What's new
What's new in October 2026
Everything we shipped to BoardPal in October 2026.
Oct 1 to 7 · 52 improvements
7Oct · Wed
Pregnancy and labor explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
341 pregnancy and labor explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
341 explanations for questions on normal pregnancy, labor and delivery, and complications of pregnancy were rewritten in plainer words. Sentences are shorter, every medical term is explained the first time it appears, and each wrong choice now starts with the reason it is wrong. Every answer stayed the same.
Move the Scratch pad to the side
Improved- Improved
Dock the Scratch pad left, right or bottom, and drag to resize. more ▾less ▴
The Scratch pad on practice, mock board, diagnostic and flashcard screens can now sit on the left, on the right or along the bottom, and you can drag its edge to make it bigger or smaller. On a laptop it opens beside the question, so it no longer covers the choices, and it remembers where you put it on each device.
Clearer NP Champion badge
Improved- Improved
NP Champion now shows how close you are to the 94.0 it needs. more ▾less ▴
The NP Champion badge now shows how close you are. It asks for a 94.0 rating in any NP (90% right on first tries), and Home, Profile and Achievements show your best NP rating against that target instead of an empty bar.
- Improved
Once you earn NP Champion, it stays yours even if your rating dips below 94.0 later.
- Improved
6Oct · Tue
Search that finds what you mean
Improved- Improved
Flashcard search now looks inside the cards. more ▾less ▴
The flashcard search now looks inside the cards, not just the deck names. Typing “insulin” used to find nothing; now it lists every deck with insulin cards and how many cards match. The custom flashcard builder searches the cards too.
- Improved
Searches understand abbreviations, brand names, Tagalog and typos. more ▾less ▴
Every search box understands nursing abbreviations (CHF, CVA, MgSO4, NGT), brand names (Biogesic, Lasix) and common Tagalog words (tigdas, bulutong). It also fixes small typos and shows what it searched for, and a short word like “MI” no longer matches the inside of longer words.
- Improved
All topic searches now find topics by what they cover. more ▾less ▴
Topic searches on Practice, the custom practice builder and Topic Mastery now give the same results, and all three find a topic by what it covers, so “insulin” finds Diabetes everywhere.
Mood disorder questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
68 mood disorder questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
68 practice questions on depression, bipolar disorder, lithium and other mood stabilizers, antidepressants and suicide risk were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 55 words to about 26, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
Schizophrenia and psychosis questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
62 schizophrenia questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
62 practice questions on schizophrenia and other psychoses, antipsychotic side effects, clozapine, and caring for clients who hear voices were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 54 words to about 28, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
- Improved
5Oct · Mon
A tidier scratch pad and tools bar
Improved- Improved
The save message no longer covers the scratch pad's buttons. more ▾less ▴
With the scratch pad on the right, the "Saved to your account" message now sits over the page instead of covering the pad's buttons, and the pad's title bar no longer shows a cut-off "Saved…". On phones, the drawing tool you pick slides fully into view in the tools bar.
Take the tour anytime
Improved- Improved
Take the tour anytime from your Account menu. more ▾less ▴
Your Account menu now has Take the tour, which walks you through BoardPal's main screens in about a minute. New students also see an offer on Home during their first two weeks.
Tag us on your story
Improved- Improved
Tag us when you share your progress and we'll repost your story. more ▾less ▴
When you share a progress picture, the share screen now lists our Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts; tap one to copy it, then tag us on your story and we'll repost it on ours.
- Improved
The share screen says what unlocks a card that is not ready yet. more ▾less ▴
If there is nothing to put on a card yet, the share screen now says what unlocks it, such as answering a few questions this week.
A bigger moment for your milestones
Improved- Improved
Milestones now get a bigger card with a Share button. more ▾less ▴
When you reach a study streak milestone or earn a questions or streak badge, the card at the end of your set now shows the number large with one gold square per day studied, and a Share button for a story picture. Smaller wins, like a new personal best or a topic passing 75, keep a slimmer gold card.
Shorter, clearer help across the rest of BoardPal
Improved- Improved
Help notes and first-visit tips across the app are shorter and easier to scan. more ▾less ▴
The first-visit tips and help notes on the Study Plan, Flashcards, Diagnostic, Practice, Performance and History pages are shorter and easier to scan, and the Home tour now has one short line per stop. Warnings before you reset a plan or clear your Vault, and the steps after you pay, are now short bullet points, still shown in full before you act.
