What's new
What's new in October 2026
Everything we shipped to BoardPal in October 2026.
Oct 1 to 7 · 81 updates
7Oct · Wed
Pregnancy and labor explanations in plain words
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Out-of-date facts in pregnancy explanations corrected. more ▾less ▴
While rewriting them, our content team checked the facts they rely on against WHO, ACOG and Philippine guidance and corrected the ones that were out of date. These include the fasting blood sugar target in gestational diabetes, when a finger exam is safe with a low-lying placenta, bed rest after the water breaks early, and giving anti-D within 72 hours of a procedure.
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.
Explanations on asking about voices corrected
Fixed- Fixed
Voices explanations now agree: always ask what the client hears. more ▾less ▴
Five explanations about clients who hear voices now teach the same thing: the nurse always asks what the client is hearing, especially whether a voice is telling them to do something. Two explanations had said that asking about the voices makes them worse, and one marked a choice wrong for a reason that also applied to the right answer. Every answer stayed the same.
Clearer timing for when antidepressants work
Fixed- Fixed
Antidepressant timing questions now separate first improvement from full effect. more ▾less ▴
Two pharmacology questions said an antidepressant's full effect takes two to four weeks. Mood often starts to lift in that time, but the full effect can take four to eight weeks, so the answers now say several weeks and the explanations give both figures. Every answer letter stayed the same.
Mood disorder questions rewritten
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Mood disorder questions with a second right answer fixed. more ▾less ▴
Several mood disorder questions had a second right answer: an MAOI food question where every food was on the avoid list, an MAOI drug question where three wrong drugs were also unsafe, and four questions whose own explanation called a wrong choice true. Each now has one right answer, and questions that repeated others in the bank now test something new.
Schizophrenia and psychosis questions rewritten
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Repeated antipsychotic and clozapine questions now test different points. more ▾less ▴
Two near-identical questions on eye and neck spasms after starting an antipsychotic, and three near-identical clozapine blood test questions, now each test a different point. Numbers were taken out of two answers, and a catatonia question now describes the slight resistance a client's arm gives before it holds its new position.
- 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.
Calendar sync only says on once your calendar is connected
Fixed- Fixed
The calendar bar says on only once your calendar app has added your plan. more ▾less ▴
Opening Add to my calendar on your Study Plan page no longer makes the bar say Calendar sync is on. It now says on only after Google, Apple or Outlook Calendar has actually added your plan, and it switches by itself when you come back from your calendar app.
Next sheet skips what you've finished
Fixed- Fixed
Next sheet no longer suggests a cram sheet you already finished. more ▾less ▴
When you mark a cram sheet as finished, the Next sheet suggestion now skips sheets you have already finished. Before, it could suggest one you had already read.
A lasso to move your writing
New- New
Circle your writing with the Lasso to move, resize or recolour it. more ▾less ▴
The drawing tools on cram sheets now have a Lasso. Circle your writing to select it, then drag it to a new spot or pull a corner to make it bigger or smaller. The small menu beside it can duplicate it, change its colour or delete it. On the scratch pad you can also drag writing onto another pad page, and Undo puts everything back.
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 streak saver for the day you can't study
New- New
Miss one day and your streak keeps going, once every 7 days. more ▾less ▴
From tomorrow, if you miss one day, your streak keeps going: the streak saver covers one missed day every 7 days, for free. Two missed days in a row still end a streak, and only the days you actually study add to the number. The shield on your Home streak tile shows when the saver is ready, and covered days get a gold ring on the Performance study calendar.
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.
Share your progress as a story picture
New- New
Share a mock result, your week or a milestone as a story picture. more ▾less ▴
You can now turn a mock result, your week, a study streak or a questions milestone into a picture sized for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok stories. Pick the Cream or Dawn look, and hide your first name or your rating if you prefer. Find it under Share my result on a mock, Share my week on Performance, and Share on a milestone 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
NewImproved- New
A gold card marks a real win when you finish a set. more ▾less ▴
When a set or flashcard round gives you something real, a gold card says so: a streak milestone, a new personal best, a badge earned, or a topic passing the 75% line. It only appears when it is true for that set.
