NCLEX SATA practice drill
Practice NCLEX select-all-that-apply questions scored the real +/- partial-credit way. Every option gets a rationale, and you see exactly how your score adds up.
Classic select-all-that-apply items on the NCLEX use plus/minus scoring: +1 for each correct option you pick, −1 for each wrong option you pick, and an item can't drop below 0. This drill scores you the same way and shows the math after every question.
A client's serum potassium is 6.2 mEq/L. Which findings would the nurse expect? Select all that apply.
A client has a confirmed Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection. Which actions should the nurse take? Select all that apply.
A client with type 1 diabetes took their usual insulin but skipped lunch. Which findings suggest hypoglycemia? Select all that apply.
The nurse is teaching a client who has started lithium. Which client statements show the teaching was understood? Select all that apply.
Two hours after abdominal surgery, which findings would make the nurse suspect early hypovolemic shock from bleeding? Select all that apply.
How to use this SATA drill
Treat each option as its own true-or-false question about the client in the stem. Before you tap anything, say "true" or "false" for every option and give yourself a one-word reason. Then tap only the ones you can justify for this client.
After you check your answers, read the rationale for every option, not just the ones you got wrong. On select-all-that-apply items each option is its own fact, so an option you got right by luck is a gap waiting to happen.
Why +/- scoring changes your strategy
Before the Next Generation NCLEX launched in April 2023, a SATA item was all or nothing. Now it earns partial credit, which means two things. First, you don't need to be perfect: three of four correct options still earns three points. Second, a wild guess has a real cost: every wrong pick cancels one you got right.
| With 4 correct options out of 6, you pick… | Points |
|---|---|
| All 4 correct, nothing else | 4 |
| 3 correct, nothing else | 3 |
| 4 correct + 1 wrong | 3 |
| 3 correct + 2 wrong | 1 |
| Every option (all 6) | 2 |
The lesson: selecting everything "to be safe" doesn't work, and leaving out an option you truly can't justify often costs nothing. When you're told to pick a specific number ("Select 3"), NCSBN uses zero/one scoring instead, where wrong picks don't subtract, so always pick exactly the number asked.
The mistakes this drill is built to catch
- True but doesn't fit. An option can be a real fact and still be wrong for this client, like airborne precautions for a contact-precaution infection.
- Flipped wording. "Indicates understanding" and "needs further teaching" ask opposite questions.
- Stopping early. Some items have four or more correct options. Judge every one.
- Mixing up opposites. High and low potassium, hypo- and hyperglycemia: the options are often built from the other condition's signs.
A good routine is five SATA items a day with careful review. For each option you miss, label why: a content gap, a misread stem, or an over-select. Content gaps go into flashcards; the other two fade with reps.
Frequently asked questions
How are SATA questions scored on the NCLEX?
Classic select-all-that-apply items use plus/minus scoring: +1 for each correct option you choose, −1 for each incorrect option you choose, and the item can't score below zero. When the item tells you how many to pick, NCSBN uses zero/one scoring instead.
Is this drill scored like the real exam?
The drill uses the same +/- rule NCSBN describes for select-all-that-apply items, so a wrong pick cancels a right one and an item floors at zero. It's a study tool, not an official NCLEX score.
Should I pick an option I'm unsure about?
Only if you can explain why it's right for this client. Under +/- scoring, a wrong pick always costs a point, while leaving out an option you truly can't justify often costs nothing.
For study purposes only. Always follow your program, your facility's policies and your board of nursing. Mars AI isn't affiliated with NCSBN.