More from your mock board results
Improved- Improved
Mock results show your gains, section times, rank and a Next set button. more ▾less ▴
Your full mock result now shows how many items you gained on your last attempt at that board, the time you spent on each section, your place on that board's leaderboard if you have joined it, and a gold card for a new best mock. A Next set button takes you straight to the topic the board cost you most.
- Improved
Caught-up flashcards point to practice, and finished cram sheets point to the next sheet. more ▾less ▴
When your flashcards are all caught up, you see what is waiting tomorrow and a button to practice questions instead. Marking a cram sheet finished now points you to the next sheet.
Finish screens now mark your real wins
Improved- Improved
Topic rating change, sure-but-wrong misses, pace and tomorrow's cards after each set. more ▾less ▴
After a set you also see your topic's rating when it went up, the misses you tagged I'm sure (marked in the answers, since those are the easiest to fix), your pace on exam-style sets, and what is waiting for you tomorrow.
Clearer mock board rules and a tidier Resources page
Improved- Improved
Mock board rules are shorter and in one place; tap the ? on a board page to see them. more ▾less ▴
The mock board rules are now five short lines on the Before you begin screen instead of long paragraphs repeated on every page, and the board page shows one line with a ? for the rules. The rules now also say that a section left open on screen keeps its clock running, so tap Pause for a break.
- Improved
Shorter first-visit tips on Mock Boards and Resources. more ▾less ▴
The first-visit tips on Mock Boards and Resources are shorter, and the note on a question we updated after you answered it is now one short line that says how you were graded.
Shorter, easier tips on the question screen
Improved- Improved
Tool tips under a question are now short icon rows instead of a paragraph. more ▾less ▴
The Highlighter and Pen tips under a question are now short rows, each led by the same icon as its button, instead of a long paragraph. The line under a practice set is shorter too, with a ? you can tap for how practice works.
Cleaner finish screens, with your next step up front
Improved- Improved
One clean finish card with your streak and a Next set button. more ▾less ▴
When you finish a practice set, everything now sits on one card: your score, whether today counted toward your streak, and one big button for your next set, picked from your weakest topic that was not in the set you just did. Redo your misses and See answers sit right under it, and the answer review opens on the ones you missed.
- Improved
Streak on flashcard finishes, and a progress card between mock sections. more ▾less ▴
Finishing a flashcard round now shows your streak too, and after each mock board section you see how many of the five are done, with the next section one tap away.
A quick pointer to the Scratch pad on cram sheets
Improved- Improved
A one-time note now points you to the Scratch pad when you start writing on a sheet. more ▾less ▴
The first time you write or add a sticky note on a cram sheet, a small note now points you to the Scratch pad: lined pages that open beside the sheet for your own notes, saved with that sheet. Open it straight from the note, or tap Got it and it will not show again.
- Improved
4Oct · Sun
Post-operative care questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
71 post-op questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
71 practice questions on recovery-room care, complications after surgery, pain relief, drains, and wound care and healing were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 65 words to about 28, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
Mastitis and magnesium questions updated
Improved- Improved
A postpartum question now asks about magnesium sulfate after birth. more ▾less ▴
A postpartum question on a rarely used hospital procedure now asks a classic board fact instead: why the magnesium sulfate drip keeps running after a birth with severe preeclampsia.
Postpartum complication questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
60 postpartum questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
60 practice questions on bleeding after birth, infection, mastitis, blood clots, postpartum blues, depression and psychosis, and grieving a pregnancy loss were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 60 words to about 30, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
Developmental milestone questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
65 developmental milestone questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
65 practice questions on infant, toddler, preschool, school-age and teen development were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Questions are shorter, the choices no longer repeat the same opening words, and more of them ask what a child should do by a given age, which sign needs follow-up, or what the nurse should do. Every answer letter stayed the same.
A cleaner leaderboard, with your spot at the top
Improved- Improved
A simpler leaderboard with your spot at the top. more ▾less ▴
The leaderboard is simpler: Practice and Mock Boards tabs, a "Your spot" card showing your rank and how far you are from the Top 10, and the long explanation folded into one "How ranking works" line.
- Improved
This Week and This Month are the practice races now. more ▾less ▴
The All-Time practice board is gone. Its top places were held by students who had stopped studying weeks ago, so This Week and This Month are now the races anyone can win.