- 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.
Your study plan in Google, Apple or Outlook Calendar
New- New
See your study plan in Google, Apple or Outlook Calendar. more ▾less ▴
Tap Add to my calendar on your Study Plan page to see every task in Google, Apple or Outlook Calendar, each on its own day. Keep changing your plan here: when you move a task, rebalance or change your dates, your calendar follows by itself (Apple within minutes, Google within a day). On an Android phone, email yourself the link and add it once from a computer.
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
Next badge on Home matches your Achievements
Fixed- Fixed
Home's Next badge now agrees with your Achievements page. more ▾less ▴
The Next badge line on Home could ask you to set up a study plan you had already set up, while Achievements showed that badge as earned. Home now counts your badges the same way Achievements and your Profile do, so all three always agree.
Post-operative care questions rewritten
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Post-op questions with conflicting or extra right answers fixed. more ▾less ▴
Two post-op questions no longer contradict each other on whether pain medicine comes before breathing exercises, a question with two right answers on bowel care now has one, and a blood-clot question no longer teaches strict bed rest as a standing order.
Mastitis and magnesium questions updated
FixedImproved- Fixed
Mastitis explanations no longer insist on warm compresses. more ▾less ▴
Mastitis care no longer treats a warm compress as the only right answer. Current breastfeeding guidance is split between warm and cold, so explanations and a flashcard now say either can ease the soreness, and that keeping the baby feeding from that breast is what matters.
- 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.
- Fixed
Postpartum cram sheet page 8 updated to match. more ▾less ▴
Page 8 of the Postpartum & Newborn cram sheet now teaches the same: keep feeding from the sore breast whenever the baby wants, use a warm or cold compress for comfort, never knead a lump firmly, and do not pump extra to empty the breast. Your notes on the sheet were kept.
Postpartum complication questions rewritten
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Postpartum questions with outdated or conflicting facts fixed. more ▾less ▴
A catheter question no longer teaches cloudy urine as the first sign of infection, which current guidance says it is not. A question that ranked falling urine output as the earliest sign of blood loss, against another question that ranks a rising heart rate first, now asks something else. A mastitis answer no longer tells the mother to keep the breast emptied, and an endometritis question no longer mentions an incision after a vaginal birth.
Growth figures in six explanations matched to review books
Fixed- Fixed
Six milestone explanations matched to review-book growth figures. more ▾less ▴
Six developmental milestone explanations now give the same growth figures your review books teach: birth weight quadruples by about two to two and a half years, the soft spot on top of the head closes at twelve to eighteen months, and walking is one sign a toddler is ready for toilet training. Every answer stayed the same.
Developmental milestone questions rewritten
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Extra right answers and a growing pains explanation fixed. more ▾less ▴
Several questions had a second right answer once current milestone ages were checked, and now have only one. A growing pains question no longer says the aches come from bones lengthening, since studies have not linked them to fast growth.
A cleaner leaderboard, with your spot at the top
ImprovedNew- 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.
- New
Home shows where you'd rank if you joined. more ▾less ▴
If you're hidden from the leaderboard but your first-try score this week would place you high, Home now tells you where you'd stand, with one tap to join.
- New
Sunday reminders show where you stand before the reset. more ▾less ▴
On Sundays, if you're on the leaderboard and near the top (or close to qualifying), your study reminder tells you where you stand before the week's season ends. It replaces that day's reminder, so you still get only one.
- Fixed
3Oct · Sat
Tips now call the What's New button a megaphone
Fixed- Fixed
Tips now say megaphone, matching the button. more ▾less ▴
The What's New button at the top is a megaphone, but a few tips and the first lesson still called it a bell. They now say megaphone.
A tidier top bar on phones
Fixed- Fixed
Even spacing in the top bar on phones. more ▾less ▴
On phones, your picture at the top right sat right against the button beside it. It is now the same height as that button, with even space between every item in the bar, and nothing is squeezed on smaller phones.
