PracticeVideosBlogFlashcardsEspañol
All Practice Exams

100+ Free RCSI NMBI Aptitude Test Practice Questions

Pass your RCSI FNM Overseas Aptitude Test (NMBI Registration) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately
100+ Questions
100% Free
1 / 100
Question 1
Score: 0/0

A patient with expressive dysphasia after a stroke struggles to find words. The most helpful communication strategy is to:

A
B
C
D
to track
Same family resources

Explore More Ireland Health Registration Exams

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

Dental Council of Ireland Registration Examination

Practice Questions

PSI Equivalence Examination (Third Country Qualification Recognition)

Practice Questions

Sample RCSI NMBI Aptitude Test Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your RCSI NMBI Aptitude Test exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the NMBI Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives, a patient who has the capacity to make decisions refuses a recommended treatment. What is the nurse's most appropriate action?
A.Respect the patient's autonomous decision after ensuring they are fully informed of the risks and benefits
B.Proceed with the treatment because it is in the patient's best clinical interest
C.Ask a family member to sign the consent form on the patient's behalf
D.Document the refusal as the patient being non-compliant and escalate to security
Explanation: The NMBI Code places autonomy and informed consent at the centre of practice. An adult with capacity has the legal and ethical right to refuse treatment, even if the refusal seems unwise, once they have been given accurate information about the risks and benefits of refusing. The nurse's role is to inform, support and document the decision.
2A registered nurse makes a medication error that does not harm the patient. According to the principle of open disclosure promoted by NMBI and the HSE, what should the nurse do?
A.Say nothing because the patient was not harmed
B.Inform the patient and the team honestly, apologise, and document the event through the incident reporting system
C.Correct the chart quietly and avoid alarming the patient
D.Wait until the patient asks before mentioning the error
Explanation: Open disclosure is the open, consistent, compassionate and timely approach to communicating with patients following an adverse event or near miss. Even where no harm occurs, honesty, an apology, and formal incident reporting protect the patient and support learning, in line with the NMBI Code's value of trust and integrity.
3A healthcare assistant tells a registered nurse that another staff member has been rough and dismissive with a vulnerable older patient. Which action best reflects the nurse's safeguarding responsibility?
A.Confront the colleague privately and agree to keep the matter between them
B.Tell the assistant to mind their own business as it is not their place to comment
C.Take the concern seriously, ensure the patient is safe, and report it through the local safeguarding and management process
D.Wait to see if the behaviour happens again before doing anything
Explanation: Safeguarding vulnerable adults is everyone's responsibility. The HSE Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse policy requires any reasonable concern to be acted on promptly: ensure immediate safety, then escalate through the designated officer and management. The NMBI Code obliges nurses to act to protect people in their care.
4What is the primary purpose of maintaining accurate and contemporaneous nursing documentation?
A.To reduce the amount of verbal handover needed
B.To protect the hospital from any possible complaint
C.To satisfy the ward manager's filing requirements
D.To provide a clear, legal record that supports continuity and safety of patient care
Explanation: Records are primarily a communication and continuity-of-care tool: they ensure that everyone involved in a patient's care has an accurate, up-to-date account of assessments, interventions and responses. NMBI guidance stresses that records must be factual, legible, timely and signed. Their legal value is a consequence of good documentation, not its main purpose.
5A nurse posts an anonymised but recognisable photograph of a patient's wound on a social media group to ask for advice. Why is this a breach of professional standards?
A.It breaches patient confidentiality and consent, even if the name is omitted
B.It is acceptable as long as no name is shown
C.It is acceptable because the group is for healthcare professionals
D.It is only a problem if the patient later objects
Explanation: Confidentiality covers any identifiable patient information, and an image of an identifiable wound, tattoo or feature can breach privacy even without a name. NMBI and GDPR require explicit consent and secure handling of patient data. Posting clinical images to social media is a serious breach regardless of the audience.
6Which statement best describes 'accountability' as it applies to a registered nurse in Ireland?
A.Accountability rests entirely with the prescribing doctor
B.The nurse is answerable for their own decisions, actions and omissions in practice
C.Accountability applies only to tasks personally performed, never to delegation
D.Accountability ends once the shift handover is completed
Explanation: Accountability means the registered nurse is answerable to the patient, the public, the regulator and the employer for the decisions they make and the care they give or omit. This includes being able to justify actions and omissions. It is a continuous professional responsibility under the NMBI Code, not something that transfers to others.
7A nurse is asked to carry out a procedure they have never been trained to perform. In line with the NMBI Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework, the nurse should:
A.Perform it once and learn as they go
B.Attempt it to avoid appearing unhelpful to the team
C.Decline to perform it until competent, and seek appropriate education and supervision
D.Delegate it immediately to a healthcare assistant
Explanation: The Scope of Practice Framework requires nurses to practise only within the limits of their competence and to recognise when a task is outside that scope. The correct response is to decline until competent and to seek the education, training and supervision needed to acquire the skill safely.
8Under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which principle must guide a nurse's interaction with an adult whose decision-making capacity is in question?
A.A patient who makes an unwise decision has, by definition, no capacity
B.Anyone with a diagnosis of dementia automatically lacks capacity for all decisions
C.Capacity is decided once and applies to every future decision
D.Capacity is presumed and assessed for the specific decision at the relevant time
Explanation: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 enshrines a functional, time- and decision-specific test of capacity, with a presumption of capacity unless shown otherwise. Capacity can fluctuate and must be assessed for each particular decision when it needs to be made.
9A patient confides that they intend to seriously harm a named person after discharge. With respect to confidentiality, the nurse should:
A.Disclose the information to the appropriate authority, as there is a risk of serious harm to others
B.Keep the information completely confidential under all circumstances
C.Tell the patient's family and let them deal with it
D.Ignore it as the threat is likely not serious
Explanation: Confidentiality is not absolute. Where there is a real risk of serious harm to an identifiable third party, the public interest justifies a proportionate disclosure to those who can prevent the harm, in line with NMBI guidance. The disclosure should be limited to what is necessary and properly documented.
10Which of the following best demonstrates patient advocacy by a nurse?
A.Signing the consent form on the patient's behalf to save time
B.Ensuring a patient who does not understand the consent information has it explained again before signing
C.Telling the patient to simply trust the surgeon and not ask questions
D.Encouraging the patient to accept treatment they have clearly declined
Explanation: Advocacy means supporting patients to understand information and exercise their rights, particularly when they are vulnerable or confused. Ensuring genuine informed consent by arranging further explanation protects the patient's autonomy and is a core nursing responsibility under the NMBI Code.

