Exam Overview Content Breakdown Pass Rates Study Plan Study Resources Sample Questions Exam Day Tips Booking Guide
Prometric Exam Guide 2026

Pass Your GCC
Prometric Nursing Exam

Complete breakdown of every GCC nursing Prometric exam — questions, content weighting, pass rates, study strategies, sample questions, and booking instructions. Everything in one place.

🇦🇪 HAAD / DHA / DOH 🇸🇦 SCFHS (SHLE) 🇶🇦 QCHP 🇰🇼 MOH Kuwait 🇧🇭 NHRA 🇴🇲 OMSB (OQE)
6
GCC Exams Covered
150
Max Questions (HAAD)
65%
Average Pass Rate
3 hrs
Max Duration
All GCC Exams

GCC Prometric Nursing Exams at a Glance

All GCC nursing licensing exams use the Prometric CBT (Computer-Based Testing) system. They are separate exams — a DHA pass does NOT substitute for a SCFHS pass.

Country / Exam Licensing Body Questions Duration Passing Score Attempt Limit Validity DataFlow Req. Est. Pass Rate
🇦🇪 UAE — DHA (Dubai) Dubai Health Authority 100 2.5 hrs 65% 3 attempts 2 years Required 70–75%
🇦🇪 UAE — HAAD (Abu Dhabi) DoH Abu Dhabi (formerly HAAD) 150 3 hrs 65% 3 attempts 2 years Required 60–68%
🇸🇦 Saudi — SCFHS (SHLE) Saudi Commission for Health Specialties 120 2.5 hrs 60% 3 attempts 1 year Required 55–65%
🇶🇦 Qatar — QCHP Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners 150 3 hrs 65% 3 attempts 2 years Required 62–70%
🇰🇼 Kuwait — MOH Ministry of Health Kuwait 120 2.5 hrs 60% Unlimited 1 year Not Required 68–75%
🇧🇭 Bahrain — NHRA National Health Regulatory Authority 100 2.5 hrs 65% 3 attempts 1 year Required 70–78%
🇴🇲 Oman — OMSB (OQE) Oman Medical Specialty Board 100 2 hrs 60% Unlimited 2 years Optional 72–80%
Important: Exam formats occasionally change. Always confirm question count and passing score on the official licensing body website before booking. The figures above reflect 2025–2026 exam formats.
What's Tested

Exam Content Breakdown

All GCC Prometric nursing exams test the same core domains. Understanding the weighting lets you prioritise study time correctly.

GCC Exam
Medical-Surgical Nursing
30%
Pharmacology
20%
OB/GYN & Maternity
12%
Paediatrics
10%
Psychiatric Nursing
8%
Community Health
8%
Critical Care + Leadership
12%
30%

Medical-Surgical

Cardiac, respiratory, renal, neuro, GI, endocrine, musculoskeletal, integumentary. Expect scenario-based priority questions.

20%

Pharmacology

Drug classifications, mechanisms, nursing considerations, adverse effects, antidotes. High-yield: antibiotics, antihypertensives, anticoagulants, insulin.

12%

OB/GYN & Maternity

Antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn care, complications (pre-eclampsia, PPH, shoulder dystocia).

10%

Paediatrics

Growth and development, paediatric conditions (croup, epiglottitis, CF, congenital heart), immunisation schedule.

8%

Psychiatric Nursing

Therapeutic communication, psychiatric disorders, medications (antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilisers), crisis intervention.

8%

Community Health

Public health principles, disease prevention levels, epidemiology, health promotion, occupational health.

7%

Critical Care / ICU

Haemodynamic monitoring, ventilators, ACLS drugs, shock management, multi-organ failure.

5%

Leadership & Ethics

Delegation principles, chain of command, informed consent, patient rights, professional ethics.

Pass Rates

Estimated First-Attempt Pass Rates

Based on community data from nurse groups, DataFlow reports, and licensing body statistics. Pass rates vary by origin country and specialty — ICU nurses and those with BSN tend to score higher.

🇦🇪 UAE — DHA (Dubai)
Dubai Health Authority
Best
Pass rate (1st attempt)70–75%

DHA is widely considered the most accessible GCC exam. Philippine and Indian nurses perform particularly well. Strong prep yields high first-attempt success.

