Passing the RN exam qualifies you to be registered and licensed as a professional nurse in Nigeria.
Study free NMCN RN past questions and answers with explanation and download free PDF
About NMCN RN exam
The RN exam is conducted by NMCN (Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria) for student nurses who have completed their training in accredited NURSING SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA.
It is the final professional exam before a student nurse can become a Registered Nurse (RN) and obtain a practicing license.
This NMCN RN past questions helps you understand the exam structure.
NMCN exam structure for General nursing
The RN exam tests your knowledge on (3) core areas that make the exam structure.
- Basic medical sciences.
- Nursing foundations.
- Clinical nursing practice.
1. NMCN Basic Medical Sciences (Paper I)
This paper tests your understanding of basic scientific knowledge in nursing.
Common topics according to NMCN RN SYLLABUS include basic sciences, anatomy, physiology, abortion, reproductive health, medsurg, pharmacology, family planning, etc.
You have 2 hours 30 minutes to answer about 250 questions in this Paper 1.
Management information system questions
Study the referral pathway diagram above.
1. What does the backward arrow from the General Hospital to the Primary Health Centre represent?
A. A routine billing communication note
B. Feedback about the client's treatment
C. A request for additional staffing
D. A supply chain procurement order
SEE ANSWER ✅
Effective referral systems include feedback loops, where the receiving facility communicates back about the client’s care.
2. A community health worker uses an app that flags missing fields before submission. This feature mainly supports _____
A. faster staff salary payments made
B. automatic diagnosis of the patient
C. less need for any supervision
D. better data completeness at collection
SEE ANSWER ✅
Automated flagging helps ensure data completeness is checked and corrected at the point of collection.
Basic science questions
3. Which pH range is considered normal for human arterial blood?
A. Between 6.83 and 7.38
B. Between 7.53 and 7.54
C. Between 7.35 and 7.45
D. Between 6.92 and 7.29
SEE ANSWER ✅
Normal arterial blood pH is tightly regulated between 7.35 and 7.45. Values outside this range indicate acidosis or alkalosis.
4. What physical property allows a stethoscope to amplify heart and lung sounds for auscultation?
A. Sound wave transmission
B. Light refraction property
C. Magnetic resonance property
D. Electrical conduction property
SEE ANSWER ✅
A stethoscope transmits sound vibrations through air-filled tubing, amplifying body sounds for clearer auscultation.
Anatomy and physiology questions
5. Which muscle is primarily responsible for the mechanics of normal quiet breathing?
A. The intercostal muscles mainly
B. The diaphragm muscle mainly
C. The abdominal muscles mainly
D. The trapezius muscle mainly
SEE ANSWER ✅
The diaphragm is the primary muscle of respiration, contracting to expand the thoracic cavity during inhalation.
Study the diagram below.
6. Which valve lies between the left atrium and left ventricle?
A. The tricuspid valve
B. The mitral valve
C. The pulmonary valve
D. The aortic semilunar valve
SEE ANSWER ✅
The mitral (bicuspid) valve lies between the left atrium and left ventricle, preventing backflow during ventricular contraction.
Abortion questions
7. A grieving client after a spontaneous abortion says, "I must have done something wrong to cause this." What is the most therapeutic nursing response?
A. Reassuring her this is a common misconception
B. Agreeing that she likely caused it
C. Changing the subject immediately
D. Ignoring the comment entirely
SEE ANSWER ✅
Many spontaneous abortions result from factors outside a person’s control, like chromosomal abnormalities. Reassurance addresses common guilt while remaining honest and supportive.
8. A client with suspected incomplete abortion shows signs of hypovolemic shock. What is the nurse's first priority action?
A. Prepare the client for discharge
B. Counsel the client on family planning
C. Establish IV access and give fluids
D. Document the case for later review
SEE ANSWER ✅
In hypovolemic shock, the priority is to establish IV access and begin fluid resuscitation to stabilize circulation before other interventions.
Male and female reproductive system questions
Study the diagram above.
9. Which structure is primarily responsible for producing eggs and sex hormones?
A. The uterus structure itself
B. The ovary structure itself
C. The cervix structure itself
D. The fallopian tube itself
SEE ANSWER ✅
The ovaries are the primary female reproductive organs responsible for producing ova (eggs) and secreting oestrogen and progesterone.
10. Testicular torsion is best described as a _____
A. chronic, painless condition only
B. surgical emergency from twisting
C. common finding in older men
D. type of sexually transmitted infection
SEE ANSWER ✅
Testicular torsion involves twisting of the spermatic cord, cutting off blood supply to the testis, and constitutes a surgical emergency.
