NCLEX Mnemonics

There is SO much to learn and memorize in nursing. Not just for NCLEX, but in everyday practice. Thankfully, mnemonics can come to the rescue!

Amnemonic (“nuh-MAH-nik”)is a tool that helps to remember facts or large amounts of information.It’s usually a short phrase or word. Also known as a “memory aid,” it’s a way to improve and assist memory. Remember learning to sing the “A-B-C” song? That is a mnemonic to learn alphabet letters in the proper order.

Mnemonics are not meant to be comprehensive. They’re quick reminders to trigger your memory. It’s up to you to learn the facts and logic for everything you’re responsible for knowing. If you are studying for NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, be sure to download the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Test Plan to guide your preparation.

The Good News: You probably already know some mnemonics! For example, “RICE” for care of injuries: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Or the “BRAT” diet for diarrhea: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. And, of course, the medical version of “A-B-C” for basic patient care: Airway, Breathing, Circulation.

In this article, we’ll go through the NCLEX categories and subcategories, and provide some handy mnemonics for each. You’ll have clues and hints when you sit for your exam…and handy references that will last you for the rest of your nursing career. Although the scope of practice is different for an RN from an LPN/LVN, mnemonics can serve both.

Safe and Effective Care Environment

• Management of Care, RN: the nurse provides and directs nursing care that enhances the care delivery setting to protect the client and health care personnel.
• Coordinated Care, LPN/LVN: the nurse collaborates with health care team members to facilitate effective client care

Steps in the Nursing Process: ADPIE (A Delicious PIE)

A = Assessment
D = Diagnosis (Sometimes called “Analysis”)
P = Planning
I = Implementation
E = Evaluation

RN Assignments & Delegation: Do not delegate what you can EAT

E = Evaluate
A = Assess
T = Teach

• Safety and Infection Control, RN: the nurse protects clients and health care personnel from health and environmental hazards.
• Safety and Infection Control, LPN/LVN: the nurse contributes to the protection of clients and health care personnel from health and environmental hazards.

Disaster Preparation/Emergency Trauma Assessment: ABCDEFGHI

A = Airway
B = Breathing
C = Circulation
D = Disability
E = Expose/Examine
F = Full set of vital signs
G = Give comfort measures
H = Head-to-to assessment
I = Inspect posterior

Contact Precautions: MRS WEE

M = Multidrug resistant organism
R = Respiratory infection
S = Skin infection

W = Wound infection
E = Enteric (Clostridium difficile)
E = Eye infection (conjunctivitis)

Droplet Precautions: SPIDERMAN

S = Sepsis/Scarlet fever/Streptococcal pharyngitis
P = Pneumonia/Pertussis/Parovirus B19
I = Influenza
D = Diphtheria
E = Epiglottitis
R = Rubella
M = Mumps/Meningitis/Meningeal pneumonia/Mycoplasma
An = Adenovirus

Health Promotion and Maintenance

RN: the nurse provides and directs nursing care of the client that incorporates knowledge of expected growth and development; prevention and early detection of health problems, and strategies to achieve optimal health.

LPN/LVN: the nurse provides nursing care for clients that incorporate knowledge of expected stages of growth and development, and prevention and/or early detection of health problems.

Which type of measles is dangerous in pregnancy: Rubella/German measles
“Never get pregnant with a German (rubella).”

Basics of Prenatal Care: ABCDEF

A = Amniotic fluid
B = Bleeding
C = Contractions
D = Dysuria
E = Edema
F = Fetal movement

APGAR Score: Method for quickly evaluating a neonate at 1 and 5 minutes

A = Appearance
P = Pulse
G = Grimace
A = Activity
R = Respiration

Evaluation of Irregular Moles for Early Detection: ABCDE

A = Asymmetry: Is the mole irregular in shape?
B = Border: Is the border irregular, notched, or poorly defined?
C = Color: Does the color of the mole vary? (Shades of brown, black, red, white, or blue?)
D = Diameter: Is the diameter more than 6 mm? (1/4 inch)
E = Elevation or Evolution: Is it raised or has it changed in the past 6 months?

Warning Signs of Cancer: CAUTION

C = Change in bladder or bowels
A = A sore that won’t heal
U = Unusual bleeding and/or discharge
T = Thickening or lumping tissue
I = Indigestion or trouble swallowing
O = Obvious change in the size of a mole or wart
N = Nagging cough and/or hoarseness

Psychosocial Integrity

RN: the nurse provides and directs nursing care that promotes and supports the emotional, mental and social well-being of the client experiencing stressful events, as well as clients with acute or chronic mental illness.

LPN/LVN: the nurse provides care that assists with promotion and support of the emotional, mental, and social well-being of clients.

