Receiving 145 questions on the NCLEX means the exam needed the maximum number of items to determine your result with 95% confidence. The NCLEX uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT), so the length of your test depends on your performance—not whether you passed or failed.
The NCLEX-RN can end as early as 75 questions or go up to 145. If your ability level was close to the passing standard, the algorithm continued testing to gather enough data for a reliable decision. This is why you saw the full 145 questions on NCLEX.
What It Does (and Doesn’t) Mean
Getting 145 questions on NCLEX does not automatically mean you failed. Many candidates who pass also reach the maximum question count—especially if their answers were consistently near the passing threshold.
Conversely, some who fail do so in fewer than 145 questions. The key factor is how you performed relative to the passing standard, not the number of questions.
Role of Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)
The updated NCLEX includes NGN item types (e.g., case studies, bowtie questions), which are scored differently. These complex questions may also influence how many items the algorithm delivers.
If your test included several NGN scenarios, the system might have needed more data points to evaluate your clinical judgment—leading to the full 145 questions on NCLEX.
Final Outcome Is What Counts
The only definitive way to know your result is through your official Pass/Fail notification from your state board of nursing. Do not rely on question count, test length, or perceived difficulty.
Receiving 145 questions simply means the computer needed more information to decide your result. It reflects uncertainty near the passing line—not failure.
Stay focused on your official result, and avoid interpreting test length as a predictor of success.