21 Free CBA Practice Test Questions — Inspire Global Assessments (NCAS)
Preparing for the CBA (Computer-Based Assessment) can feel overwhelming, especially when it's hard to know what to expect and to find quality practice materials. Practicing with questions is one of the most effective strategies you can use to prepare for the exam. That's why I’ve put together a set of 21 free CBA practice test questions that mirror what you might expect on the Inspire Global Assessments (formerly NCAS).
What is the Inspire Global Assessments CBA?
The CBA is a standardized exam administered by Inspire Global Assessments. It is designed to measure a return to practice nurse or an internationally educated nurse’s mastery of core subject competencies and evaluate readiness based on Canadian healthcare standards. The exam is structured to test both your knowledge and application across key topics, making focused preparation essential.
Key difference from NCLEX: There’s no pass/fail. Instead, it measures your skills compared to Canadian-educated nurses.
What to Expect on the CBA
The CBA is a case-based exam, meaning you won't just answer standalone questions. Instead, you'll work through unfolding clinical scenarios that mirror real-world decision-making, sometimes spanning a single work shift, or stretching across days or weeks. Understanding the format before you sit the exam is half the battle. Here's what you need to know:
Exam Duration
The exam runs for 3 to 5 hours depending on your designation and assessment type. You'll also have a 15-minute tutorial beforehand to familiarize yourself with the Prometric testing platform — this doesn't count toward your exam time.
Question Types
You might encounter five question types across the exam:
Multiple-choice: four answer options, one correct answer.
Multiple-select: four to six options, with two or three correct answers. You'll be prompted to select the best actions, and you won't be able to select more answers than the number of correct ones.
Hotspot: you'll be shown an image and asked to click on the correct area(s). The number of clicks you can make is fixed to match the number of correct areas.
Sequencing: drag and drop items into the correct order based on the clinical scenario described.
Open-response — write a composed answer in the space provided. Some questions will have a word limit.
Important: once you submit an answer, you cannot go back and change it. Read each question carefully before responding.
For the most up-to-date information, check the Inspire Global Assessments CBA page.
Time Pressure is Real
Many of the internationally educated nurses I have spoken to or worked with have told me time was their biggest challenge when taking the CBA. They simply ran out of time. It is important that you check how long your exam is and give yourself about two minutes per question.
Why Practice Questions Matter
Research consistently shows that practice testing is one of the most effective study techniques available — more effective than re-reading notes or highlighting. When you work through practice questions, you're not just reviewing content; you're training your brain to retrieve and apply information under exam conditions. You'll also identify gaps in your knowledge early, so you can focus your study time where it counts most.
Free CBA Practice Questions
Our free CBA practice questions are designed to mirror some of the style, structure, and difficulty level of the actual Inspire Global Assessments (NCAS) CBA. That means no surprises when you open the real exam — you’ll take the exam having practiced many questions already.
To get access to the free 21 CBA Practice Test Questions, sign up for free here:
Sample CBA Practice Test Question
Here's an example of the type of question you'll find in our practice set:
Scenario:
Name: David Chen, 52-year-old male
Presentation: Sudden onset of severe epigastric pain radiating to the back, nausea, vomiting, history of heavy alcohol use.
VS: BP 92/60, HR 118, RR 26, T 38.1°C, O2 sat 94% RA
Question: You are the RN in the emergency department and just received David. He is curled in a fetal position and reports a pain score of 9/10. His abdomen is distended, and bowel sounds are hypoactive. What is your priority action?
A) Initiate IV fluids and pain management as ordered
B) Insert a nasogastric tube for decompression
C) Place him in a supine position and monitor for worsening pain
D) Encourage oral intake to reduce dehydration
Answer: A
Rationale: Acute pancreatitis causes third-spacing of fluids and systemic inflammatory response. Fluid resuscitation and pain control are the priorities. Supine positioning worsens pain; NPO status is preferred. NG insertion is secondary unless vomiting is severe.
Test Tip: When vital signs indicate hypovolemia (low BP, high HR), focus on stabilizing circulation before diagnostics or comfort.
Want more questions like this? The full practice set is free and available now.
Start Practicing Today — It's Free
There's no better time to start than now. Our free CBA practice questions are ready for you. Simply sign up and start practicing so you feel prepared and confident going into your NCAS CBA exam.
Want more CBA practice test questions?
If you want more practice questions like these — plus a full structured prep course — the Mastering Canadian Nursing: CBA & SLA Preparation Course gives you everything you need in one place. You'll get 500+ CBA practice questions, 10 SLA prep lecture videos, Canadian nursing frameworks and cheatsheets, test-taking strategies, downloadable templates, and direct email support from Irah, a Canadian RN with 19 years of experience. It's fully self-paced, so you can prepare on your own schedule. Hundreds of internationally educated nurses have used it to walk into their assessments with clarity and confidence — instead of guessing and hoping for the best.
Learn more about the Inspire Global Assessments (NCAS) CBA & SLA Prep Course here.
