NHRA · Syllabus & Exam Outline 2026
NHRA Nursing Licensing Exam (Bahrain)
In short
The NHRA Nursing Licensing Exam (Bahrain) is computer-based and multiple-choice, allowing 2.5 hours of testing within a 3-hour seating. NHRA publishes no question count and sets the nursing pass mark at 50%, while Prometric still shows 60%. It covers nursing fundamentals, adult nursing, maternal-child nursing, and nursing leadership. Free practice questions and a full study plan are below.
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- Free updates
- Web + mobile app
- Fully editable
- Time limit
- 2.5 hours of testing time within a 3-hour seating (Prometric)
- Passing score
- 50% (NHRA's published mark for nursing, midwifery and allied professions)
- Cost
- Prometric examination fee USD 184.5 (about BHD 69.5). NHRA charges BHD 20 to apply and BHD 50 to issue the licence. Primary source verification is extra: DataFlow BHD 60 single / 120 regular / 171 express, with QuadraBay and Clean Sheet Group accepted as alternatives.
- Format
- Multiple-choice questions
- Delivery
- Computer-based testing at Prometric test centers. You must first obtain an NHRA eligibility code through the Mehan portal; it is valid for four months and covers one attempt.
- Prep time
- ~150 hours
Exam overview
The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Nursing Licensing Examination evaluates the core clinical competency, critical thinking, and safe practice capabilities of nurses seeking licensure in Bahrain. This standardized, computer-based exam ensures all candidates can safely handle the diverse patient care scenarios they will encounter across the region's healthcare facilities. Covering a broad spectrum from foundational nursing principles to complex critical care and leadership, the assessment demands rigorous and targeted preparation. Preparing for this extensive examination requires a structured approach across its four primary domains: Nursing Fundamentals, Adult Nursing, Maternal-Child Nursing, and Nursing Management and Leadership. To simplify your preparation and maximize efficiency, Only Ever maps every domain to 15-minute study topics. This method allows you to tackle extensive subjects like pharmacology, pediatric surgical care, and interprofessional relations without feeling overwhelmed. By thoroughly reviewing this syllabus, candidates can identify the subjects they are shakiest on and allocate their study hours accordingly. Note that NHRA publishes neither a content blueprint nor a question count, so the domain split shown here is Only Ever's own study-hour allocation rather than an official weighting.
Exam domains & weighting
Each domain's share of the exam — study deepest where the weight is highest. Open one for how to study it and its objectives.
How to study this domain
Master the core basics of patient care and basic sciences. Dedicate daily practice to pharmacology classifications, common side effects, and safe dosage principles. Focus heavily on holistic physical assessment techniques, as these concepts provide the foundation for the more advanced adult and maternal-child sections.
Key objectives
- Fundamentals of Nursing
- Physical Assessment
- Pharmacology
- Basic Sciences
Readiness self-check
Tick off everything you can confidently explain. Anything left unchecked is your study list — tap “Review” to jump straight into that domain.
Quick reference
Core Nursing Competencies
Essential professional competencies drawn from NHRA's Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice. NHRA does not publish an exam blueprint, so these are the competencies the regulator expects of a licensed nurse rather than a stated split of exam content.
Professionalism
Demonstrating accountability and responsibility for care delivery consistent with moral, ethical, legal, humanistic, and regulatory principles.
Patient Centered Care
Delivering compassionate, coordinated care that recognizes and respects patient preferences, values, and needs.
Evidence Based Practice
Appraising research and integrating evidence with clinical expertise to make informed clinical decisions based on patient values.
Quality and Safety Management
Using data to monitor care outcomes and minimizing harm to patients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance.
Health Education and Promotion
Identifying community and patient needs to promote healthy behaviors by providing reliable educational activities.
Frequently asked questions
Good to know
- Prometric allows 2.5 hours of testing time within a 3-hour seating; the extra half hour covers check-in and the on-screen tutorial.
- NHRA does not publish a question count, an item-format description or a content blueprint for the nursing exam. Numbers circulating on prep sites are unsourced and contradict each other.
- NHRA's published pass mark for nursing, midwifery and allied professions is 50%; Prometric's NHRA page still states 60% for all Bahrain licensure exams. Confirm with NHRA before relying on either.
- You apply through NHRA's Mehan portal and receive an eligibility code valid for four months, good for a single attempt. An exam sat without NHRA approval is not accepted.
- You get four consecutive attempts within three years of your first sitting. A pass is valid for five years.
- Non-Bahraini general nurses need at least one year of post-registration clinical experience; Bahraini new graduates are exempt at basic entry level.
- Bahraini and GCC nationals holding a valid GCC licence are exempt from the exam. NHRA also accepts the DHA, HAAD, Qatar, Oman 'Registered Nurse' and Saudi 'Nurse Specialist' exams — but not the Saudi 'Nurse Technician'.
- Qualifications, experience and good-standing certificates must be verified at source through DataFlow, QuadraBay or Clean Sheet Group.
Reading isn’t remembering.
Most NHRA prep is generic question dumps that ignore the NHRA Nursing Professional Qualification Requirements and the eligibility-number licensing process Bahrain requires.
Only Ever pairs a complete clinical nursing core with NHRA-specific regulatory guidance, structured into 15-minute topics designed for long-term retention.