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.
Your picture on Home, and a stage for the top 3
New- New
Your picture now shows on Home. more ▾less ▴
Your profile picture now sits beside your greeting on Home, with any ring you've earned. Tap it to open your profile.
- New
The leaderboard's top 3 get bigger pictures. more ▾less ▴
The leaderboard's top 3 now stand on a stage above the list, with bigger pictures and 1st place in the middle. The list continues from 4th.
- New
A one-time reminder to add a leaderboard photo. more ▾less ▴
If you're on the leaderboard without a photo, Home shows a small card once to help you add one. Close it and it won't come back.
Leaderboard season date fixed
Fixed- Fixed
The weekly season end date now reads Sunday from the start. more ▾less ▴
On the Leaderboard, the line saying when this week's season ends could show Monday for a moment before the countdown started, then the page quietly redrew itself. It now says Sunday, the season's last day, from the very first moment.
The once-a-week timezone limit is a full week everywhere
Fixed- Fixed
The timezone limit now counts exactly 7 full days for everyone. more ▾less ▴
Your timezone can change once every 7 days. In places that move their clocks for daylight saving, that week could end an hour early. It is now counted as exactly 7 full days for everyone, the same way the display name and leaderboard limits are counted.
Add a profile photo
New- New
Add a profile photo in Settings. more ▾less ▴
You can now add a profile photo in Settings. We shrink it to a small square and remove its hidden details, like where it was taken, before saving it. It shows on your profile and, if you're on the leaderboard, beside your name there. You can change or remove it anytime.
- New
Photos on the leaderboard, with a way to report one. more ▾less ▴
Leaderboard rows now show each student's photo or initials. If a photo looks wrong, tap the small flag beside it to report it, and we'll review it.
Every name on the leaderboard has at least 2 characters
Fixed- Fixed
Leaderboard names need at least 2 characters, now checked everywhere. more ▾less ▴
To appear on the leaderboard you need a display name of at least 2 characters. Our database now checks this too, not only the Settings page, so the board never shows a blank or one-letter name. An emoji counts as one character. If you are already on the board, nothing changes unless you rename or rejoin.
Display name and leaderboard limits now hold for everyone
Fixed- Fixed
Name and leaderboard limits are now enforced for everyone. more ▾less ▴
The once-every-30-days display name limit and the once-a-week leaderboard on/off limit are now checked by our database too, not only by the Profile and Leaderboard pages. Nothing changes in how you use them, and the 15-minute window to fix a typo in a new name still works. It just means nobody can get around the limits to rename or hop on and off the board more often than everyone else.
A cleaner Profile, and a new Settings page
ImprovedNew- 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.
- New
A new Settings page where every change saves right away. more ▾less ▴
Settings has its own page, grouped into Account, Leaderboard, Reminders, Study preferences and Appearance. Each setting saves as soon as you change it, and changing your display name asks you to confirm first, since it can only change once every 30 days. Your leaderboard name and visibility now live here.
- New
Pick your picture's colour, and earn rings and an RN ribbon. more ▾less ▴
Pick the colour behind your initials. A 7-day streak earns a sage ring around your picture, a 30-day streak a gold one, and telling us you passed the PNLE adds an RN ribbon.
Tell us how your board exam went
New- New
Home asks how your board exam went, a few weeks after your exam date. more ▾less ▴
A few weeks after your exam date, Home asks how your board exam went: I passed, Not this time, or Didn't take it. One tap, and your answer stays private. It helps us see how students who reach every Pass Target do on the real PNLE, so we can make those targets as useful as possible.
A clearer Performance page
ImprovedNew- 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.
- New
Tap any week on your progress chart to see your rating then. more ▾less ▴
Your progress chart shows your rating at the end of every week since you started. Tap any week to see what it was, how much it moved, how many questions you did and any mock you finished. You can switch to one subject, and to 4 weeks, 12 weeks or all time.
