PNLE study guide
PNLE · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE) is the government licensure examination that a graduate of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must pass before practicing as a Registered Nurse in the Philippines. It is administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) through the Professional Regulatory Board of Nursing, and a passing result is what allows you to register, use the RN credential, and work in hospitals, clinics, community health settings, schools, and overseas placements that require an active Philippine license. The exam is multiple choice and is organized around four broad areas weighted equally: Foundations of Nursing Practice (which folds in Professional Adjustment, Leadership and Management, and Nursing Research), Maternal and Child Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. Questions are situational rather than fact-recall; most ask what the nurse should do first, prioritize, or delegate, so preparation means practicing clinical judgment across all four areas rather than memorizing isolated facts. The PNLE study guide has 4 sections and about 1,256 words.
01Foundations of Nursing Practice: Professional Adjustment, Leadership and Management, and Nursing Research
Foundations questions test whether you can think like a licensed nurse, not just recall facts. Know the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation) and the principle that assessment, nursing judgment, and evaluation remain with the nurse.
317 words, about 2 min02Maternal and Child Nursing
Maternal and child questions integrate normal physiology, risk recognition, and family-centered care. In antepartum care, know gravida and para, GTPAL, estimated date of delivery, danger signs, and screening for preeclampsia.
307 words, about 2 min03Medical-Surgical Nursing
Medical-surgical nursing rewards systematic assessment and safe intervention. Know ABCs, level of consciousness, vital sign changes, pain assessment, fluid and electrolyte balance, acid-base basics, medication safety, infection control, and perioperative care.
327 words, about 2 min04Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
Psychiatric nursing emphasizes safety, therapeutic communication, assessment, and medication knowledge. Understand mental status examination, suicide and violence risk assessment, therapeutic nurse-client boundaries, crisis intervention, and legal-ethical issues such as informed consent, confidentiality, and involuntary commitment criteria.
305 words, about 2 min