NMC CBT Part B: Topics, Question Style and How to Revise

Picture a candidate who sailed through the numeracy section, then froze at the sight of the long clinical paper. For many nurses, the NMC CBT Part B is the stage that keeps them up at night — one hundred questions, two and a half hours, and no formulas to fall back on. This guide covers the topics the NMC CBT Part B tests, how the questions are built, a revision plan you can keep up while working shifts, and a few exam-day tips. If numeracy is still ahead of you, start with our Part A drug calculations guide.

Quick answer: Part B has 100 clinical questions and a time limit of 2 hours 30 minutes. It tests clinical knowledge and decision-making against the NMC Code and current UK practice. Revise topic by topic, practise questions every day, and review every answer you get wrong.

What is NMC CBT Part B?    

The NMC Test of Competence is the assessment internationally trained nurses and midwives complete to join the UK register. It comes in two parts: the CBT (a computer-based test) and the OSCE (a practical exam). The NMC CBT Part B is the clinical half of that computer-based test — 100 multiple-choice questions, each with one correct answer, to be completed in 2 hours 30 minutes.

It sits alongside Part A, the numeracy section, which is much shorter: 15 questions in 30 minutes. You take both parts in a single sitting but pass or fail them independently, so if you clear one and not the other, you only resit the part you failed.

On the NMC CBT pass mark: the NMC sets the Part B pass mark through its test blueprint, and it can vary by nursing or midwifery field. Don’t rely on a figure you read on a forum — confirm the current NMC CBT pass mark on the NMC’s own test of competence pages before you book. For a fuller breakdown of the format, see our guide to the CBT exam questions and format.

Topics and question style     

The NMC CBT Part B draws on the breadth of safe UK practice. Expect NMC CBT questions across the Code and professional accountability, safeguarding, infection prevention and control, medicines management, care of adults, mental health, children and young people, maternity care, and leadership and delegation. Most questions are generic nursing scenarios rather than niche specialisms.

The style is scenario-based. You’re given a short clinical situation and asked for the safest or most appropriate action — not simply a fact, but a judgement that reflects the Code. Here’s an original example:

You are caring for an adult patient who tells you in confidence that a colleague has been rough when moving patients, and they feel frightened. What is the most appropriate first action? A. Reassure the patient and keep the information to yourself, as they asked. B. Raise it directly with the colleague at the next handover. C. Report the concern through your organisation’s safeguarding or escalation route. D. Wait to see whether it happens again before acting.

Answer: C. The Code requires you to act without delay when someone may be at risk. A patient’s request for confidence does not override a safeguarding duty, and concerns go through the proper route — not an informal word, and never “wait and see.”

How to read and answer questions     

Good technique saves marks. Read the question carefully, so you know exactly what’s being asked, then go back and read the scenario with that in mind. Underline the key issue — who is at risk, what has changed, what the question actually wants. Eliminate any clearly unsafe options, then choose the answer that fits UK practice and the Code rather than the one that feels familiar.

Two traps catch candidates on NMC CBT questions again and again. The first is assuming local practice — answering the way things were done in your previous country or hospital instead of the UK standard the test measures. The second is ignoring escalation: when a situation is beyond your competence or authority, the safest answer usually involves reporting, seeking help, or escalating, not handling it alone.

A revision plan for Part B    

A workable NMC CBT revision plan has a weekly rhythm you can keep through a busy roster. Study one or two topics in depth, do a timed set of practice questions, log every mistake with the reason you got it wrong, and finish the week with a longer NMC CBT mock test under exam conditions. The error log is the part most people skip and the part that moves your score most.

Build your NMC CBT revision plan around the time you actually have — two focused hours on a day off will beat four distracted ones. Keep questions daily even when study time is short; little and often builds the recall speed you need across 100 items. For a structured week-by-week version, follow our 30-day CBT study plan, and if you’d rather revise with guided support, our CBT training in Kochi runs through each topic with you.

FAQ    

How many times can I take the CBT?You have three attempts as part of one application, with at least 10 days between sittings, all within one year. After three failures, your application closes, and you wait six months before applying again. Check the NMC’s current rule before booking.

Is Part B harder than Part A?They test different skills, so “harder” depends on you. Part A is numeracy under time pressure; Part B is clinical judgement across many topics. Candidates strong in maths often find Part B the bigger hurdle, and the reverse is just as common.

Can I use a calculator?Part A provides an on-screen calculator within the test software, and personal calculators are not allowed. Part B is multiple-choice and doesn’t need one. Always check the current NMC and Pearson VUE test guidance before your exam day.

Conclusion    

Clearing the NMC CBT Part B comes down to three things: know the topics the NMC tests, read every question carefully before you answer, and practise under timed conditions until the pace feels normal. Build an error log, trust UK practice and the Code over old habits, and keep your sets daily. When you’re ready for structured support, join Envertiz Academy’s CBT training in Kochi — Register now.

Related reading: Difference between CBT and OSCE.