In addition, both right and wrong answers are explained thoroughly, so you are less likely to commit the same mistake if you encounter a similar item in the actual exam.
Overall, the Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX RN is sufficient to equip you with the knowledge and confidence you need to succeed. Pass the NCLEX RN exam without breaking a sweat.
Pros
- Comprehensive content review
- Easy to understand language
- Useful test-taking strategies and rationale for each question
- Extensive practice questions
- Engaging visual presentation
Cons
- Practice questions are not very challenging
- Kindle version is difficult to navigate
Our next book comes from the test-prep authority, Kaplan. Thousands of nursing students have used this NCLEX prep book for their exam.
The NCLEX-RN Content Review Guide starts with an overview of the exam, covering all the key concepts you need to know. As it gets you acquainted with the NCLEX, you’ll become less intimidated and more able to focus on the task at hand.
Preparing for the NCLEX means immersing yourself in a lot of information, which can be overwhelming. But the way this NCLEX prep book is outlined makes things easier to digest. Instead of presenting huge chunks of information, all the contents are compartmentalized into chapters and units. This helps you maintain your focus until you are ready to move on to the next topic.
Navigating the book is not a problem either, thanks to the handy A-Z index at the back. This is particularly helpful when you’re finding it difficult to recall a specific concept. You can just look up what you need in the index, and you’ll find your desired page instantly.
If you think this NCLEX review book is all form and zero substance, you’re certainly mistaken. There are over 600 pages of rich nursing content. In addition, it also provides strategies to help you perform strongly in the NCLEX-RN exam and eliminate any worries you might have on test day.
You won’t find full-length practice tests, but there is a range of helpful sample questions. We would have preferred it if the answers to these sample questions were explained more thoroughly, but this is only one of the few drawbacks of the book.
These shortcomings are offset by the online question bank. Purchasing the book gives you access to Kaplan’s archive of practice questions.
When you’re ready, feel free to test yourself. From there, you will be able to plan your next course of action as you move closer to the exam date.
Pros
- Efficient book outline
- Helpful tips and strategies
- Includes online question bank
Cons
- Question and answer explanations are not thorough
- No full-length practice test
Being a nurse requires a great many critical thinking skills. If that is an aspect you need to work on, this book will serve you well. It prepares you not only for the NCLEX but for the actual demands of your nursing job.
As a nurse, every single day presents different challenges. You encounter countless patients, each requiring a unique course of action. It’s easy to memorize concepts and recall them when you are faced with simple Q&A, but application and analysis are a whole new ballgame.
This book appeals to your critical thinking skills. It is entirely dedicated to prioritization, delegation, and assignment, which constitutes approximately 20% of the NCLEX.
After an introduction to the NCLEX-RN, you will find practice questions that test your knowledge of appropriate actions for the given scenarios. The value of these questions lies not in quantity but rather in the quality of your answers.
The questions are based on realistic case studies and situations you will most likely encounter in the hospital setting. They are also arranged in increasing difficulty. You’ll tackle problems with more common health issues first before moving on to more complex ones.
In addition, the answers are explained thoroughly. This paints an even clearer picture of the scenario and helps you appreciate why a certain action is the best thing to do. As you sharpen this way of thinking, you eventually improve at making the correct decision.
Although the book’s focus content is important, you have to consider that it’s not the sole coverage of the NCLEX-RN exam. You cannot expect to pass using this book alone. Additional review materials are definitely necessary.
Nevertheless, this NCLEX prep book on prioritization, delegation, and assignment is a handy preparation tool and will take you to test day and beyond.
Pros
- Realistic case studies
- Detailed explanations of answers
Cons
- Not sufficient as an overall NCLEX review book
This book is one of the most preferred review materials for the HESI exit exam and the NCLEX.
HESI (or Health Education Systems, Inc.) provides practice exams and other resources for aspiring professional nurses. The HESI Comprehensive Review prepares you for the type of questions you’ll encounter in the NCLEX.
Because it’s said to be a good predictor of NCLEX success, some nursing schools require it as a part of their admission process.
This NCLEX review book is broken down into chapters, each one focusing on a specific clinical area. If you want to go back to a certain topic, you can easily do so without wasting time and effort.
Despite the broad coverage, the HESI Comprehensive Review is easy to understand. This is because the content is delivered clearly and concisely without complicated, ornate language that tries to impress – just nursing concepts laid down as simple as possible.
The book contains important updates, including pediatric immunization, neonatal PR guidelines and medications, and psychiatric nursing.
You’ll also notice that the book’s layout is strategically executed. The pharmacology tables, the hint boxes with useful tips, and the charts and graphics all help in retaining information.
In addition, this layout keeps things interesting, especially if your focus is already waning after studying for hours. You’ll flip the pages back and forth for months as you prepare for the exam, so it’s also good that the book’s pages are thick, glossy, and durable. Purchasing the HESI Comprehensive Review also gives you online access to hundreds of practice questions, each having a detailed answer explanation. That way, you’ll know exactly why you got the correct answers (or the wrong ones!)