- New
Tap subjects, mocks and calendar days for the detail behind them. more ▾less ▴
Tap a subject to see its own weekly line, its three weakest topics with a one-tap drill, and its mock sections. Tap a mock board to see all five sections. Tap a day on the study calendar to see what you did.
- New
Personal bests, this week's change and your distance to 75. more ▾less ▴
Personal bests: your highest rating, best mock, most questions in a day and longest streak, with a small celebration when you beat one. The top of the page now also shows how your rating moved this week and how far you are from 75 before your exam.
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
NewImproved- New
Next unanswered and Next flagged buttons above the question boxes. more ▾less ▴
Above the numbered boxes in practice sets and mock boards, two buttons now take you straight to your next unanswered question and your next flagged question, with a count of how many are left. Tap again to move on to the next one. The diagnostic exam has the unanswered one.
- 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.
19 new questions on the DOH-approved herbal medicines
NewFixed- New
19 new Primary Health Care questions on the ten DOH-approved herbal medicines. more ▾less ▴
Primary Health Care has 19 new practice questions on the ten herbal medicines approved by the Department of Health: what each plant is for, which part is used, how it is prepared at home, which ages may take it, when to send the client to the health center instead, and what the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997 (RA 8423) says. Every answer was checked against the official PITAHC guidance and the text of the law.
- Fixed
Two older herbal medicine explanations corrected. more ▾less ▴
Two older herbal medicine explanations were corrected: one wrongly said each approved plant has only one use (sambong, for example, has two).
- Fixed
The herbal table on the Immunization, MCH & Nutrition cram sheet now matches PITAHC. more ▾less ▴
The herbal medicine table on page 23 of the Immunization, Maternal & Child Health & Nutrition cram sheet now matches the official PITAHC guidance: niyog-niyogan seeds are chewed well and followed with water (there is no meal-timing rule), garlic is taken with meals and is not for dog bites, and tsaang gubat also helps prevent tooth decay. Your marks on that page stay where you drew them.
Previous, Next and text size at the top of every question
NewImproved- New
Text size: Normal, Large or Extra large, from the Aa button. more ▾less ▴
Make the questions easier to read: tap Aa beside the arrows at the top and choose Normal, Large or Extra large. The question, the situation, the answer choices and the explanations grow, while the buttons stay the same size. Your choice is saved on your device for every practice set, mock board and diagnostic. Highlights and underlines stay on their words; a freehand drawing clears when you change the size, because the words move under it.
- New
Previous and Next arrows at the top of every question. more ▾less ▴
Practice sets, mock boards and the diagnostic exam now have small Previous and Next arrows at the top, beside the progress bar, so you can move between questions without scrolling down to the buttons under the choices. On the mock boards they stay at the top of the screen as you scroll. The buttons under the choices are still there.
- New
Left and right arrow keys move between questions. more ▾less ▴
On a keyboard, the right arrow key now moves to the next question and the left arrow key goes back, in Practice as well as on the mock boards.
- 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.
Page tips close when you tap outside them
Fixed- Fixed
Tap outside a page tip to close it; the page behind it no longer ignores your taps. more ▾less ▴
The short tip that appears the first time you open a page (Resources, Practice, Flashcards and the rest) now closes when you tap anywhere outside it, not only with Got it. Before, the dimmed page behind the tip ignored taps, so a cram sheet cover could look like it would not open.
- Fixed
Page tips no longer slide off the screen when you scroll. more ▾less ▴
A page tip now always stays fully on your screen, even after you scroll or on a short phone screen, so its title and its Got it button are never cut off.
Smoother pen strokes on cram sheets and the Scratch pad
Fixed- Fixed
Pen ink no longer flickers ahead of your pen or jumps when you lift it. more ▾less ▴
Writing with the pen on a cram sheet or the Scratch pad no longer flickers. A short line used to shoot out ahead of your pen at every turn of a letter and then snap back; it is gone. The ink now keeps right up with your pen tip instead of trailing a few pixels behind, so the end of a stroke no longer jumps when you lift the pen. What gets saved is exactly the same as before.
