The Top 50 High-Yield NCLEX Topics (And How Much Each Appears)

Tier 1: Must-Know (Highest Frequency)

1. Management of Care & Delegation — 17–23% of exam
2. Pharmacological Therapies (Pharmacology) — 12–18%
3. Cardiovascular Disorders — very high frequency
4. Infection Control & Safety
5. Fluid & Electrolyte Imbalances
6. Respiratory Disorders
7. Prioritisation Questions
8. Laboratory Values & Interpretation
9. Drug Classifications & Nursing Implications
10. Psychosocial Integrity / Mental Health

Tier 2: High-Yield Content

11. Neurological Disorders
12. Endocrine Disorders (Diabetes, Thyroid)
13. Renal & Urinary Disorders
14. Maternity & OB Nursing
15. Paediatric Nursing
16. GI & Gastrointestinal Disorders
17. Acid-Base Balance
18. Musculoskeletal Disorders
19. Fundamentals of Nursing
20. Health Promotion & Maintenance

Tier 3: Important Supporting Content

Topics 21–50 include: Oncology, Immune Disorders, Haematological Disorders, Surgical Nursing, Perioperative Care, Wound Care, Pain Management, End-of-Life Care, Cultural Competence, Legal & Ethical Issues, Therapeutic Communication, Crisis Intervention, Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse, Grief & Loss, Developmental Milestones, Immunisations, Screening guidelines, Care of the elderly, and Emergency/Triage nursing.

See our complete NCLEX Test Plan breakdown for percentage distributions.