However, if there’s one flaw that people notice about the HESI Comprehensive Review, it’s the numerous typographical errors. But that doesn’t detract from the content of this test prep book.
Whether you’re using it for the HESI exit exam or the NCLEX, the HESI Comprehensive Review Book will prove to be valuable review material.
Pros
- Clear and concise
- Includes online practice questions with detailed answer explanations
- Engaging layout
- Good paper quality
Cons
- Quite a number of typographical errors
If you want practice material that closely resembles the questions in the actual NCLEX exam, this is the best NCLEX review book for you. With over 6,000 practice problems, this book will help you achieve an in-depth understanding of the NCLEX format and the content you need to know.
This book features a mix of the different types of NCLEX questions: multiple choice, fill in the blanks, and order response, to name a few.
Aside from all types of questions, this Lippincott Q A Review covers all major content areas such as pediatrics, obstetrics, medical health, and medical-surgical nursing. This comprehensive NCLEX review book will provide you with all the confidence you need for test day, knowing that you’ve had enough practice.
Just like in the NCLEX examination, the items in the book are randomly arranged. Therefore, be prepared for varying subject areas and levels of difficulty at any point.
There’s an explanation for every correct or incorrect answer. However, we’d prefer if the Lippincott Q A Review provided more details so that students completely understand why a certain answer is correct.
While focusing on questions and answers, Lippincott also includes test-taking strategies to help you ace the actual test.
Purchasing the Lippincott Q A review also gives you access to an online tool with a test question bank. Although the questions are similar to the ones found in the book, this online tool allows you to practice taking computer-generated exams like the NCLEX RN exam. In addition, you also get to practice your listening skills through the audio problems.
There are some typographical errors, but not enough to greatly diminish the book’s overall value.
This is one of the best NCLEX prep books to use during the latter part of your NCLEX preparation. Then, when you’re done poring over the principles, follow it up with a self-assessment using Lippincott’s practice questions.
Pros
- Extensive practice material
- Organized content
- 6,000 NCLEX-style practice questions
Cons
- Questions online are similar to the ones in the book
- Has typographical errors
Davis’s Q & A Review For the NCLEX RN is the best NCLEX prep book for nursing students looking for something with loads of practice material.
It has a total of 12,750 items – 2,750 in the book and 10,000 online – which is said to be the most number of practice questions in any NCLEX prep book.
As well as the quantity, the practice questions’ quality is also worth mentioning. They are considerably more challenging than other practice materials. Some even say they are more difficult than the NCLEX itself!
Knowing basic nursing principles will not suffice - the questions require a higher level of analysis and evaluation. This gives you an advantage by pushing those brain cells to the limit. You’ll feel like you’re ready for anything!
All the NCLEX question types are represented in this prep book. However, please note that there is a lot of SATA (or select-all-that-apply) questions. These are probably the least favorite questions of many test-takers, so if you are one of them, you have to get this book.
The organization of the questions makes it easy to navigate. They are classified into chapters to help you focus on one specific subject matter at a time. This also allows you to identify your strong and weak points easily and, from there, you can plan your next steps, spending more time on your areas for improvement.
Davis has one of the most comprehensive rationales among the NCLEX prep books. There is a great effort to help you understand the question. This book doesn’t tell you to memorize the answers, which we all know doesn’t work. You will also appreciate that each answer is followed by information on how to deal with a particular type of question. It may sound simple, but these are really useful tips!
Purchasing this Q & A Review for the NCLEX book also gives you 1-year access to many helpful online tools. Aside from the 10,000 practice items, you can also build comprehensive practice exams from their question bank.
There may be a few typographical errors, but in general, the Davis’s Q&A review book will certainly help you pass the NCLEX. If you’re looking for practice exercises, this is one of the best NCLEX review books for you.Pros
- Abundant practice questions
- Questions are more challenging than the actual NCLEX exam
- Comprehensive rationale for each question
- Organized by chapters
- Includes access to valuable online content
Cons
- Has some typographical errors
While this is one of the best NCLEX review books to prepare for the NCLEX RN exam, it’s also a valuable companion throughout nursing school. It can even help those who are already practicing nurses!
This 800-pager covers a wide range of nursing topics. It includes all the four core topics of the NCLEX, so there is a very minimal chance that you’ll miss out on something.
Mosby’s has also added a new section on nursing management. This section tests your ability to take the lead and delegate other tasks when the situation calls for it.
Given the volume of the topics that you need to study, it’s a relief that the book is well organized. This certainly helps you categorize your thoughts to retain important information better.
Now on its 20th edition, Mosby’s Comprehensive Review reflects the recent updates in the NCLEX-RN test plan, however minimal.
In addition, Mosby’s does not scrimp on practice material. It has a total of 4,200 questions, to be exact. Furthermore, 600 of them are in the alternate item format. This means that you also get to exercise your skills in answering non-multiple choice questions. You even get a taste of the audio and graphic option formats.