Zoom in on the Scratch pad to write comfortably
NewFixed- New
Pinch or tap plus to zoom the cram Scratch pad and write at a comfortable size. more ▾less ▴
The Scratch pad in a cram sheet now zooms, separately from the sheet. Pinch it with two fingers, use the minus and plus buttons in its bottom corner, or pinch on a laptop trackpad, up to three times larger. Write at a comfortable size while zoomed in, then tap the zoom level to fit the page again: your writing shrinks with the paper and reads like notebook handwriting. When zoomed in, two fingers move around the page while one finger or your stylus keeps writing. Your zoom is remembered on that device.
- Fixed
A resting palm no longer scrolls the Scratch pad under an Apple Pencil. more ▾less ▴
On an iPad, resting your palm on the Scratch pad while writing with an Apple Pencil no longer scrolls the pad under the pen.
- Fixed
2Oct · Fri
Spine questions and two cram sheets corrected
Fixed- Fixed
Six spine questions and a scoliosis flashcard corrected. more ▾less ▴
Six spine and scoliosis questions and one flashcard were corrected after a second source check. Scoliosis curve sizes now match across questions, flashcards and cram sheets (watch under about 25 degrees, brace about 25 to 40 in a growing child, surgery about 45 to 50 or more), and a Duchenne question no longer says migraine cannot cause tiredness. Every answer stayed the same.
- Fixed
Musculoskeletal and Neuro C cram sheets corrected; your notes kept. more ▾less ▴
The Musculoskeletal cram sheet now teaches avoiding bed rest for back pain instead of two to four days of rest, and names the Milwaukee brace for high curves. The Neuro C sheet no longer lists anti-inflammatory pain pills as first-line care for carpal tunnel syndrome. Your highlights and notes on both sheets stayed in place.
Flashcards fact-checked: 254 linked to their question, 6 corrected
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Six flashcards corrected against the question bank. more ▾less ▴
Six cards were corrected against the questions: the preferred anticoagulant in pregnancy is low-molecular-weight heparin; Good Samaritan laws are described as existing elsewhere, since the Philippines has none enacted; the Alma-Ata goal is Health for All; the fundus sits at the umbilicus in the first 12 to 24 hours after birth; hepatomegaly comes after feeding trouble in infant heart failure; and autonomic dysreflexia's gravest complication is hemorrhagic stroke.
- Fixed
Capillary refill: normal is under 2 seconds everywhere. more ▾less ▴
Capillary refill now reads the same everywhere: normal is under 2 seconds. The flashcard and two practice questions that treated 2 to 3 seconds as normal were updated, and the correct answers did not change.
- 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
ImprovedFixedNew- 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.
- Fixed
Fourteen flashcards corrected against their sources. more ▾less ▴
Fourteen cards were corrected against their sources, among them: papillary muscle rupture follows an inferior MI, not an anterior one; door-to-balloon time counts from hospital arrival; a stroke within three months bars clot-busting drugs; the semi-restricted OR zone needs a mask when sterile supplies are open; new leg swelling is not expected in an acute PE; and permethrin goes from the neck down only for older children and adults.
- 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.
- New
Eleven new flashcards fill gaps in their decks. more ▾less ▴
Eleven new cards fill gaps: a left-ventricle clot after MI, the reperfusion rhythm after a stent, the six parts of the Health Belief Model, infant scabies and eczema, how head lice spread, the usual cause of scoliosis, eczema herpeticum, a high spinal block, a second IV drug with epoprostenol, and CTEPH.
- 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
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Outdated pancreatitis feeding teaching and extra right answers fixed. more ▾less ▴
Two pancreatitis questions taught that keeping the client on nothing by mouth with a stomach tube rests the pancreas; they now teach current guidance, that no medicine cures pancreatitis and that mild cases start eating early once pain eases. Five questions that had a second right answer now have only one, four correct answers no longer carry numbers to memorize, and a needlestick explanation now matches the CDC table.
