First Test

[hunnybunches]

So we had our first test last week and our second will be this week. I got an A, 97.5%, missed one question. It was really easy for me, the NCLEX styled questions didnt't phase me at all. I finished first, checked my answers twice and still ended up being the first to turn my test in. My teacher is known as one of the hardest and most thorough at our school, he has a 95% pass rate on the NCLEX. (The only reason it isn't 100% is because someone always drops. Every person from his class that takes the NCLEX passes it. Ex: we started with 25 people, 1 dropped already, looking at the past we can expect the 24/24 people left in the class to pass but they do have to count the one who dropped.)

From reading these forums, I was expecting something deathly hard, long sleepless nights of stressing and studying (actually that was the reality for some of my classmates). But nah, it was one of the easiest tests I have taken in my life. Really. *shrugs shoulders*. Maybe it is my study methods that made it so easy.

Based on what he said we can expect on our test this week, it looks like another walk in the park.

So I want to thank everyone on here who shared their experiences and advice, that really helped me out too. :)

[msnursecp]

What program are you in? I am going into the ADN program in August. I am great student but everyone keeping stressing the "new way of learning". Did you had to change the way you study? Reading this put my nerves to rest because I don't want to fail.

[hunnybunches]

What program are you in? I am going into the ADN program in August. I am great student but everyone keeping stressing the "new way of learning". Did you had to change the way you study? Reading this put my nerves to rest because I don't want to fail.

I'm in a VN program, one of the best in my areas. I guess I did have to change my study habits in the sense that I had to develop them. Before, I never had to study. I could pull a high A just listening to lecture and rarely cracked (or bought) textbooks. For me it isn't as hard as everyone is making it seem. The number one thing is you have to know the information, not just remember it. Out of all the tests we had had, I never had a question, always a situation. Let me explain.

For example: lets say you're learning about puppies and you learn that it wags its tail and jumps on you when he's happy to see you. (Pretend this is completely new info to you.)

The typical test question I expected would be "how does a puppy show affection?"

In nursing school, what you get is "You have been gone for for two weeks. During that time your normally joyful puppy attitude changes. In which situation would he revert to his normal self?"

A) you have to briefly return home to grab paperwork.

B) you call your friend and talk

c) you extend your vacation by a week.

You have to use the information that you learned in order to determine how the puppy would react. The answer is A; of course the puppy would go back to his normal happy self if you came home, even if you were only there for a second.

Those are the types of situations/questions you get in nursing school. You really have to be able to apply the knowledge that you learn in various situations. Based on my class, I believe that people get tripped up because the questions are not as obvious and direct as they are used too. Once you get that down, everything is a breeze, imo of course.