Depression Signs and Symptoms: AWESOME

A = Affect flat
W = Weight change (gain or loss)
E = Energy, loss of
S = Sadness/Suicidal thoughts/Sleep changes/Social withdrawal
O = Others (guilt, loss of pleasure, hopelessness)
M = Memory loss
E = Emotional blunting

Five Interventions for Psychiatric Patients: Setting Sun Equals Moon Light

S = Safety
S = Setting limits
E = Establish trusting relationships
M = Medications
L = Least restrictive environment or methods

Primary Symptoms of a Manic Attack: DIG FAST

D = Distractibility
I = Indiscretion
G = Grandiosity

F = Flight of Ideas
A = Activity Increase
S = Sleep Deficit
T = Talkativeness

Kubler-Ross stages of dying: Death Always Brings Great Acceptance

D = Denial

A = Anger

B = Bargaining

G = Grieving/Depression

A = Acceptance

Physiological Integrity

• Basic Care and Comfort, RN and LPN/LVN: the nurse provides comfort and assistance in the performance of activities of daily living.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): BATTED

B = Bathing
A = Ambulation
T = Toileting
T = Transfers
E = Eating
D = Dressing

Prevention/Management of Pressure Sores: SKIN

S = Surfaces should be smooth
K = Keep moving/repositioning
I = Incontinence management
N = Nutrition

Fat-Soluble Vitamins: All Dogs Eat Kibble

Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K

Order of Walking with a Cane: COAL

C = Cane
O = Opposite
A = Affected
L = Leg

Going Up and Down Stairs with a Cane:

“Up with the Good, Down with the Bad”

Order of Walking with a Walker: Wandering Wilma Always Late

W = Walker
W = With
A = Affected
L = Leg

• Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies/Pharmacological Therapies, RN: the nurse provides care related to the administration of medications and parenteral therapies.
• Pharmacological Therapies, LPN/LVN: the nurse provides care related to the administration of medications and monitors clients who are receiving parenteral therapies.

Diuretics Nursing Care: DIURETIC

D = Daily weight
I = Intake & Output
U = Urine output
R = Response of blood pressure
E = Electrolytes
T = Take pulses
I = Ischemic episodes (TIA)
C = Complications

Drug Interactions: These Drugs Can Interact

T = Theophylline
D = Dilantin
C = Coumadin
I = Ilosone

Drugs to LEAN On in an Emergency: LEAN

L = Lidocaine
E = Epinephrine
A = Atropine Sulfate
N = Narcan

Drugs for Managing COVID-19: ABCD

A = Antimicrobials/Antacids
B = Bronchodilators/Bowel & Bladder
C = Cytokine Storm (Steroids)/Co-Morbidity
D = Diuretics/DVT Prevention

Drugs for Bradycardia and Hypotension: IDEA

I = Isoproterenol
D = Dopamine
E = Epinephrine
A = Atropine sulfate

• Reduction of Risk Potential, RN: the nurse reduces the likelihood that clients will develop complications or health problems related to existing conditions, treatments or procedures.
• Reduction of Risk Potential, LPN/LVN: the nurse reduces the potential for clients to develop complications or health problems related to treatments, procedures, or existing conditions.

Alkalosis and Acidosis: KICK up, DROP down

KICK: AlKalosis, pH KICKS up (Alkalosis has a K in the spelling.)
DOWN: AciDosis, pH DROPS down (Acidosis has a D in the spelling.)

Signs of hypoglycemia: TIRED

T -- Tachycardia
I -- Irritability
R -- Restlessness
E -- Excessive hunger
D -- Diaphoresis/Drowsiness

Congestive Heart Failure Interventions: UNLOAD FAST

U = Upright sitting
N = Nitroglycerin
L = Lasix (furosemide)
O = Oxygen
A = Aminophylline
D = Digoxin

F = Fluids: Decrease
A = Afterload: Decrease
S = Sodium: Decrease
T = Tests: ABGs, Digoxin level, Potassium level

• Physiological Adaptation, RN: the nurse manages and provides care for clients with acute, chronic, or life-threatening physical health conditions.
• Physiological Adaptation, LPN/LVN: the nurse participates in providing care for clients with acute, chronic, or life-threatening health conditions.

Signs of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA): D.K.A.

D -- Diuresis, Delirium / Dizziness, Dehydration
K -- Kussmaul Breathing, Ketotic Breath
A -- Abdominal Pain

Indications for dialysis: A-E-I-O-U

A = Acid-base imbalance (intractable acidosis)
E = Electrolyte problems (K+, Na+, Ca++)
I = Intoxicants (methanol ethylene glycol)
O = Overload of fluids (refractory to diuretics)
U = Uremic symptoms (lethargy, malaise, stupor, coma, gastritis with hemorrhage)

Endocrine Disorders: Addison’s Disease, Cushing’s Syndrome, Graves’ Disease

Addison’s: Need to ADD hormones
Cushing’s: Have a CUSHION of hormones
Graves’/Hyperthyroidism: Remember Michael Jackson in “Thriller.” Skinny, nervous, bulging eyes, fast heartbeat, up all night

LEFT-sided heart failure: DO CHAP

D = Dyspnea
O = Orthopnea

C = Cough
H = Hemoptysis
A = Adventitious Breath Sounds
P = Pulmonary Congestion

RIGHT-sided heart failure: HEAD

H = Hepatomegaly
E = Edema (bipedal)
A = Ascites
D = Distended Neck Veins

Ventilator Pressure Alarm Sounds: HO LD

HO: High pressure alarm = Obstruction due to increased secretions, kinked tubing, or patient coughing, gagging, or biting the ETT

LD: Low pressure alarm = Disconnection or leak in the ventilator or in patient’s airway cuff, patient stops spontaneous breathing

These are just a few examples of mnemonics. As you prepare for NCLEX, mnemonics can help you in the nursing areas you’re not proficient in or have trouble remembering. When you start your professional career, you’ll find that every specialty has its own useful set of mnemonics.

If you like the idea of including mnemonics in your study plan or as a way to learn, a quick internet search will help you find what you need.

About the Author

Winona Suzanne Ball

Nursing Adviser, RN | MHS, Governors State University, IL
Full member of the American Nurses Association. Learn more