Antenatal visits: one question and two cram sheets updated
FixedImproved- Fixed
Prenatal-visit question now names the older four-visit schedule. more ▾less ▴
A practice question on the timing of the last prenatal visit now names the older four-visit schedule it is testing, and its explanation adds that current DOH guidance asks for at least eight visits. The answer is unchanged.
- 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
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Spine questions with extra right answers or a backwards fact fixed. more ▾less ▴
A question on which back-pain finding to report first had three right answers, because three choices were the same nerve emergency; now only one is. A scoliosis question no longer asks students to memorize curve sizes in degrees, and a neck-pain explanation that had the cause backwards now says looking up is what narrows the nerve's opening.
Second look at the hardest flashcards: fourteen improved, three new
ImprovedNewFixed- 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.
- New
Three new flashcards on screening tests and community data. more ▾less ▴
Three new cards: negative predictive value, the two screening-test properties that belong to the test itself (sensitivity and specificity), and literacy as socioeconomic data in a community assessment.
- Fixed
Non-healing sore card no longer waits three months. more ▾less ▴
The cancer warning-sign card for a sore that does not heal no longer gives a three-month threshold; it now says a lip or mouth sore still open after several weeks needs checking.
- 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.
Flashcards updated: isoniazid vitamin B6 and antenatal visits
Fixed- Fixed
Isoniazid vitamin B6 card now lists every higher-risk group. more ▾less ▴
The isoniazid card now lists every higher-risk group that should get vitamin B6 (pregnant or breastfeeding women, people living with HIV, alcohol dependence, malnutrition, diabetes, chronic liver disease and kidney failure), not just three.
- Fixed
Antenatal visit cards updated to the current schedule of eight. more ▾less ▴
The antenatal visit card now teaches the current DOH schedule of at least eight visits (at least one in the first trimester, two in the second and five in the third), and a second card keeps the older four-visit rule clearly labelled as the older rule.
Five new flashcards on hearing loss and stress theories
New- New
Five new flashcards fill gaps in two decks. more ▾less ▴
Five gaps found while reading the Ear Anatomy and Stress and Coping decks now have cards: mixed hearing loss, Selye's local adaptation syndrome, the three parts of hardiness, Carl Rogers' three conditions of a helping relationship, and Roy's focal, contextual and residual stimuli.
Thirteen more flashcard decks read whole, ninety-six cards sharpened
ImprovedFixedNew- 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.
- Fixed
Twelve flashcards corrected against their sources. more ▾less ▴
Twelve cards were corrected against their sources, among them: chemotherapy leaking into the tissue is drawn back before the line comes out and the antidote follows; a protein-restricted diet lowers urea, not creatinine; any recent stroke bars clot-busting drugs; the old progressive-relapsing MS label is retired; and DRRM offices stop at the municipality, the barangay has a committee.
- New
Five new flashcards fill gaps in their decks. more ▾less ▴
Five new cards fill gaps: Volkmann ischemic contracture, fulminant ulcerative colitis, mesna with ifosfamide, AV graft versus fistula, and signs of an infected fistula.
- Improved
Fifty flashcards linked to the right practice question. more ▾less ▴
Fifty more flashcards now link to the practice question that teaches their fact.
- Fixed
1Oct · Thu
Import your Anki deck, a spreadsheet or a list
NewImproved- New
Import an Anki deck, a spreadsheet or a pasted list into your own decks. more ▾less ▴
You can now bring your own flashcards into BoardPal. Under Flashcards, tap Import and choose an Anki deck (.apkg), a spreadsheet saved as CSV, or paste a list. Your cards come in sorted by subject, fill-in-the-blank cards become ______ cards, and pictures come along. You see how many cards were found, and anything that changes, before anything is saved, and you can undo an import for 7 days.
- 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
NewImproved- New
Switch the daily flashcards off for a questions-only plan. more ▾less ▴
A new Flashcards setting on your Study Plan lets you switch the daily flashcards task off. Your plan becomes questions only, and if your days were tight, the time flashcards used goes to more practice questions. Your decks stay open on the Flashcards page either way, and you can switch it back on any time.
