Clinical Judgment Builder: the 6 Next Gen NCLEX steps
Work through your client the way the Next Gen NCLEX tests you: recognize cues, analyze cues, prioritize, plan, act and evaluate. Pick the condition for help at every step, then print your finished worksheet with SBAR and reflection.
Your clientInitials only
1. Recognize cuesWhat matters most right now?
List what you found. Mark each cue Relevant (it matters for this client right now) or Not relevant (normal, or not tied to the problem). The NCLEX tests whether you can ignore the distractors.
| Lab / test | Value | What it means for THIS client |
|---|
2. Analyze cuesHow do the cues connect?
Check your thinking: the textbook explanation
3. Prioritize hypothesesRank the problems. Why is #1 first?
Uncheck problems your client does not have. Use the arrows to put them in YOUR priority order (ABCs, Maslow, safety, acute before chronic).
4. Generate solutionsGoals, planned actions and what to avoid
Hint: priority points for this condition
5. Take actionWhat you actually did, with times
| Time | Action / intervention | Medication: how it works | What to watch |
|---|
6. Evaluate outcomesDid it work? What next?
SBAR handoffGive report like a nurse
Post-clinical reflectionBe honest. This is how you grow.
Your clinical judgment worksheet
Print it or save it as a PDF to turn in, or copy the text into your school’s form.
Made by Anna Curran, RN, BSN, PHN, former ADN and BSN nursing instructor. Built on the 6 steps of the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model. For study use. Always follow your school’s format, your instructor, your facility policy and the provider’s orders. Use initials only. Never enter a client’s name or identifying details.