About the RCSI NMBI Aptitude Test Exam

The RCSI FNM Overseas Aptitude Test is the compensation measure that internationally trained nurses sit to register as General Nurses (RGN) with the NMBI. It comprises a 150-question theory MCQ paper (pass mark 50%) and a 14-station practical OSCE, both based on the NMBI Standards and Requirements for Nurse Registration Education Programmes. A separate Psychiatric Nurse version also exists.

Assessment

Two parts: Part 1 is a supervised online theory test of 150 MCQs (four options each); Part 2 is a practical OSCE of 14 clinical skills stations. Part 1 must be passed before attempting Part 2.

Time Limit

Part 1 theory: 3 hours (minimum 60 minutes). Part 2 practical: across 14 OSCE stations.

Passing Score

Part 1 theory: minimum 50%. Part 2 OSCE: deemed competent at every competency at all 14 stations. Two attempts are allowed per part.

Exam Fee

EUR 2,800 total, covering two attempts at each of the two parts (unchanged since December 2015). (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), test administered by the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery)

RCSI NMBI Aptitude Test Exam Content Outline

38%

Nursing practice and clinical decision-making

ABCDE assessment, recognising deterioration with INEWS, sepsis and emergency response, care planning, wound and skin care, perioperative care, falls and clinical skills.

26%

Knowledge and cognitive competencies

Anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of common conditions, pharmacology, drug and IV dosage calculations, fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance.

12%

Professional values and conduct

NMBI Code, informed consent and capacity, confidentiality, safeguarding, open disclosure, accountability and scope of practice.

11%

Management and team competencies

Infection prevention and control, hand hygiene, PPE and precautions, sharps safety, delegation, prioritisation, moving and handling, and risk management.

8%

Communication and interpersonal competencies

ISBAR handover, therapeutic and person-centred communication, breaking bad news, interpreters, patient education and interprofessional working.

5%

Leadership and professional scholarship

Evidence-based practice, reflective practice, continuing professional development, clinical audit and professional leadership.

How to Pass the RCSI NMBI Aptitude Test Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Part 1 theory: minimum 50%. Part 2 OSCE: deemed competent at every competency at all 14 stations. Two attempts are allowed per part.
  • Assessment: Two parts: Part 1 is a supervised online theory test of 150 MCQs (four options each); Part 2 is a practical OSCE of 14 clinical skills stations. Part 1 must be passed before attempting Part 2.
  • Time limit: Part 1 theory: 3 hours (minimum 60 minutes). Part 2 practical: across 14 OSCE stations.
  • Exam fee: EUR 2,800 total, covering two attempts at each of the two parts (unchanged since December 2015).

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

RCSI NMBI Aptitude Test Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study to the NMBI Standards and Requirements and the six domains of competence, focusing on Irish tools you will be tested on: INEWS, ISBAR, MUST, Waterlow and the NMBI Code.
2Practise drug and IV infusion calculations until they are automatic, and rehearse recognising and escalating the deteriorating or septic patient.
3Because Part 2 is a 14-station OSCE, pair theory revision with hands-on skills practice such as aseptic technique, hand hygiene, medication administration and patient assessment under timed conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the RCSI NMBI aptitude theory test and what is the pass mark?

Part 1 is a supervised online theory test of 150 multiple-choice questions answered over 3 hours, with each question offering four options and one correct answer. The minimum pass mark is 50%, and Part 1 must be passed before attempting the Part 2 practical OSCE.

What does the RCSI FNM Overseas Aptitude Test cost?

The total fee is EUR 2,800, which includes two attempts at each of the two parts of the test. RCSI notes the fee has remained unchanged since the first test in December 2015.

How many attempts are allowed and what is the OSCE structure?

Two attempts (including one repeat) are allowed for each part. Part 2 is a practical OSCE comprising 14 stations; to pass, the candidate must be deemed competent at every competency at every station.

What is the RCSI NMBI aptitude test based on?

Both parts are based on the NMBI Standards and Requirements for Nurse Registration Education Programmes and reflect what a newly qualified general nurse in the Republic of Ireland must be able to achieve, including the NMBI domains of competence.