There are detailed rationales given for each answer. However, Mosby’s Comprehensive Review should improve the thoroughness in future editions.
We recommend taking the two practice exams to gauge your preparedness for the NCLEX RN exam. Use this chance to strategize and improve even further.
It’s also worth mentioning that page style helps keep the user engaged. Instead of blocks of text, you’ll find colorful layouts and graphs that certainly break the monotony.
The book also has a companion CD where you can customize quizzes for more practice.
Choose between study mode and quiz mode. Study mode gives you instant feedback after you answer a question. In quiz mode, you get feedback after you have finished answering all the questions you chose in the beginning.
Test-taking tips and other helpful information are also included in the CD content.
Overall, Mosby’s Comprehensive Review is one of the best NCLEX prep books to prepare for the NCLEX exam.
Pros
- Comprehensive content and practice exams
- Well organized
- Updated to reflect new NCLEX-RN test plan
- Includes CD with practice tests and other useful information
- Visually appealing
Cons
- Less thorough answer rationales
NCLEX Books to Avoid
Thanks to our list, you’ll already know which NCLEX RN prep books can help you achieve that fully-fledged RN or PN status. However, there are a lot of other books out there, and all of them claim to be the key to achieving success.
To save time, money, and effort, familiarizing yourself with substandard books is as important as knowing which ones are reliable.
So go ahead and disregard these NCLEX review books from your study plan.
NCLEX-RN Premier
There’s no reason to buy this book if you already have Kaplan’s NCLEX-RN 2017 Strategies Practice and Review Book. They’re exactly the same!
Only the cover sets the two books apart – the reason why Kaplan had to release the second book is beyond us.
This book also claims to include a digital version. However, you will not find a scratch-off code or any similar access scheme. To make matters worse, it’s impossible to reach a Kaplan representative for any resolution.
Lastly, the practice questions are so basic that they don’t pose enough challenges. We suggest saving your money and avoiding using this NCLEX review book.
NCLEX-RN Exam Cram
While its PN counterpart is quite good, the NCLEX-PM Exam Cram is clearly second-rate.
Exams like the NCLEX are ever-changing. Therefore, they are regularly updated to keep up with the requirements of the evolving medical field. Recent NCLEX administrations no longer include brand or trade names in test items with medications. This ensures consistent language for every single examinee.
Unfortunately, this book failed to keep up because it still contains brand names. There are terminologies you simply don’t need for the NCLEX RN examination.
So if you’re cramming for the exam, do yourself a favor and don’t pick up this prep book.
NCLEX FAQ
As you prepare to be a licensed nursing practitioner, there may be several questions running through your mind.
We have compiled some common questions about the NCLEX RN exam. Read on to find out everything you need to know before jumping right into your study materials.
How much is the NCLEX fee?
You need to pay $200 at the time of your registration with Pearson Vue.
There are additional costs, but these vary per state. You may refer to this list for other fees and requirements of your local state nursing board.Am I allowed to makes changes to my NCLEX appointment?
You are, but don’t make any changes less than 24 hours or one business day before the date and time of your original schedule.
You can reschedule your appointment through the Pearson Vue website or by calling its Candidate Services. You will receive a confirmation via email.
What types of question does the NCLEX have?
The NCLEX RN examination uses several question types.
Multiple choice questions, the type most of us are familiar with, requires the test taker to select the correct answer from several options.
You may also be required to fill in the blank, which is usually used for calculations. For example, you may be asked to calculate the correct medication dosage and write your answer on the blank provided.
You can also expect response questions. You will be asked to arrange steps in the correct order based on a given situation.
Hot spot questions require identifying certain areas in a picture or a graphic. Additionally, in chart or exhibit questions, you will use the information presented through pie charts or bar graphs to give the correct answer.
How long does it take before NCLEX RN exam results are released?
You can check the Quick Results Service of Pearson Vue as early as two business days after taking the exam,
However, only the results from the nursing board you applied to are considered official. You’ll receive this approximately six weeks after the exam. Only then are you authorized to practice as a licensed or registered nurse.
How many times can I take the NCLEX RN examination?
Although you’ll probably want to pass the NCLEX exam on your first try, you’re still given the opportunity to take it again in case you’re unsuccessful.
You may retake the NCELX RN exam 45 days after the last exam date. However, you may not take the NCLEX more than eight times within a year.
Wrapping Up
To pass on the first try, you’ll want to invest in the best NCLEX review books on the market. A comprehensive NCLEX review book will include practice exams and practice questions similar to the actual NCLEX RN exam, detailed explanations of important nursing topics such as mental health or pediatric nursing, and more.
Remember to get the right book to suit your learning style. For example, the best NCLEX review books for visual learners may include images and color, whereas an audio learner may benefit more from downloadable audio summaries.
But if test prep books aren’t your thing, there is a multitude of study materials out there for you. Why don’t you try an online review course or something else? However you decide to study, make sure you choose the best NCLEX RN study materials to suit how you learn.
Good luck!
