Passed! But failed hospital med test

[RNjitters]

I feel so down.. I have been out of nursing for 11 years. Studied content like crazy.. Took my boards and passed(Woo Hoo I was feeling so good) Now I feel so dumb.. During my interview I was given a med test. I guessed on most.. I probably got a 50% out of 100%. Do you think I may still be a candidate for the job interviewed for? Do you think during the 12weeks of orientation I can review meds.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

at my facility we remediate then re-test. Our tests are not evaluted for validity and reliability, so we do not base hiring on the test, but use it to focus on what can be done to bring hiree up to par

[SierraBravo]

Where I work if you fail the med test you don't get the job, plain and simple. That test is fundamental to ensuring to the facility that you can provide basic, safe care with respect to meds. But speak with the hospital and see what the policy is. Perhaps you can retake the test? Do some research online and see what you can do to prepare for the test. If you're guessing on most of the questions, I think you really need to sit down and reflect. With everything you learned in nursing school there is no way you should need to guess on most of the questions. Maybe hospital nursing isn't for you? And comparing the NCLEX to the med exam is not accurate because the NCLEX is adaptive. So you could get a topic wrong 20 times and you'll still keep getting questions about it until you get it right. On the med exam you need to know your stuff, plain and simple. Spend some time with a drug book, it sounds like you need to focus on learning (or re-learning) meds and classes.

[firstinfamily, RN]

Welcome to the re-hiring process!!! I just went through my first hospital drug test in 6 years and passed with a 95%. I had not really done drug calculations in the last 5 years because of the way medications were supplied at my previous facility. I knew I would be taking a drug test that would involve IV calculations and needed to prepare for it. I purchased a drug calculation book that helped me immensly and I am sure without that practice/study I may not have passed the test. So, ask the HR person if there is a remediation class, or when you can re-take the test, and study, prepare for it. You can count on most any institution to give a medication/drug test. It was not about the drugs per say but more about the ability to dose properly. Good LUck!!

[HopeThruFaith, ADN, CNA, LPN]

Which drug calculation book did you purchase?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

What types of questions did they ask? As long as they weren't making you convert grains to grams or anything you shouldn't need a whole book, just some reviewing of the formulas and lots of practice.