ATI is different: let's talk about it.

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Okay, here's a prime example:

In many NCLEX books you'll find a prototypical question about a patient with let's say pneumonia who has SOB, using accessory muscles to breathe, productive cough, and the question asks you what to do first:

In most publisher's NCLEX books like Saunders, Davis, and Lippincott (all the major publishers) the answer you would look for, in this case, is most likely is something like "Raise the head of the bed, Fowler's/high fowler's, etc." and if you didn't have that, you'd maybe pick something about O2 adminstration.

However, ATI likes you to pick the one the looks like, "administer oxygen via nasal canula." before repostioning the patient.

I don't know why ATI is different, since they list textbooks from major publishers as references, but they are.

What other differences have you seen with ATI? I'm taking their med-surg test in a month, and I'd like to know anything that you've picked up.

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Hmmm. I've only gotten as far as personal hygiene in ATI as of yet, but in my EMT class, signs of obvious respiratory distress, such as accessory muscles would get oxygen first then repositioning. However, both are taking place in less than thirty seconds so order is a little irrelevant then.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

While our school uses ATI, even professors acknowlege that it has a lot of limitations and while ATI questions format is close to one of NCLEX, the content is very different and doesn't correspond with the real exam and so ATI shouldn't be used as tool for NCLEX preparation (our school has close to 100% pass rate for many years). I have no idea who writes questions for ATI and where they get the information; so far in every single exam I find at least one question with answer given plainly wrong and two or more "duals" (two or more answers are unquestionably right).

We were told that ATI is used to teach us format of questions and "technical" skills useful for NCLEX and that schools are required to use some kind of standartized tests in teaching process. It looks like that ATI is one of the things that you just got to pass through and then happily forget about. Only one problem is that it costs so much money.

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Hmmm. I've only gotten as far as personal hygiene in ATI as of yet, but in my EMT class, signs of obvious respiratory distress, such as accessory muscles would get oxygen first then repositioning. However, both are taking place in less than thirty seconds so order is a little irrelevant then.

A lot NCLEX questions are about what you do first, and the order matters (for your grade anyway). NCLEX is a world where you can only do one thing at a time. Generally, (using my example) re-positioning the patient is something you do first, because you might have to leave the room to go get oxygen tubing.

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We had some ATI lady come in and talk to our group. At the time we were in a class full of LPN students who are in the RN program. So many of us have used ATI before. (PN school) Someone asked her what to do if we see a question that we think is wrong. She said that we can report bad questions/answers and they will review it. Just a thought. I have not run into any questions that I thought needed to be reported, in my RN program but remember a few from PN school.

I like ATI, I am not sure if it is the school but in both PN school and now RN school we use ATI. My PN class has had everyone but one person take and pass the NCLEX. Of those who had taken it all but two passed with the first try. This is out of 36 students.

My RN school's last class to have completed the NCLEX had a 94% pass rate. Not sure if it is because you have to pass the end of program test (ATI test that will give you a score and based off that score you have xyz chance of passing NCLEX) but my PN school did it this way and at the very least it gave me more confidence in myself when taking the PN NCLEX.

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I personally would be confused if given that questions and administering O2 was not the priority intervention. This may be because I primarily use ATI, but even on my exams, O2 seems to be the correct response. I was going to write something about the ABC's, but sitting in high fowlers could give the patient a more adequate airway, but it could be that it is primarily for more adequate breathing. The O2 may be correct because the patient needs O2 right away, and giving them O2 will provide that immediately.

Sorry if I'm not much help.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.
I personally would be confused if given that questions and administering O2 was not the priority intervention. This may be because I primarily use ATI, but even on my exams, O2 seems to be the correct response. I was going to write something about the ABC's, but sitting in high fowlers could give the patient a more adequate airway, but it could be that it is primarily for more adequate breathing. The O2 may be correct because the patient needs O2 right away, and giving them O2 will provide that immediately.

Sorry if I'm not much help.

I have to say I would agree especially if teh question is stating that the pt is SOB and if the answer was give O2 through nasal canulla and especially if it was something like only 2 liters is not a major intervention. Just my thoughts. We also use ATI and ATI uses a lot of ABC's and MAslow's. Ati is all about how to answer the questions but as Sunflower said I would pick that if it was on a regular exam too.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

Ok, we're having pharm review and I just did ATI "sedatives" from "Pharmacology Made Easy" 30 qs test:

- two questions are directly wrong (while addition of bicarb to local anesthetics can, theoretically, prolong their actions, it is never done in practice as the results are unpredictable. Epinephrine is added to prolong action of local anesthetics, and not to "reduce bleeding")

- two questions are about drugs grandfathered some 20 years ago (halotane and chloralhydrate)

- one describes a situation which is kinda shouldn't happen in civilized country (extubated patient after spinal with motor block level over T4, so that the poor thing could complain on nausea:bowingpur

- one question mixes things about "anesthesia" and "analgesia" (one doesn't get spinal or epidural for "anesthesia" while in the OR and continues to get it for "analgesia" while out of there. It is important to understand that spinals, epidurals and other "regionals" and "locals" are for pain only, and should have nothing to do with " general anesthesia".

- and, for good measure, respiratory agents and depolarisers (of the latter there is only one currently used) are not "reversed". If they are in, we cannot "reverse" them by any means, we can only wait till gases breathe out and serum pseudocholinesterase molecules overcome those of sux.

So, here we have 7 low-quality questions out of 30 in this test. Let's find more and write to ATI about it!:cheers:

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Right, but to reposition the patient many times requires getting assistance to boost them back up to the appropriate place in bed. So I'm still leaning toward O2, but don't ask me. LOL. I haven't gotten that far yet.

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Right, but to reposition the patient many times requires getting assistance to boost them back up to the appropriate place in bed. So I'm still leaning toward O2, but don't ask me. LOL. I haven't gotten that far yet.

I usually always pick "reposition pt". The reason I do is because I think it goes along with opening an airway. Plus O2 needs a doctors orders, to my knowledge. I know we get into the "perfect world" situation, but I just think repositioning is the least invasive thing to do. Plus if you go with ABC Airway is before breathing. So you position to open airway and then you deal with breathing with O2.

This is my rational. Not sure if it is correct or not.

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I used ATI in school and usually it was good. But I will say this, I agree with gatoraimsLPN, the first thing you would do and what I would put on NCLEX (I am taking it soon) is re-position the pt to high Fowler's or tripod position because it opens the airway, then you give oxygen. Respiratory patients sit up and lean over in tripod position for a reason.

LC, do not read into the question. If you have to add information to the question to make it right, then the choice is wrong. Take it at face value.Saying you might have to get help to reposition the client is adding info. Usually you just hit the button to raise the head of the bed.

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I used ATI in school and usually it was good. But I will say this, I agree with gatoraimsLPN, the first thing you would do and what I would put on NCLEX (I am taking it soon) is re-position the pt to high Fowler's or tripod position because it opens the airway, then you give oxygen. Respiratory patients sit up and lean over in tripod position for a reason. LC, do not read into the question. If you have to add information to the question to make it right, then the choice is wrong. Take it at face value.Saying you might have to get help to reposition the client is adding info. Usually you just hit the button to raise the head of the bed.
And you have hit my number one problem as a student. LOL. I am notorious for doing that. Thanks for the reminder.
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