Gerontology NCLEX-PN Practice Quiz
28 NCLEX-PN style questions across all 6 gerontology topics — normal aging changes, polypharmacy & medication safety, falls, the 3 D's (delirium, dementia, depression), restraints, and elder abuse. Instant feedback and detailed rationales after each question.
Ready to Test Yourself?
28 questions modeled after the Exit Exam format — pick how many below.
About This Gerontology Practice Test
This free Gerontology practice test covers the older-adult topics LPN/LVN students are tested on: normal aging changes, telling delirium from dementia and depression, polypharmacy, falls prevention, restraints and safety, and elder abuse and neglect. Every question is written in NCLEX-PN style with a full rationale after each answer.
What This Quiz Covers
- Normal Aging Changes 6
- Delirium, Dementia & Depression 3
- Polypharmacy 4
- Falls Prevention 5
- Restraints & Safety 5
- Elder Abuse & Neglect 5
Sample Questions
Five questions pulled straight from this quiz, with the same rationales you get after every answer.
1. The daughter of an 80-year-old says he 'sometimes takes a moment to recall a name and is slower to learn new things, but he manages his home and finances on his own.' How should the nurse interpret this?
- AAn early sign of dementia to report now
- BA sign of delirium needing an infection workup
- CLoss of long-term memory from aging
- DAn expected age-related change
Show answer & rationale
Occasional word-finding lapses and slower learning are expected with aging; long-term memory and the ability to manage daily life stay intact. Disorientation, getting lost, or losing the ability to do daily activities would instead point to dementia or delirium. Pearl: if a healthy person could simply age into the finding, it's expected.
2. Why are older adults usually started on lower medication doses that are increased gradually ('start low, go slow')?
- AThe stomach absorbs far more of each drug than it once did
- BIncreased body water dilutes medications and weakens their effect
- CSlower liver and kidney clearance lets drugs build up to higher levels
- DOlder adults need higher doses because tissues respond less strongly
Show answer & rationale
Aging slows liver metabolism and kidney excretion, so drugs accumulate, and target tissues (especially the brain) respond more strongly — a normal adult dose can be an overdose for a frail elder. Absorption is the least-changed step, and total body water actually falls, concentrating water-soluble drugs.
3. Which single finding best predicts that a 78-year-old is at high risk for a future fall?
- AWearing reading glasses
- BA fall at home two months ago
- CLiving in a single-story house
- DTaking a daily multivitamin
Show answer & rationale
A previous fall is the single strongest predictor of a future fall, so every older adult should be asked 'Have you fallen in the past year?' — a recent fall should trigger a full fall-risk assessment. The other options are not fall risks.
4. An older adult who was alert this morning is, by evening, confused, unable to focus, with thinking that 'comes and goes.' The nurse should suspect ___ and prioritize ___.
- Adementia; starting a consistent daily routine
- Bnormal aging; reassuring the family
- Cdelirium; identifying and treating the underlying cause
- Ddepression; screening with the Geriatric Depression Scale
Show answer & rationale
Sudden onset, a fluctuating course, and inattention are the hallmarks of delirium, which is usually reversible. Because it signals an acute medical problem (infection, medications, dehydration, hypoxia, pain), the priority is to find and treat the cause — not sedate it. Dementia comes on gradually and doesn't fluctuate hour to hour. Pearl: new, sudden confusion is delirium until proven otherwise.
5. Which findings are expected, normal changes of aging that do not by themselves require reporting? Select all that apply.
- APresbyopia requiring reading glasses
- BUnintentional weight loss of 10 pounds over 3 months
- CSudden loss of vision
- DA gradual rise in systolic blood pressure from stiffening arteries
- EHigh-frequency hearing loss (presbycusis)
- FAcute confusion with inability to do daily activities
Show answer & rationale
Presbyopia, presbycusis, and a gradual rise in systolic pressure from stiffening arteries are expected age-related changes. Unintentional weight loss of 10 pounds in 3 months is never normal aging — it points to something treatable such as poor dentition, trouble swallowing, depression, or an undiagnosed illness, and it needs a workup. Acute confusion with loss of daily function is a red flag for delirium, and sudden vision loss is an emergency; only gradual presbyopia is normal. Pearl: gradual expected declines are normal; sudden, functional, or unexplained findings get reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these Gerontology practice questions really free?
Yes. All 28 questions are free to use, with no account, no sign-up, and no card. You can retake the quiz as many times as you like.
Will this help with my ATI or HESI exit exam?
It should. Nursing school exit exams such as the ATI PN Comprehensive Predictor and the HESI PN Exit Exam are built to predict NCLEX-PN readiness, so they draw on the same content areas these questions follow. The question formats differ, but the material overlaps heavily.
Do the questions come with rationales?
Every one does. As soon as you answer, you see whether you were right along with a full explanation of the reasoning, including why the other options are wrong.
How long is the Gerontology practice test?
You choose. Take a short set of 10 for a quick review, or work through the full pool of 28 questions as a longer practice test. You can also filter by topic to drill a single area.
Want to review before you test yourself? Read the Gerontology study guides, or browse all 8 subject quizzes.
More practice quizzes
Every subject below is free, needs no account, and every question comes with a full rationale.
Struggling With Nursing Exam Questions? Get Free Tips.
Exit exam, ATI, HESI, or NCLEX-PN — the questions all work the same way. Get free study tips that show you how to break down each one, find the priority, and choose the safest answer with more confidence.