Needs to be encouraged

boopchick · Oct 9, 2005

Keep going!! You can do it. It's not uncommon for people who are used to getting A's & B's to get lower grades on nursing exams initially. Do they test you with NCLEX style questions? Get yourself an NCLEX review book and use the practice questions. Pay attention to the rationale with each answer. I think this will help you. Good Luck!! :wink2:

MIA-RN1, RN · Oct 9, 2005

Your grades are passing grades and even tho they are lower than you are used to, remember that you are PASSING and that is important. I was used to A's and it was a shock when I first started. Critical thinking does take time. I agree that NCLEX practice questions will help you a lot.

stressgal, RN · Oct 10, 2005

You test success book will really help. It takes a while to get used to NCLEX style questions. Remember your ABC's and Maslow. I tutored first quarter nursing students last quarter and once they understood to prioritize (Airway, then Breathing, then Circulation, then physiological needs, then safety and security and so on...) it seemed to click. It is also important to take your time with the questions. Circle important words, underline, and cross out info that isn't needed to answer the question. Then look at the question again, what are they really asking you? You can always get it down to at least two answers, and by using what you know it can lead you to the correct one.

Hope that helps!

LPN2BinOK · Oct 10, 2005

what's crazy is that in my nursing program, we have a totally different grading scale. your grades would be F's in our program.

A= 100-94

B= 93-87

C= 86-80

F= 79 and below

Welcome to my personal hell...Catholic school grading system!

but keep your spirits up...I'm getting B's and C's and I am mad at myself because I feel like I study hard enough to make A's. It's an internal struggle for me, too.

GWENLYN18 · Oct 10, 2005

I Know how you feel anything less then an 80% in my school is failing too. I am in an RN program and luckly I pulled an 90% on test #1. I can only suggest studing all the time. I really want to be a nurse more then anything and I use any free time I can to study (in between working and taking care of my 1 and 1/2 yr old.)

truern · Oct 10, 2005

Side note: Hmmmm..anything below a 78 is failing in my program as well.

Back to the issue at hand: Don't let the details throw you. Look for the question being asked, CIRCLE IT. Find the details that help you know the answer, UNDERLINE THEM. Amazingly, most students lose points for answering the wrong question, especially when there's a answer for it right there in the choices!

If you're torn between two choices, then ABC it, and pull out your Maslow.

What I really hate are those "What should the nurse do FIRST?" when in reality she'd be doing most of the choices simultaneouly.

Corvette Guy · Oct 10, 2005

This is my first semester in the ADN Program. I have been studying everyday.
Everytime I get a test back it is usually around the 70's 75,72, and 76.
Is there any thing that I can do to improve my grades. I am studying a beginning nursing book on test for success. Does it take a while to learn to thnk critically? I have been to the instructors several times. She states to keep studying. I have always made a's and B's. I just feel that I have chose the wrong major. Does it get any better? Should I just quit the program?

IMHO, your instructors sound lazy by just telling you to "keep studying". Obviously, you need to improve, or change the way you are studying for these exams.

One way to improve on the critical thinking exams [yes, it takes time d/t no other exams you've taken previously are similar] is don't try to memorize the material. Rather, learn the course objectives as if you were able to explain such to a classmate. BTW, have you discussed your difficulty on these exams with some of your more successful classmates? If not, maybe one of your classmates can shed light on what makes them more successful on these exams.

Good luck & waaaaay too soon to quit, IMHO.