Bombed first Fundementals Exam

mnw9412 · Feb 7, 2015

All of you are such wonderful people! Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement! My next exam is the 25th of this month! I'm so ready to kick its butt because of you all. :)

Studybug123 · Feb 7, 2015

Something that helped me a lot is the Saunders nclex-rn examination book. Mostly the online program. You can purchase just the online part for like $25 and it has at least a thousand practice questions and rationales for them. You study by the section so it's awesome to use throughout the entire nursing program. It has made me learn how to get used to the format of questions, how to eliminate answers and prioritize. You can get the book and online part which the book has reviews for each section and a few questions at the end of the chapter.

canigraduate · Feb 7, 2015

I second GrnTea's excellent post.

Here are a few resources if you are able to use them:

Fundamentals Success: A Q&A Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking (Davis's Q&a Success): 9780803627796: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

Test Success: Test-Taking Techniques for Beginning Nursing Students: 9780803628182: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RNÃ‚Â® Examination, 6e (Saunders Comprehensive Review for Nclex-Rn): 9781455727551: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

I bombed my first Fundamentals test, too. I ended up graduating and passing the NCLEX on the first attempt. I had to forget every test-taking strategy I had learned in my previous thirty years of schooling and relearn how to take a test from the ground up.

These books are what I used to "get it." It took until the end of Fundamentals and I barely passed with a C, but it got better from there.

Good luck to you!!

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Feb 7, 2015

GrnTea and canigraduate's posts all.day.long.

I second other people's posts as well; excellent advice.

Become familiar with strategies and NCLEX-style questions.

I'm also going to suggest when note taking to try to note take in the way of the nursing process; try to understand what is a part of the assessment, what would be the various diagnoses would be for what you are studying, and what would be the appropriate interventions and how to evaluate; my books had a great way to do this from fundamentals to acute care nursing.

I know books are not created equal, but you at least can organize your studies into "thinking like a nurse" NOW, before you get into the increasingly complex information that is going to come.

Best wishes.

MurseJJ · Feb 7, 2015

I think you've gotten some great advice in this thread! As others have mentioned, the book Fundamentals Success is highly recommended. The key to doing well in clinical nursing courses (like Fundamentals) is doing a lot of questions so that you are familiar with what they are asking and how to *think* like a nurse. Whenever you do a question, even if you get it correct, read the rationales.

Fundamentals Success: A Q&A Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking (Davis's Q&a Success): 9780803627796: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

mnw9412 · Mar 9, 2015

UPDATE: Everyone, I am so very pleased to say that this past Wednesday, I had my second exam in fundamentals and passed with an 86!!!! I cried all day after the exam because even though I studied to my wit's end, it was still very difficult and mentally crippling. But as it turns out, I made a solid B!!! So happy I could cry even more. And even though I know you're not really supposed to compare yourself to other students, but my study partner/good friend made an 89, and she is beyond brilliant. She forever studies and I never feel like I'm anywhere close to her grades, and this time, I was merely three points away. Not putting her down by ANY means, but it does make me feel good knowing that I can hang with her in this hard class. I studied the material for nine days and spent about two days doing NLEC style questions from online and through my textbook.

Yall have been fabulous. I really can't believe I scored 12 points higher on this exam, but I am ecstatic with this B (probably the only time I'm thrilled about a B).

Thank you again for helping me! You all had better still be here in six months when I struggle with med surg (yikes..) :):):)

ajmclean · Mar 15, 2015

I was a straight A student in prereqs.First Fundy test, 55. I quickly figured out I needed to change my study habits. All tests since have been A's and B' s with a 90.07 average. It's all in how you study.

mere040 · Mar 16, 2015

That is awesome! I'm so happy for you! and honestly a little relieved that I wasn't the only one struggling. I'm a first semester nursing student too and I didn't get why I understand the material, do well on all the in class quizzes and assignments, study my butt off and still bombed my first 2 tests. I was completely crushed and had no idea how to study for my next test. I joined this site hoping to find a post or make a post exactly like this for help so thank you! Every single post on here has taught me something and I can tell already that its all going to be very helpful! Thank you guys so much for all the advice and good job and good luck!! :)

caliotter3 · Mar 16, 2015

I would latch onto your instructor. It is their job to help you succeed.

jennaroo · Mar 16, 2015

I'm sorry, to hear you didn't do well on your test. However it is important to remember that nursing school test questions are not like general test questions. Instead you must think outside of the box, think critically. The answer is not always what it seems, you may have to go through a process in effort to come to the correct answer.....keep in mind that all answers must be patient centered....what is right for one patient may not right for the next...you have to read into the question. Additionally, keep in mind that test questions that want to know how you would respond to a patient are usually super far off from what you would actually say in real life....but for nclex purposes, learn how to appropriately and therapeutically respond to these sort of questions no matter how robotic they might seem. Something to keep in mind for the future such as med surg questions.....the answer is always always always, maintain patent airway when asked what should you do FIRST, I don't care if the patient came in carrying his severed arm...the first thing you are going to do is maintain airway. Just remain calm, don't freak out, keep trying you will get the hang of it......practice makes perfect so I'd purchase the workbook that corresponds to your book, or seek out some other method of practicing additional nclex style questions.

mnw9412 · Apr 6, 2015

Update #2:

Pretty convinced I'm going to be held back a semester because of this class. I've tried everything I know. Spent over $150 for supplemental books. Spent time away from my family for months at a time only to get another 72 on my third exam... I just don't know if it's worth it anymore. The only comfort is that I'm in the same boat with about half of my class.

I've tried it all. These next two exams are in God's hands. If anyone wants to leave encouraging words incase I do fall behind, or fallback plans incase nursing isn't actually what I'm meant to do, then I'd greatly appreciate it, as I appreciated all of the kind words you've all said earlier. Thank you so much.

ajmclean · Apr 6, 2015

MNW9412: What is your current average and what is the minimum average to pass? Are you at or above that average? Is it possible that you are studying TOO much and overloading yourself? Sometimes the answer is not studying more but studying more effectively. Does you instructor do a test review afterwards? Our Fundy instructor does and sometimes we find bad questions and help us understand why our answers were wrong.