Changed how they test.

[alysonp]

In my 3rd semester of an ADN program and our first test was NCLEX style testing. Someone was caught with a test bank. The instructors aren't telling us that but it is common knowledge. They have however come back with telling us NCLEX is changing the way they're going to be testing and are now going to test differently.

We found this out when we went to take our 2nd test, actually when we sat down it was obvious the test was different. There were short answer, fill in the blank, label the diagram and a few multiple choice.

I realize that they can do whatever they want, yet we feel like we are being lied to.

My question is what is the best way to study for tests like that. Nclex books don't seem to help right now. It's like a crap shoot. In 2 weeks we have our GI/GU test and I'm scared to death. Any studying helps would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

NCLEX would never go to fill in the blank, short answer or diagram a picture. It is computer scored and it would have no way of determining if a sort answer was correct. Content to be tested on can change, amount of SATA, multi choice, ordering, but not adding in those types of format.

Your instructors are justifiably upset and they are making sure there is no way of cheating and forcing the students to know the info for the test since there is no way of guessing a short answer or fill in the blank as compared to multi choice. But, in their anger they are also putting you at a disadvantage in taking NCLEX since you will have less experience with true NCLEX style questions.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

The styles of questions that will be on the NCLEX are quite fixed as a computer must do the scoring. The type of questions you were getting aren't able to be scored by a computer, only a person can do it for those. The short answer, fill in the blank, and diagram labeling all have to be scored manually, so the NCLEX won't be able to use those. As stated above, those kinds of questions will force students to really know the material as the traditional test-taking strategies and those strategies that are used for taking the NCLEX won't work at all.

The other downside that perhaps wasn't mentioned or implied is that those kinds of questions are likely harder to write at the "application" level. This means that you're more likely to be given questions that require you to answer from memory instead. Since those questions won't be seen on the NCLEX, they're doing you a bit of a disservice.

The worst part about all of this is that someone was caught with a test bank. That's bad enough. It shouldn't have been out "in the wild" to begin with. What's worse is the people that were relying on having that test bank to memorize from. They aren't really learning the material... just how to memorize and regurgitate.

[mrsboots87]

I have heard rumor that NCLEX either does now, or will be, asking alternate form questions outside of SATA. It is actually quite easy to do so. There can be drop down lists with multiple words to choose from, or an answer key of say 20 words with letters next to them and maybe 8 questions requiring those answers. However, again this is just rumor and I am aware that many times they are just that. Rumor and not actually true. Just mentioning the technically those forms of questions are very possible on a computerized test.

As for how they tested, it would have been fair to warn you that the testing format was changing. It is also a great disservice to you students to not use mostly NCLEX style questioning in preparation for the actual NCLEX you will all be required to take. If there was someone with a test bank, the easy solution is to change the test. There are 1000's of questions available between student and teacher resources. Or the instructor can reword questions from test banks to make the correct answer different. My instructor vary. They use some questions straight from our required books. They use a lot of instructor questions. They use student NCLEX book questions. And they reword existing questions to make them unique. Outside of the handful of student book questions, it would be nearly impossible to get a test bank with all their questions, and we as students are not punished for those students who try to cheat. It's not fair to punish everyone for the poor decision of one or two students.

[imbatz, BSN, RN]

Your instructors sound like they are changing the tests on the school level. The only significant recent change to NCLEX questions is the introduction and proliferation of the "select all that apply" questions. We will seeing these more and more.