- 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.
Acoustic neuroma explanation corrected
Fixed- Fixed
Acoustic neuroma explanation now matches its sources. more ▾less ▴
An acoustic neuroma explanation said a growing tumor affects the nerve for facial feeling more often than the nerve that moves the face. The research we can cite does not support that comparison, so the explanation now says plainly that numbness comes from one nerve and weakness from the other. The question and its answer are unchanged.
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
FixedImproved- Fixed
Otosclerosis drug question now teaches current guidance. more ▾less ▴
A question taught sodium fluoride as the tablet a nurse should expect for otosclerosis. A 2023 expert review says fluoride now has only historical value and that drug treatment has shown little benefit. The question now teaches that no tablet is standard care and that hearing improves with a hearing aid or stapes surgery. The answer letter is unchanged.
- 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
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Two ear questions that taught the wrong sign fixed. more ▾less ▴
Two questions taught something wrong. An otosclerosis question said hearing is worst in noisy rooms, when people with otosclerosis usually hear speech better in noise. A question after middle-ear surgery used a sign that belongs to tonsil surgery; it now tests the taste change that ear surgery can cause.
Critical care teamwork and communication questions rewritten
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Three questions with a second arguable answer fixed. more ▾less ▴
Three questions could be argued two ways. A handoff question now says the two nurses already checked the drips together, a brain death question no longer offers a partly true statement as a wrong choice, and a question about a family who disagrees with a do-not-resuscitate order no longer has a second right answer. Each now has one right answer.
- Fixed
Three explanations tightened to match their sources. more ▾less ▴
Three explanations were checked against their sources again and tightened. The advance directive question now explains that CPR goes ahead until the directive is confirmed valid, instead of saying only a do-not-resuscitate order can stop it.
Peripheral neuropathy questions rewritten to board length
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Nine questions with a second defensible answer fixed; carpal tunnel added. more ▾less ▴
Nine questions had a second answer that could also be defended. For example, a foot-care question marked filing a callus with a pumice stone as the mistake, but soaking the feet, also among the choices, is a mistake too. Each now has one right answer. Carpal tunnel is now tested as well, through the Tinel sign.
Eye anatomy and vision test questions rewritten to board length
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Four eye questions with an error or a second right answer fixed. more ▾less ▴
Four questions had a real error. One described age-related reading trouble while asking about farsightedness. One used a United States legal definition of blindness. One offered a structure that a textbook also places between the lens and the retina as a wrong choice, and one gave its answer away in the question. Each now has one clear right answer.
Critical care equipment questions rewritten to board length
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Four questions with a real error or a second right answer fixed. more ▾less ▴
Four questions had a real error. One called a wavy line on the monitor asystole, when a wavy line is a shockable rhythm. One gave sugar by mouth to a drowsy patient, which is unsafe; the patient is now alert. One left a heart drug as a second right answer, and one offered the correct way to position the wrist for an arterial blood draw as a wrong choice. Each now has one right answer.
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.
Arthritis and gout follow-up fixes
Fixed- Fixed
Arthritis and gout flashcards, explanations and cram lines brought up to date. more ▾less ▴
Four flashcards, seven question explanations and two cram sheets (Musculoskeletal, and Infectious, Inflammatory & Immunologic) now match current evidence. Osteoarthritis is no longer called a disease without inflammation, since its joint lining can be inflamed too. Starting allopurinol during a gout attack is no longer said to prolong the attack, and a patient already on it keeps taking it through the attack. Rheumatoid arthritis morning stiffness is taught as lasting over 30 minutes, often an hour.
- Fixed
Two explanations corrected: vaccines before infliximab, hip injections. more ▾less ▴
A Crohn's disease question on starting infliximab no longer calls bringing vaccines up to date a mere formality, since the drug's label asks for it before the first dose; the explanation now says why tuberculosis is still checked first. A hip arthritis explanation now says joint-fluid injections are seldom advised for the hip, rather than never used there.
