Anyone Ever Go Through This?

pinkiepie_RN · Jan 31, 2009

I think the best place to start is to review your exam once it's been graded, if possible. See what you missed and what type of question it was. If it's something as simple as doubting yourself and changing to the wrong answer, make a promise to yourself to not do that unless you're 100% sure that you're changing to the more correct answer. If it's just that you didn't know the answer or what the question, try to change your studying habits to better reflect being prepared for those type of questions.

One more thing, it's your first semester of nursing school! Test in nursing school seem to be a whole different beast than tests you're used to in your pre-reqs. It will get easier and you will do better. Tests in nursing school tend to focus on critical thinking or selecting the most correct answer out of four relatively correct answers. NCLEX review books will be your friend too and they've helped me tremendously. You get used to "those" type of questions and they often have outlines of course material that may make it easier to see the big picture and what's really being focused on with whatever topic. Just out of curiousity, what class was this for?

jcox121 · Jan 31, 2009

I am a first year nursing student and I just have to say, Nursing classes are TOTALLY different than any other classes that you take, including the sciences.You will not be able to study the same way you did for those classes. I think you are being too hard on yourself. Nursing classes are not memorization classes. You have to understand why things happen and how things work. The tests are totally NCLEX style (at least at my school they are). There is always more than one right answer, but one is more correct. What are you going to do FIRST? The only memorizations might be lab values or meds. Maybe you need to adjust your way of studying. If you read that normal oral temp range for an adult is 97.5F - 99.5F, you need to understand what a temp of 101.0F is indicating and how you are able to correct it. Read a section in your book, then ask yourself, what does this mean to me?

Another thing we learnded in a study workshop is to trust your "glimmer". Don't second guess yourself, your usually right. Keep your eye on key words in the questions like - What are you goung to do FIRST? What is you PRIORITY? Critical thinking is not only memorizing the info, but knowing what to do with it.

If you don't have an NCLEX study book, get one. It's never too early to start looking at these types of questions and get yourself familiar with them. I hope this helps you! Good luck on your next test!!

melmonlove · Jan 31, 2009

Thanks for your reply, the test was for my fundamentals class. We get a study guide that we can follow, which i did but most of the questions were about "little details" that someone can easily overlook. I have NCLEX books, which i did review before the test. So maybe its the way i study that needs to be changed, any suggestions?

pinkiepie_RN · Jan 31, 2009

Thanks for your reply, the test was for my fundamentals class. We get a study guide that we can follow, which i did but most of the questions were about "little details" that someone can easily overlook. I have NCLEX books, which i did review before the test. So maybe its the way i study that needs to be changed, any suggestions?

Did you take practice tests with your NCLEX book? Did your textbook come with practice questions too? Fundamentals seemed to be alot of common sense stuff to me, like growth and development etc. What did you study, if not the little details? Sometimes the boxes, graphs, drawings/pictures in textbooks have valuable information to study from, that the little details may come from.

jcox121 · Jan 31, 2009

what are you doing to prepare?

melmonlove · Jan 31, 2009

thanks jcox121...i am familiar with the NCLEX type questions because i have looked over some books i bought over the summer. I also read "Test for Success" and even gave some friends for class tips on what the book said. One of the problems may be that i have to look more in to dept about the subject just like you mentioned. I also think next time i will be going with my first answer and not change it. However i did get the advice about not memorizing like i did with my science classes, which i did follow.

melmonlove · Jan 31, 2009

well first i am reading the chapters before the class. then i follow the study guide and add information that i think is valuable to that piece of information. in class, i pay attention and write down notes the teacher may have pertaining to the subject. once i get home i go over it again and this time read chapter more slowly and careful that i dont miss something important, then i add the teachers notes to the notes i had originally taken and study from that. I even retype everything together because i feel that helps me retain information. maybe im doing this all wrong? I do the practice NCLEX type questions on the back of the book and on my nursing lab, i even practiced some on the NCLEX books i have here at home.

jcox121 · Jan 31, 2009

I don't know what your situation is or what you have done up to this point, but I have medled in healthcare since high school and I think the exposure helped me grately. I am a 26yo mother of 2 (10mo and 22mo). I study in small increments as much as I can and I think about what I've looked atwhen I'm not studying. It seems to help cement it in my brain. I got fairly good grades last semester, but our instructor babied us through a lot of last semester. It may hurt me this semester. My clinical instructor this semester is so intimidating. I heard everyone in her group last semester cried at least once. I don't break down easily, but it's not gonna take much for her to ruffle my feathers.

jcox121 · Jan 31, 2009

Maybe you are doing too much. I would do a lot more without two little kids clinging to my legs, but i work with the time I have. If you think that all your that helps you though, I would keep it up. Everything you posted is exactly wat they told us to do at that study seminar. I was a crammer in high school, but i've learned that doesn't work in nursing!! :)

melmonlove · Jan 31, 2009

my sister thinks i am doing too much and overstudying. at this point i dont even know what amount of "time" should be for studying. i also have a teacher that has a very strong southern accent that is difficult to understand but dont want to put the blame on that. hopefully next test will be better!

smartin13 · Jan 31, 2009

I know its hard to come into nursing class when you have great grades and get something that before you would have been upset about. The one thing that I have learned is that these tests are completely different then any other type of test I have had to take. If this is your first test learn from the type of questions, also evaluate how and what have you been studying. Instead of definitions you need to understand concepts and how they may apply to a big picture. Use NCLEX study books/guides, if you and your friends each get a different one you can switch around to have more questions. Come here for any questions, support or just to vent. Good luck!!!

Oh I forgot to add if you can record the lectures try that, listen to them again in the car, working out or whenever you can. Since you are having a hard time understanding your instructor perhaps you can record yourself reading your notes, or asking questions and giving the answers a few sec later.