- Improved
3Oct · Sat
Your picture marks your account
Improved- Improved
Your picture now marks the Account menu. more ▾less ▴
Your picture now marks the Account menu (Profile, Settings, Pricing, Help, What's New and Sign out). On a laptop or tablet it sits in the Account tab. On a phone, tap your picture at the top right, or find Account in the side menu as before.
- Improved
The top 3 now show 1st, 2nd and 3rd. more ▾less ▴
The leaderboard's top 3 now say 1st, 2nd and 3rd beside their medals, so each place is clear at a glance.
A cleaner Profile, and a new Settings page
Improved- Improved
Profile now shows your picture, key numbers and a badge shelf. more ▾less ▴
Profile is now about you and your progress: your picture, your exam countdown, four key numbers, and a shelf of your badges with how close you are to the next one. Every badge now has its own icon.
A clearer Performance page
Improved- Improved
Every Performance number is now on the board's rating scale. more ▾less ▴
Every number on Performance is now a board-style rating, the same kind as your projected rating, judged against the board's own two lines: 75 to pass and 60 as the minimum for any subject. Your subjects, topics, mocks and the score line all use it, so the page no longer says one thing at the top and another below.
Your question count and timer stay at the top in Practice
Improved- Improved
Count, timer and arrows stay pinned at the top in Practice. more ▾less ▴
In practice sets, the question count, the progress bar, your timer and the Previous and Next arrows now stay pinned at the top of the screen with the tools, however far you scroll. They share one slim row, so the question still has room. On a phone it reads like "4 of 10" with a small clock.
Jump to your next unanswered or flagged question
Improved- Improved
The submit warning takes you to your first blank question. more ▾less ▴
If you try to submit with questions left blank, the box that warns you now has a Go to unanswered button that takes you to the first one you skipped.
Previous, Next and text size at the top of every question
Improved- Improved
Tools bar and filters look balanced on every screen. more ▾less ▴
The test-taking tools bar (Highlighter, Pen, Scratch pad and the rest) now spreads its buttons evenly across the whole bar instead of bunching them on the left, and stays on one line when a tool is switched on. The subject filter in Resources and the questions-per-run picker in the Vault fill their rows the same way, and on phones the topic filter in Practice and the filter in History are now a neat two-by-two grid instead of leaving one button alone on a second line.
Search finds topics inside the cram sheets
Improved- Improved
Resources search now finds a topic inside any cram sheet and opens it at that page. more ▾less ▴
The search box in Resources now looks inside every cram sheet, not only at sheet titles. Type a topic or any word, such as IMCI, lagundi or Kernig, and the sheets that teach it appear with the pages it is on. Tap one and it opens right at that page.
- Improved
2Oct · Fri
Flashcards fact-checked: 254 linked to their question, 6 corrected
Improved- Improved
254 more flashcards linked to the practice question that teaches them. more ▾less ▴
Every flashcard that did not yet point to a practice question was checked against the question bank: 254 of 342 now link to the question that teaches their fact, so the explanation you open from a card matches what the card says.
- Improved
Thirty-five flashcards sharpened. more ▾less ▴
Thirty-five more cards were sharpened, among them the three power types, which now name each other, the Kohlberg levels, the Stages of Change cards, the MMR card, and a diphtheria card that now adds contact measures.
Ten flashcard decks read again: 49 cards improved, 11 new
Improved- Improved
Ten flashcard decks read a second time; forty-nine cards sharpened. more ▾less ▴
Ten flashcard decks were read a second time, starting with the ones read longest ago and missed most: Altered Tissue Perfusion, School and Occupational Health, Health Education, Spinal Cord Injuries, Health Financing Laws, Pediatric Skin and Bones, Intra-operative Care, Pituitary, Pulmonary Embolism, and Community Mental Health. Forty-nine cards were improved (fourteen of them corrected, below), among them a Sheehan's card that now asks for the first clue the mother notices, a pulmonary edema card that teaches the four core steps, and a school health card that asks which component each activity belongs to.
- Improved
Pulmonary edema card no longer teaches routine morphine. more ▾less ▴
The pulmonary edema card no longer asks you to recall morphine as a standard step, since current heart failure guidelines advise against routine opioids.
- Improved
Fifty-six flashcards linked to the right practice question. more ▾less ▴
Fifty-six more flashcards now link to the practice question that teaches their fact.
Liver, gallbladder and pancreas questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
66 liver, gallbladder and pancreas questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
66 practice questions on cirrhosis and its complications, hepatitis, gallstones and gallbladder surgery, T-tube care and pancreatitis were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Questions are shorter, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter stayed the same.