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
FixedImproved- Fixed
Stroke aspirin explanation corrected. more ▾less ▴
One stroke question said that giving aspirin first can rule a client out of the clot-dissolving drug. Current guidance says aspirin taken before a stroke is not a reason to withhold it. The explanation now says only that aspirin waits until a scan shows no bleeding in the brain.
- 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
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Three questions corrected, including one on how the two bowel diseases behave over time. more ▾less ▴
Three questions were corrected. One taught that Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis follow different courses, but both usually go back and forth between flares and quiet periods, and the answer now says so. A warning-signs question and a question about starting a biologic drug each had a second right choice, and both were rebuilt so only one choice is right.
- 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.
- Fixed
Three IBD flashcards corrected on biologics, screening and food. more ▾less ▴
Three flashcards in the IBD and Guillain-Barre deck were corrected. The ulcerative colitis drug card now says steroids are for flares only, while biologic drugs both treat moderate to severe disease and help keep it quiet. The flare diet card now says that no specific food has been found to cause or worsen these diseases. The biologic screening card now says hepatitis B is tested before the first dose too.
Cram sheet pen tools fit an upright iPad again
Fixed- Fixed
Cram sheet pen and highlighter options fit an upright iPad again. more ▾less ▴
On an iPad held upright, the cram sheet tool row with the pen or highlighter on had grown one button too wide after Select text arrived, so its last options slid off the edge. The row is spaced a little tighter on tablets now and every tool, colour and size sits on screen without scrolling. Select text now sits after the eraser, so Undo is back beside the pen. Nothing changed on phones or desktop.
Arthritis and gout questions rewritten to board length
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Seven questions with a second right answer fixed. more ▾less ▴
Seven questions had a second defensible answer and were rebuilt so only one choice is right. They had marked wrong things current guidance supports: avoiding alcohol and using contraception on methotrexate, kidney tests while on methotrexate, avoiding live vaccines on a biologic injection, water exercise for knee arthritis, and exercise with sleep habits for fibromyalgia.
- Fixed
A question that contradicted three others rebuilt; gout timing brought up to date. more ▾less ▴
One rheumatoid arthritis question taught keeping inflamed joints at rest until a flare settles, which disagreed with three other questions that teach gentle movement during flares. It now asks about dry eyes and a dry mouth in rheumatoid arthritis. No gout question now says allopurinol can never be started during an attack, since current guidance allows it with flare cover.
- 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
FixedImproved- Fixed
The aspirin surgical risk question now explains platelets plainly and no longer hinges on a shellfish allergy. more ▾less ▴
A surgical risk question about a woman who takes daily aspirin now explains, in plain words, why stopping aspirin on the morning of surgery does not bring clotting back to normal: aspirin weakens platelets for the rest of their life, and a platelet lives about 8 to 10 days. The question no longer depends on a shellfish allergy, which review materials treat differently, and one answer choice that could be argued either way was replaced.
- Fixed
The cancer screening question now has the nurse perform the screening, removing the doubt. more ▾less ▴
A community health question on cancer screening described the nurse only teaching about screening and urging women to go, which some references count as primary prevention and others as secondary. The nurse in the question now performs the breast examinations and the VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid) cervical screening, and a short note explains how teaching about screening is classified.
- Fixed
A mental health question's explanation now matches the wording of its answer choice. more ▾less ▴
In a question on what describes a mentally healthy person, the explanation spoke of someone "under pressure" while the answer choice spoke of ordinary demands. The explanation now uses the choice's own words and ties each choice to the World Health Organization's definition of mental health.
- 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
ImprovedFixed- 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.
- Fixed
Four questions with a second right answer fixed. more ▾less ▴
Four questions had a second defensible answer and were rebuilt so only one choice is right: a brief burst of faster breathing in a brain emergency, assisted coughing to clear mucus after a neck injury, a lung infection after a long seizure, and a near-true reason for giving a second seizure drug. Two explanations that no current source supports were also removed, one about bleeding risk rising with delay and one about a strong salt drip.
- 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.
- New