🇦🇪 UAE — HAAD/DOH (Abu Dhabi)
Department of Health
Good
Pass rate (1st attempt)60–68%

More questions (150) and slightly more advanced clinical scenarios. More comprehensive pharmacology coverage required.

🇸🇦 Saudi — SCFHS (SHLE)
Saudi Commission
Hardest
Pass rate (1st attempt)55–65%

SHLE is considered the hardest GCC exam. Greater emphasis on clinical reasoning and critical thinking over factual recall. Requires 6–8 weeks dedicated study minimum.

🇶🇦 Qatar — QCHP
Qatar Council
Good
Pass rate (1st attempt)62–70%

QCHP is comparable to HAAD in difficulty. 150 questions with 3-hour duration. UK and Irish nurses tend to have higher pass rates here.

🇰🇼 Kuwait — MOH
Ministry of Health
Good
Pass rate (1st attempt)68–75%

No DataFlow required makes preparation simpler. Unlimited retakes if needed. Strong clinical foundation + Archer/Saunders prep is usually sufficient.

🇴🇲 Oman — OMSB (OQE)
Oman Medical Specialty Board
Easiest
Pass rate (1st attempt)72–80%

Shortest exam (100 questions, 2 hrs), highest pass rate. Best for first-time GCC applicants or nurses who failed another GCC exam. Unlimited retakes.

Study Plan

8-Week Prometric Study Plan

This plan works for all GCC exams. Adjust intensity: for SCFHS add 2 extra weeks on pharmacology and clinical reasoning; for OQE/Kuwait you can compress to 5–6 weeks.

1

Foundation Review

Days 1–7
  • Nursing process (ADPIE) — deep review
  • Pharmacology fundamentals (drug classes, mechanisms)
  • Fluid & electrolyte balance
  • Take a 60-question baseline practice test
Goal: Identify your weak areas using baseline score
2

Medical-Surgical (Part 1)

Days 8–14
  • Cardiovascular: MI, CHF, arrhythmias, hypertension
  • Respiratory: COPD, asthma, pneumonia, TB, ARDS
  • Endocrine: DM, thyroid, Addison's, Cushing's
  • 50 practice questions/day minimum
Focus: Prioritisation — ABC, Maslow, least invasive first
3

Medical-Surgical (Part 2)

Days 15–21
  • Renal: AKI, CKD, dialysis (HD & PD)
  • Neurological: stroke, seizures, TBI, ICP
  • GI: cirrhosis, IBD, peptic ulcer, bowel obstruction
  • Musculoskeletal: fractures, compartment syndrome
Method: For each condition — causes → symptoms → nursing priority → meds
4

Pharmacology Deep Dive

Days 22–28
  • Antibiotics: penicillin, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides
  • Cardiac drugs: digoxin, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics
  • Anticoagulants: heparin, warfarin, NOACs — antidotes critical
  • Insulin types: onset/peak/duration
  • Psychotropic drugs: antipsychotics, SSRIs, lithium toxicity
Tool: Flashcards for drug names + nursing alerts — use Anki
5

OB/GYN, Paediatrics, Psych

Days 29–35
  • OB: labour stages, fetal monitoring, complications (pre-eclampsia, placenta previa)
  • Newborn: APGAR, hypoglycaemia, jaundice management
  • Paeds: developmental milestones, vaccines, common paediatric illnesses
  • Psych: therapeutic communication, DSM conditions, ECT, seclusion
Tip: OB has the most calculation questions — practice foetal monitoring strips
6

Critical Care + Community Health

Days 36–42
  • ICU: ventilator settings, haemodynamic monitoring, Swan-Ganz
  • Shock types: hypovolaemic, cardiogenic, distributive, obstructive
  • ACLS drugs: epinephrine, amiodarone, atropine doses
  • Community: levels of prevention, chain of infection, PHN roles
Focus: Leadership + delegation for the 5–8% exam weight — don't skip it
7

Full Practice Exams

Days 43–49
  • Take 2 full-length timed practice exams (100–150 questions)
  • Review every wrong answer — understand WHY, not just what
  • Target weak content areas identified in practice scores
  • Focus on question strategy: eliminate wrong answers, read carefully
Target: Score 72%+ on practice tests before sitting the real exam
8

Final Review + Exam Week

Days 50–56
  • Review pharmacology high-yields only (no new material)
  • Re-read your weak area notes
  • Take ONE final 60-question timed test on exam day minus 2
  • Rest the day before exam — no new studying
Mindset: You've prepared. Trust your foundation. Read each question twice.
Study Resources

Best Study Resources for GCC Prometric

Ranked by community recommendation from 3,000+ nurses who passed their GCC exam. All resources are external — GCCNurseJobs.com does not sell study materials.