Antenatal visits: one question and two cram sheets updated
Improved- Improved
Two cram sheets updated to the eight-visit antenatal schedule. more ▾less ▴
The Immunization, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition cram sheet (page 10) and the Antepartum cram sheet (page 4) now say the DOH asks for at least eight antenatal visits: at least one in the first trimester, two in the second and five in the third. Your highlights and notes on both sheets stay where you left them.
Spine, scoliosis and carpal tunnel questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
34 spine and hand questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
34 practice questions on back pain and disc problems, care after spine surgery, scoliosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, carpal tunnel syndrome and safe lifting were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 58 words to about 30, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
Second look at the hardest flashcards: fourteen improved, three new
Improved- Improved
Fourteen hard-to-recall flashcards improved after a second read. more ▾less ▴
Thirty-nine flashcards that had already been rewritten but still tripped up many students got a second, closer read, with every earlier version side by side. Nine were rebuilt where the card itself was the problem: the AMTSL card now asks which drug is given first (oxytocin), the Addison's bracelet card asks for the drug (hydrocortisone), the two-word phrase card asks for the age range (18 to 24 months), coarctation of the aorta is now a three-finding card, pursed-lip breathing asks what it prevents (air trapping), and the screening-test card is split into short questions. Five more gained the teaching point their practice question makes, such as early antidepressant energy returning before hopelessness lifts.
- Improved
Vancomycin card simplified to the usual trough target. more ▾less ▴
The vancomycin card now teaches the one usual trough target, 10 to 20 mcg/mL, instead of two split ranges, and says to hold the dose for a high level until the prescriber reviews it.
- Improved
Eight flashcards linked to the right practice question. more ▾less ▴
Eight more flashcards now link to the practice question that teaches their fact.
Thirteen more flashcard decks read whole, ninety-six cards sharpened
Improved- Improved
Thirteen more flashcard decks read whole; ninety-six cards sharpened. more ▾less ▴
Every card in thirteen more decks was read against its practice question: Musculoskeletal Trauma, IBD and Guillain-Barre, Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer Treatment, Non-Communicable Diseases and PhilPEN, Maternal and Child Health Programs, Chronic Kidney Disease, Disaster Nursing, Pharmacology Drug Classes, Acute Respiratory Crises, Dialysis, Ear Anatomy and Hearing Loss, and Stress and Coping. Ninety-six cards were sharpened: printed lists with one blank now ask for the whole set (fracture types, IMCI danger signs, the phases of a CAPD exchange), look-alike cards now name each other (toxic megacolon and perforation, reaction formation and undoing), and the BMI card now teaches the Asia-Pacific cut-offs.
- Improved
Fifty flashcards linked to the right practice question. more ▾less ▴
Fifty more flashcards now link to the practice question that teaches their fact.
- Improved
1Oct · Thu
Import your Anki deck, a spreadsheet or a list
Improved- Improved
Big decks study quickly; read-through and editor show 100 cards per page. more ▾less ▴
Your own decks now handle thousands of cards: studying a big deck stays quick, and the read-through and the deck editor show 100 cards per page.
Study plans can now be questions only
Improved- Improved
Clearer explanation of how the leaderboard ranks you. more ▾less ▴
The Practice Questions leaderboard now explains its ranking plainly: it follows your first-try accuracy, answering more helps most early on, and repeats and Vault reviews don't count.
After unlocking, one tap takes you back to what you opened
Improved- Improved
After paying, one tap takes you back to the sheet, deck or mock you wanted. more ▾less ▴
If you tap Get full access on a locked cram sheet, deck or mock board, the welcome screen after payment now has a button that opens that same sheet, deck or mock board. You no longer have to find it again.
Otosclerosis drug question updated to current guidance
Improved- Improved
Clearer explanation on a Ménière diet question. more ▾less ▴
The explanation for a Ménière disease diet question now says why steadier blood sugar is not the main change: cutting salt is the advice given most often.
