NLN ACE PN-RN study plan

Map the five exam domains onto a one-page tracker and rate your current confidence in each domain on a 1-5 scale

Review adult physical assessment technique by body system, writing a normal-versus-abnormal cue list for each system

Practice 40 mixed fundamentals items covering infection control, safety, and mobility, then write the rationale for every item you missed

Build a spaced-repetition deck of 30 high-yield adult terms and lab values (potassium, sodium, BUN, creatinine, hemoglobin) with reference ranges

Compare and contrast the priority actions for heart failure, myocardial infarction, and hypertensive crisis in a three-column table

Sequence the nursing response to acute respiratory distress, including positioning, oxygen delivery devices, and when to escalate

Interpret 15 arterial blood gas and electrolyte scenarios and classify each as respiratory or metabolic, compensated or uncompensated

Explain the postoperative care priorities for a client after abdominal surgery, including airway, pain, wound, and thromboembolism prevention

Outline the assessment and intervention priorities for neurologic events including stroke, seizure, and increased intracranial pressure

Differentiate the signs, treatment, and nursing precautions for diabetic ketoacidosis versus hypoglycemia

Match the major insulin types to onset, peak, and duration, and state the hypoglycemia protocol for each

Identify high-alert medications and the independent double-check steps required before administration

Apply the six rights of medication administration to 20 error scenarios and name the breakdown in each

Calculate 25 dosage problems covering weight-based dosing, IV drip rates, reconstitution, and pediatric safe-dose ranges

List the antidotes and reversal agents for the most commonly tested toxidromes and overdoses

Describe how to evaluate a medication order for allergies, interactions, and renal or hepatic dose adjustments

Trace the stages of labor and identify the nursing assessment priorities for each stage

Analyze fetal monitoring strips for baseline rate, variability, accelerations, and decelerations, and state the corresponding intervention

Sequence postpartum assessment using the BUBBLE mnemonic and prioritize hemorrhage and infection findings

Outline the immediate newborn assessment, Apgar scoring, and the first-hour interventions including thermoregulation and vitamin K

Compare the risk factors, presentation, and management of pregnancy-induced hypertension, gestational diabetes, and placenta previa or abruption

Detail the newborn complications of prematurity, jaundice, and hypoglycemia with the associated nursing interventions

Apply developmental milestones by age group to select age-appropriate assessment and communication techniques

Differentiate pediatric dehydration severity and the fluid resuscitation approach for each level

Describe the nursing management of common pediatric respiratory conditions including asthma, croup, and bronchiolitis

Identify the signs of child maltreatment and the mandated reporting steps in a clinical setting

Calculate pediatric weight-based doses and safe-dose ranges for 15 scenarios

Explain family-centered care principles and how to teach caregivers about medication administration at home

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under test-day conditions and record the score by domain

Review every missed item from the practice exams and tag each error as knowledge gap, misread, or priority-judgment error

Re-drill the 50 most-missed concepts using spaced repetition until each is recalled correctly twice

Write a one-page test-day strategy covering time per item, flagging, and how to approach priority and delegation questions