Archer Review (archerreview.com)

Most recommended by GCC-bound nurses. Specific Prometric question banks for DHA, HAAD, SCFHS, and QCHP. Rationale-heavy explanations. Mobile app available.

4.8/5 community rating $49–$99/month

Nurse Achieve

GCC-specific Prometric prep. Widely used for DHA and HAAD. Includes subject-wise Q&A plus full-length mock exams with scoring analytics.

4.6/5 community rating $39–$79

Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX-RN Review (Book)

While designed for NCLEX, Saunders covers the same content as GCC exams. Excellent for pharmacology and med-surg. Best physical reference book available.

4.7/5 community rating ~$55 on Amazon

UWorld (uworld.com)

Premium question bank used by NCLEX candidates. Excellent clinical reasoning questions. Overkill for Kuwait/Oman but ideal prep for SCFHS and HAAD.

4.9/5 community rating $99–$299

YouTube — RegisteredNurseRN / SimpleNursing

Free nursing review videos. RegisteredNurseRN is excellent for cardiac and pharmacology. SimpleNursing uses mnemonics and visuals. Both are free on YouTube.

4.5/5 community rating Free on YouTube

Anki (ankiweb.net)

Free spaced-repetition flashcard app. Download pre-made nursing/pharmacology decks. Ideal for drug names, lab values, normal ranges. 15 min/day is highly effective.

4.8/5 community rating Free
Practice Questions

Sample Prometric-Style Questions

Click a question to expand, then select your answer to see the rationale. These reflect the style and difficulty of real GCC Prometric exams.

Q1 · Pharmacology — A patient on warfarin therapy has an INR of 6.2 and is bleeding. Which medication should the nurse prepare to administer?
A Heparin infusion
B Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP)
C Vitamin K (phytonadione)
D Protamine sulphate
Answer: C — Vitamin K (phytonadione)

Warfarin works by inhibiting Vitamin K-dependent clotting factors (II, VII, IX, X). Its antidote is Vitamin K (phytonadione). Protamine sulphate reverses heparin, not warfarin. FFP can be used in emergencies but Vitamin K is the specific antidote. Heparin would worsen bleeding.

High-yield memory: Warfarin → Vitamin K. Heparin → Protamine sulphate. NOAC → Idarucizumab (dabigatran) / Andexanet alfa (rivaroxaban).
Q2 · Prioritisation (SATA-style) — A nurse is caring for four patients. Which patient should be assessed FIRST?
A Post-op Day 2 cholecystectomy patient reporting pain 6/10
B Patient 2 hours post-thyroidectomy with increasing hoarseness and neck swelling
C Type 2 DM patient with a blood glucose of 9.8 mmol/L
D COPD patient on 2L O₂ with SpO₂ 91%
Answer: B — Increasing hoarseness and neck swelling post-thyroidectomy

Post-thyroidectomy hoarseness + neck swelling = haematoma compressing the airway = AIRWAY EMERGENCY. Airway always comes first (ABC priority). The other patients are stable or expected findings. COPD with SpO₂ 91% is actually acceptable (normal for COPD — avoid over-oxygenation).

Key principle: Always apply ABC (Airway → Breathing → Circulation) for prioritisation questions.
Q3 · OB/GYN — A nurse is monitoring a patient in active labour. The fetal heart rate suddenly drops to 90 bpm during a contraction and recovers slowly after the contraction ends. This pattern is BEST described as:
A Early deceleration — reassuring
B Variable deceleration — cord compression
C Late deceleration — uteroplacental insufficiency
D Accelerations — fetal wellbeing
Answer: C — Late deceleration

Late decelerations begin AFTER the peak of contraction and recover AFTER the contraction ends — this pattern indicates uteroplacental insufficiency. It is NON-REASSURING. Nursing action: reposition to left lateral, increase IV fluids, apply O₂ via mask, stop oxytocin, notify physician.

