I'm a concrete learner, need help with exams

mitchsmom · Nov 12, 2005

What about the exams is tripping you up? You say you know the info - is it taking the information that you have learned and applying it to case-study/NCLEX type questions? Or something else? Prioritization?

I think I'm a very concrete learner too - but to me most of what we are doing, fortunately, is very concrete. As I wrote in an earlier post, I often refer to Saunders comprehensive review for NCLEX and Medical-surgical nursing: reviews and rationales because they give the simpler version, whittled down without all the extra info in the big texts. Our teachers don't usually put obscure things on the test. And those books also have NCLEX questions to practice with too (usually our tests have these types of questions).

Sometimes prioritizing seems to be hard for students I know - have your ABC's and Maslow down pat (the book Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: a guide to planning care by ackley and ladwig has an appendix with ND's put in order according to maslow's hierarchy).

I would talk to the teachers too, to see if they have ideas for you!

Best wishes, I hope you find what works for you!

Regina66 · Nov 13, 2005

I too have this problem. What I do is, I have a study buddy who is in class with me...we read the assigned chapters, and discuss them..we flip through the book and discuss whatever we are having problems understanding...We put it in terms we can understand. It is amazing how much I understand when we start talking about it. Then on test day, it comes back because we put a face on it...like..Neuropathy: My husband has this, but he is not a Diabetic...My friend Jessie does...He takes insulin pills and shots...It sounds like rambaling on paper, but in my head it just works..I think of someone I know or something I have seen that I can put with the information...Hope this helps...:)

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2005

How do you get tripped up on tests? Do you change your answers? I changed the way I approach test taking and it has resulted in better grades with less studying.

First of all, cross out all extraneous information in the question and figure out exactly what the prof wants.

Also on those except questions I write in the margin that I am looking for something good or something bad, depending on what the question says.

If a question says more teaching is required then I write bad in the margin, so I know that I am looking for something bad. Even if I don't know the answer outright, it is usually pretty easy to pick out the bad answer.

If am not sure of what the heck a question is asking, I circle it and move on instead of tormenting myself over it, if I get too worked up over it I will get a mental block. I come back to it on my second round of the test.

Trust your gut, if you aren't 100% sure trust what your gut is telling you.

NEVER CHANGE ANSWERS! This took a long time for me to internalize.

Don't get to the test early. There will be people talking about what is on the test and their interpretation of the information. It may only confuse you. I also try to not go in the hall after the test, while waiting for the rest of the class to finish, everyone talks about what they got for such and such and usually it doesn't match what I put down and I get all anxious until the results are posted.

I keep trying to end this post but I keep remembering something else. If you are asked a question about prioritizing, just go with what will kill them first if you want highest priority. I usually rank all choices in order of most likely to kill to least likely to kill.

Last but not least, write the reason each answer is right/wrong on questions if you have time, this sometimes gives me clues to other questions.

Good luck!

mitchsmom · Nov 13, 2005

just go with what will kill them first if you want highest priority

LOL just struck me as funny! But true :)

Tiny1Nisolet · Nov 13, 2005

:rotfl:

LOL just struck me as funny! But true :)

:rotfl: :rotfl: Me too! I think I will try that on my next priority question. I missed the last one.:uhoh21:

rhp123 · Nov 15, 2005

I get discouraged and frustrated at times since I'm a concrete learner ( so I need things explain in simple format for me to beable to grasp) My problem is with the exams, I study real hard and know the information and then I take the exam and I have a difficult time. Any suggestions.

Sorry to hear about that. One thing I do to myself is I do a lot of practice tests along with my study. On each question, I focus on its testing points, then read, and study that points in the textbook. In this way, I can grasp the materials better than studying the textbook alone,

So far, in my A&P I class, I have 4 highest scrores in the class out of 5 tests, with the only one left is still second to the highest, 98/100. Seems that method really works for me.

Good luck to you!

MiaLyse, APRN · Nov 15, 2005

Medical-surgical nursing: reviews and rationales>>

This sounds like a good review book. I'll have to look into it.

Kelly