Ear disorders and ear surgery questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
41 ear questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
41 practice questions on ear infections, earwax, Ménière disease, otosclerosis, acoustic neuroma, ear-damaging drugs, and care after ear surgery were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 57 words to about 30, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
Critical care teamwork and communication questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
39 critical care communication questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
39 practice questions on teamwork in the ICU, handoffs, talking with clients on a ventilator, and hard conversations with families were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 53 words to about 31, every wrong choice is now something a real nurse or family might do, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
Peripheral neuropathy questions rewritten to board length
Improved- Improved
37 peripheral neuropathy questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
37 practice questions on diabetic nerve damage and foot care, trigeminal neuralgia, Bell's palsy, restless legs and nerve damage from chemotherapy or alcohol were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 64 words to about 31, the choices are closer together, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
Eye anatomy and vision test questions rewritten to board length
Improved- Improved
36 eye anatomy and vision test questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
36 practice questions on the parts of the eye, eye tests such as the Snellen chart and tonometry, and nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 61 words to about 19, the choices are closer together, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
Critical care equipment questions rewritten to board length
Improved- Improved
45 critical care equipment questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
45 practice questions on ventilators, dialysis, defibrillators, central lines, IV nutrition and other ICU equipment were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 49 words to about 27, the choices are closer together, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
Gout and arthritis teaching updated to current guidance
Improved- Improved
Allopurinol timing, osteoarthritis pain relief and RA stiffness brought up to current guidance. more ▾less ▴
Three points now follow current guidance instead of older review-book rules. Allopurinol may be started during a gout attack as long as a flare-preventing drug is given with it, and a patient already taking it keeps taking it. For osteoarthritis pain, anti-inflammatory gels and creams come first, then anti-inflammatory tablets, with paracetamol for patients who cannot take them. Rheumatoid arthritis morning stiffness is taught as lasting longer than 30 minutes.
Pen styles sit behind one button
Improved- Improved
Cram sheet pen styles moved behind one named button. more ▾less ▴
On a cram sheet with the pen on, the ballpoint, fountain pen and brush styles now sit behind one button that shows the style you are using. Tap it and pick from a short list with names. Colours and sizes stay where they were, and the tool row has more room on a tablet.
Stroke, head injury and eclampsia explanations corrected
Improved- Improved
Three questions made clearer. more ▾less ▴
Three questions were made clearer. The head injury recovery scale question now asks about thinking and behavior, so only one choice fits. The low blood pressure question after a spinal cord injury now says the non-drug steps were already tried. The eclampsia seizure safety explanation now says padded side rails follow agency policy.
Crohn, colitis and Guillain-Barre questions rewritten to board length
Improved- Improved
49 bowel inflammation and Guillain-Barre questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
49 practice questions on Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 69 words to about 29, the choices are closer together, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
- Improved
Twenty-two questions now test ground no other question asked. more ▾less ▴
Many of these questions repeated facts already tested in the Guillain-Barre and bowel topics. Twenty-two now test ground no other question asked, such as strictureplasty, the bile duct disease that can come with ulcerative colitis, kidney stones and bladder fistulas in Crohn disease, updating vaccines before a biologic drug, capsule endoscopy, and when Guillain-Barre treatment is started.
Arthritis and gout questions rewritten to board length
Improved- Improved
44 arthritis and gout questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
44 practice questions on arthritis, gout, fibromyalgia and bone and joint infections were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 62 words to about 31, the choices are closer together, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
- Improved
Twenty-five questions now test ground no other question asked. more ▾less ▴
Many of these questions repeated one another or questions elsewhere. Twenty-five now test ground no other question asked, such as hip arthritis felt in the groin, a normal early X-ray in rheumatoid arthritis and in bone infection, gonorrhea as a cause of a hot knee, colchicine to prevent flares when allopurinol starts, rheumatoid nodules, and chickenpox exposure while on a steroid.
Four student reports resolved
Improved- Improved
The severe asthma flashcard now names salbutamol. more ▾less ▴
The flashcard on the first drug for a severe asthma attack now names salbutamol (also called albuterol) instead of only its drug class, explains what it does, and adds that a steroid is started early to calm airway swelling.
Critical-care neuro questions rewritten to board length
Improved- Improved
43 critical-care neuro questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
43 practice questions on critical-care neuro care were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. They cover head injury and pressure inside the skull, stroke treated with a clot-dissolving drug, new spinal cord injury, and seizures that do not stop. Most questions went from about 59 words to about 30, the choices are closer together, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter is unchanged.
- Improved
Twenty-eight questions now test ground no other question asked. more ▾less ▴
Most of these questions repeated facts already tested in the head injury, stroke, seizure and spinal cord topics. Twenty-eight now test ground no other question asked, such as what a concussion is, why a second one is dangerous, dosing the clot-dissolving drug by body weight, holding blood thinners after it, the recovery scale used after a brain injury, and what the nurse prepares when a seizure will not stop after two drugs.
- Improved