Memory aid: Early = Head compression (uniform, mirror image). Variable = Cord compression (abrupt onset). Late = Placental insufficiency (uniform, after peak). Accelerations = Fetal wellbeing (always reassuring).
Q4 · Delegation — Which task is MOST appropriate for the registered nurse to delegate to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
A Administer insulin to a diabetic patient
B Perform initial assessment on a newly admitted patient
C Measure and record urine output from a catheterised patient
D Teach a patient how to self-administer insulin
Answer: C — Measuring and recording urine output

UAPs can perform non-invasive, routine measurements of stable patients. Insulin administration, assessment, and patient education require RN licensure and clinical judgment — these cannot be delegated to UAPs.

Delegation rules (5 Rights): Right task + Right circumstance + Right person + Right direction + Right supervision. UAPs can: take vital signs, assist with ADLs, transport stable patients, measure I&O. UAPs CANNOT: assess, teach, administer medications, perform invasive procedures.
Exam Strategies

16 Tips for Exam Day Success

These strategies have made the difference between pass and fail for thousands of nurses.

Read the ENTIRE question first

Never read answer choices before finishing the question stem. The stem contains all the information you need to form your answer BEFORE looking at options. Many wrong answers are designed to catch nurses who skim.

Apply ABC prioritisation

When asked who to see first or what to do first: Airway → Breathing → Circulation. Then Maslow's hierarchy. If two patients are equally critical, pick the one with the airway problem.

Eliminate clearly wrong answers

If you can eliminate 2 of 4 options immediately, you have a 50/50 chance. Look for: actions that harm the patient, breach confidentiality, skip assessment, or ignore safety.

Time management: 90 seconds/question

For a 100-question, 2.5-hour exam: budget 90 seconds per question. If you're stuck after 2 minutes, make your best guess, mark it, and move on. Never leave a question blank.

Ideal world nursing

Prometric tests what a nurse SHOULD do, not what happens in your hospital. If a question has "assess the patient" as an option, it's almost always the first step. Nursing process: Assess → Diagnose → Plan → Implement → Evaluate.

Pharmacology mnemonics matter

Learn these: "-olol" = beta-blocker. "-pril" = ACE inhibitor. "-sartan" = ARB. "-statin" = HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. "-mycin/-cillin" = antibiotic. "-azole" = antifungal. "-mab" = monoclonal antibody.

Sleep 8 hours the night before

Memory consolidation happens during sleep. Cramming the night before impairs retrieval. A well-rested brain outperforms a fatigued but "more prepared" one every time. Light review at most — nothing new.

Don't second-guess your first answer

Research consistently shows first-instinct answers are more often correct. Only change an answer if you find a compelling reason — not just because you're unsure. Anxiety-driven answer changes reduce scores.

How to Book

How to Book Your Prometric Exam

You can book and sit the exam in your home country — you do NOT need to travel to the GCC first. Prometric has test centres in 180 countries.

Booking Steps

Complete your licensing body application (DHA/HAAD/SCFHS/QCHP) and receive exam authorisation email
Go to prometric.com → Select your exam type
Create Prometric account or log in with your existing account
Enter your eligibility ID (from licensing body email)
Select country, city, and available test centre
Choose date and time (book 3–4 weeks in advance for popular centres)
Pay any applicable exam/scheduling fees
Receive confirmation email — save this!

What to Bring on Exam Day

Valid government-issued photo ID (passport strongly recommended)
Exam confirmation email / Prometric confirmation number
Second form of ID if required (check your exam confirmation)
NO mobile phone, smartwatch, or electronic device in exam room
NO notes, books, or study materials
Arrive 30 minutes early for check-in process
Dress in layers (test centres can be cold)
Water bottle (check if allowed — rules vary by centre)

Top Prometric Test Centres by Country

🇵🇭 PhilippinesManila (Ortigas), Cebu, Davao, Quezon City
🇮🇳 IndiaMumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kerala (Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram)
🇬🇧 UK / IrelandLondon (multiple), Manchester, Birmingham, Dublin
🇺🇸 USAMajor cities in all 50 states (largest global Prometric network)
🇳🇬 NigeriaLagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt
🇿🇦 South AfricaJohannesburg, Cape Town, Durban

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