Content errors in Saunders NCLEX-RN book?

Nursing Students NCLEX

Published

Asthma is listed as a COPD. Is it? (many sources only include chronic bronchitis and emphysema)

Tuberculin test positive only for more than 15 mm. (many sources say 10mm is enough to be considered positive for a normal person)

There were some more but I never bothered to write them down. Did anybody find any other conflicting info in the book?

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Book states normal ammonia level is 35-65 mcg/dl

CD and internet: 15-45 mcg/dl

Well, in NCLEX, they usually state a lab value that is so ridiculously off that you will at least know that it is ABNORMAL, if nothing else. For example, most textbooks say that sodium is 135-145, and the test may say that the reading is 120. I knew IMMEDIATELY that SOMETHING was wrong, therefore, I had to deduce what it was. When I took my review class, the instructors told us that NCLEX knows that different sources will go with different values, and it gives room for that.

A word of advice...at this point, with several posts from you indicating problems with Saunders for you (and even one of my close friends is discovering several mistakes or misprints...making me wonder if this problem is even more noticeable in the newer editions). Have you considered using a different source? You will go NUTS with this and possibly lose focus on studying the main material by coming across these errors, becoming more frustrated and angry. My friend saw other things in the past week, and she decided to just get another book to study from rather than waste precious time and energy. This is a nerve wracking time as it is. Last year this time, I was coming off of NCLEX and the stress of it is still quite raw for me. I have empathy for everyone trying to fight this demon...it is a life-changing event, one that we worked on for at least two or more years. There really is no one book that will do it for anyone. It is a matter of regurgitating what those nuts want to hear and that is all in a nutshell.

Believe me, I had to put Saunders down. Just looking at it made me really tired. It was large, the print was crammed up, had MANY chapters and many pyramid points to consider. It was great for studying for school in my particular case, but a nightmare for NCLEX. Others found it to be a God-send. Each person has different needs. We do not all draw conclusions or solve problems the same way. I would like to suggest (if you are open to it), that you go to a bookstore, look at the other sources that are available and look through them to see if the set up is what you really need. I liked space to write my own notes during my review, and needed diagrams; for example. Others want deep content...a certain organization, whatever. And whatever you choose, STICK TO IT. Never mind what people on these boards are suggesting. It is good to get feedback, this is why we are here, to support each other, hear different views and such. But, after all of this, we walk in to take NCLEX alone...it will be you, the computer, and if you believe in a higher power, that entity. Find what works for YOU. It had gotten to the point for me that about three weeks before taking that exam, I didn't even look at my computer for email, I stopped accepting calls and stayed home from work. I had to focus on the test, and let me tell you, even Delmar's had a few outrageous things in there. I had to rule out with common sense.

I don't mean to sound hard, and I know I rambled I do understand your frustration very much. I just also know that at some point, we have to let it go through us and pray for a positive outcome with all of the efforts we placed on this exam. Good luck...I really, really mean it.

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Well, in NCLEX, they usually state a lab value that is so ridiculously off that you will at least know that it is ABNORMAL, if nothing else. For example, most textbooks say that sodium is 135-145, and the test may say that the reading is 120. I knew IMMEDIATELY that SOMETHING was wrong, therefore, I had to deduce what it was. When I took my review class, the instructors told us that NCLEX knows that different sources will go with different values, and it gives room for that.

A word of advice...at this point, with several posts from you indicating problems with Saunders for you (and even one of my close friends is discovering several mistakes or misprints...making me wonder if this problem is even more noticeable in the newer editions). Have you considered using a different source? You will go NUTS with this and possibly lose focus on studying the main material by coming across these errors, becoming more frustrated and angry. My friend saw other things in the past week, and she decided to just get another book to study from rather than waste precious time and energy. This is a nerve wracking time as it is. Last year this time, I was coming off of NCLEX and the stress of it is still quite raw for me. I have empathy for everyone trying to fight this demon...it is a life-changing event, one that we worked on for at least two or more years. There really is no one book that will do it for anyone. It is a matter of regurgitating what those nuts want to hear and that is all in a nutshell.

Believe me, I had to put Saunders down. Just looking at it made me really tired. It was large, the print was crammed up, had MANY chapters and many pyramid points to consider. It was great for studying for school in my particular case, but a nightmare for NCLEX. Others found it to be a God-send. Each person has different needs. We do not all draw conclusions or solve problems the same way. I would like to suggest (if you are open to it), that you go to a bookstore, look at the other sources that are available and look through them to see if the set up is what you really need. I liked space to write my own notes during my review, and needed diagrams; for example. Others want deep content...a certain organization, whatever. And whatever you choose, STICK TO IT. Never mind what people on these boards are suggesting. It is good to get feedback, this is why we are here, to support each other, hear different views and such. But, after all of this, we walk in to take NCLEX alone...it will be you, the computer, and if you believe in a higher power, that entity. Find what works for YOU. It had gotten to the point for me that about three weeks before taking that exam, I didn't even look at my computer for email, I stopped accepting calls and stayed home from work. I had to focus on the test, and let me tell you, even Delmar's had a few outrageous things in there. I had to rule out with common sense.

I don't mean to sound hard, and I know I rambled I do understand your frustration very much. I just also know that at some point, we have to let it go through us and pray for a positive outcome with all of the efforts we placed on this exam. Good luck...I really, really mean it.

Well, actually I'm not frustrated at all. :) If I find some contradicting info I just look up on internet for few more sources to get an idea what it should be, it happens maybe once a day or so, it's tolerable. :) Yes, Saunders is an extremely tedious book (as are the questions on CD with all those irrelevant mile-long prologues to each case), but I read it cover-to-cover probably 5 times. I don't know it by heart though yet... Right now I'm doing Suzanne's plan, my exam is in a month, so I don't have time left for reading everything all over again anyway... I'm just focused on CD, I only open the book if I stumble upon some info in CD questions that contradicts what I learned from the book or if I feel I need to brush up some disease or meds.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Well, actually I'm not frustrated at all. :) If I find some contradicting info I just look up on internet for few more sources to get an idea what it should be, it happens maybe once a day or so, it's tolerable. :) Yes, Saunders is an extremely tedious book (as are the questions on CD with all those irrelevant mile-long prologues to each case), but I read it cover-to-cover probably 5 times. I don't know it by heart though yet... Right now I'm doing Suzanne's plan, my exam is in a month, so I don't have time left for reading everything all over again anyway... I'm just focused on CD, I only open the book if I stumble upon some info in CD questions that contradicts what I learned from the book or if I feel I need to brush up some disease or meds.

Okay...then, go get them, tiger!! I do suspect, though, that you will pass. You are placing effort to learn, compare and continue on. Imagine yourself in a Rocky movie...pretend the music is going and instead of the opponent being Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago, that you are punching that exam out one question at a time (I used to actually do this...playing music and all while studying). Wishing you compassion, blessings and luck to the exam and your new career!

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Okay...then, go get them, tiger!! I do suspect, though, that you will pass. You are placing effort to learn, compare and continue on. Imagine yourself in a Rocky movie...pretend the music is going and instead of the opponent being Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago, that you are punching that exam out one question at a time (I used to actually do this...playing music and all while studying). Wishing you compassion, blessings and luck to the exam and your new career!

Thanks!!! :D

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