Reproductive health questions
11. At what general age is HPV vaccination typically recommended to begin for maximum preventive benefit?
A. Only after menopause has occurred
B. Immediately after cervical cancer diagnosis
C. Before the onset of sexual activity
D. Only during the first pregnancy
SEE ANSWER ✅
HPV vaccination is most effective when given before the onset of sexual activity, typically recommended for adolescents.
12. The minimum birth-to-pregnancy interval generally recommended to reduce maternal and child health risks is _____
A. exactly one month only
B. at least eighteen to twenty-four months
C. less than six months
D. no interval is medically necessary
SEE ANSWER ✅
A minimum interval of about 18 to 24 months between birth and the next pregnancy is generally recommended to reduce complication risks.
Medical-surgical nursing (I) questions
13. A client with type 1 diabetes presents with fruity-smelling breath, deep rapid breathing, and confusion. Which complication should the nurse suspect?
A. Hypoglycaemic episode only
B. Mild dehydration alone
C. Simple respiratory infection
D. Diabetic ketoacidosis
SEE ANSWER ✅
Fruity breath, deep rapid (Kussmaul) breathing, and confusion are classic signs of diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication of hyperglycaemia.
Study the diagram below.
14. In a client with severe dehydration, fluid loss primarily affects which compartments shown?
A. Only the intracellular compartment
B. Only the intravascular compartment
C. Both intravascular and interstitial fluid
D. None of the fluid compartments
SEE ANSWER ✅
Dehydration typically causes loss of extracellular fluid, affecting both the intravascular (plasma) and interstitial compartments, which can lead to hypovolemia.
Principles of management questions
15. A nurse manager involves the entire team in discussing new shift patterns before finalizing a decision. Which leadership style is being demonstrated?
A. Democratic leadership
B. Autocratic leadership
C. Laissez-faire leadership
D. Bureaucratic leadership
SEE ANSWER ✅
Democratic leadership involves team members in decision-making, encouraging input and shared ownership of outcomes, as shown here.
16. A hospital unit begins tracking patient fall rates monthly and compares them to national benchmarks. This practice is an example of _____
A. Staff recruitment strategy
B. Quality assurance monitoring
C. Emergency response planning
D. Budget forecasting method
SEE ANSWER ✅
Tracking outcomes such as fall rates against benchmarks is a quality assurance activity used to monitor and improve care standards.
Pharmacology (I) questions
17. Before administering digoxin, which assessment should the nurse always perform first?
A. Check the client's blood glucose level
B. Check the client's respiratory rate only
C. Check the client's apical pulse rate
D. Check the client's recent weight change
SEE ANSWER ✅
The nurse should check the apical pulse before administering digoxin, since the medication is typically withheld if the pulse is below 60 beats per minute.
18. A client receiving intravenous vancomycin develops flushing, redness, and itching of the upper body during infusion. What should the nurse suspect?
A. Red man syndrome from rapid infusion
B. A normal, expected reaction requiring no action
C. An unrelated food allergy reaction
D. Improved response to the medication
SEE ANSWER ✅
Red man syndrome is a reaction associated with rapid vancomycin infusion, presenting as flushing and itching; slowing the infusion rate typically helps.
Family planning questions
19. A client asks about the effectiveness of natural family planning methods compared to modern hormonal methods. What is the nurse's most accurate response?
A. Natural methods are always more effective
B. Both methods have identical failure rates
C. Hormonal methods have no measurable effectiveness
D. Natural methods generally have higher typical-use failure rates
SEE ANSWER ✅
Natural family planning methods generally have higher typical-use failure rates compared to hormonal or long-acting methods, due to variability in correct use.
20. A client with a history of migraine with aura asks about starting combined oral contraceptives. What should the nurse consider?
A. Combined pills are always the safest option
B. Combined pills may be contraindicated due to stroke risk
C. Migraine has no bearing on contraceptive choice
D. Combined pills eliminate migraine symptoms
SEE ANSWER ✅
Migraine with aura increases stroke risk, and combined oral contraceptives (containing oestrogen) can further increase this risk, making them potentially contraindicated.
2. Nursing foundations (Paper II)
This paper tests you on the principles and basic concepts of nursing practice.
According to the NMCN SYLLABUS, topics are often fundamentals of nursing, first aid procedures, nursing ethics and law, psychology, sociology in healthcare, communication in nursing.
You have 1 hours to answer about 100 questions in this Paper 2.
3. Clinical nursing (Paper III)
It tests your practical knowledge in different nursing specialties.
Common areas include medical-surgical, community health, mental health or psychiatric, paediatric, nursing administration, etc.
Again, you have 1 hours to answer 100 questions in this Paper 3.
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