Easy vs. hard NCLEX questions

suzanne4, RN · May 13, 2005

What you have posted would be considered "easy." Pediatric digoxin administration is covered in all nursing programs. As well as positioning a patient with a recent CVA.

JaimeeG · May 13, 2005

What you have posted would be considered "easy." Pediatric digoxin administration is covered in all nursing programs. As well as positioning a patient with a recent CVA.

I went back and looked at my notes...very little about pediatric digoxin. The only thing mentioned with regarding to education, which is what my question dealt with, was checking the child's pulse prior to administering the medication. I knew I should have memorized my dang peds drug book

The positioning questions would normally be an easy one for me, but this was just worded really odd.

Oh well...I can sit here and reason things out in my head until my eyes turn purple, but my result is going to stay the same.

Jaimee

suzanne4, RN · May 14, 2005

Without knowing how the question was worded, it is hard to say. But as far as topics, those would be considered easy.

Pediatric digoxin administration used to be covered in every nursing curriculum because it is a very common medication used in pediatrics. But peds clinical hours have been cut, so not sure what they are teaching anymore.........................

vcrook · Aug 23, 2008

I just took the nclex.....I had some easy questions and others I thought WOW!!! Lots of select all that apply. I had some rhythm strips. I went blank with that one. Then I had a difficult pitocin drip and I have been working in icu so I was like I have no idea!!! My test cut off at 75. I am beating myself up over did I do well or was I a complete idiot. I have no idea. These are the longest days ever. If any one has any info on whether rhythm strips or select all that apply is usually a sign of the more difficult questions please let me know....and if they are the more difficult ones or just the 20% test ones that they throw out....anyone with some info please let me know....

Proverbs 16:3 · Aug 23, 2008

i think it depends on everyone. i don't consider rhythm strips difficult, prolly cuz i worked on a cardiac ICCU so i'm used to seeing them, plus i took a critical care course. Nevertheless, i think it's easy to just look at the strip and figure out what it is, even before measuring it.

I'm not sure if the SATA are considered difficult. i hope they are cuz they threw a lot at me but then some of those SATA's are easy so it's hard to tell.

Don't beat yourself up. Most people pass the first time. You prolly did.

rossin83 · Aug 23, 2008

I just took the nclex.....I had some easy questions and others I thought WOW!!! Lots of select all that apply. I had some rhythm strips. I went blank with that one. Then I had a difficult pitocin drip and I have been working in icu so I was like I have no idea!!! My test cut off at 75. I am beating myself up over did I do well or was I a complete idiot. I have no idea. These are the longest days ever. If any one has any info on whether rhythm strips or select all that apply is usually a sign of the more difficult questions please let me know....and if they are the more difficult ones or just the 20% test ones that they throw out....anyone with some info please let me know....

I just took my NCLEX too, also 75 ?? and a difficult pitocin drip. Hope we passed! good luck!

megarya · Apr 20, 2010

What would you all consider to be examples of easy and hard NCLEX questions??
I am thinking that "easy" would be general knowledge stuff. I had one question about manifestations of Cushing's disease. Would that be easy? How about proper positioning of CVA patients using pillows or rolled blankets...easy?
I had one question about the administration of pediatric digoxin, which I thought was hard. I also thought that many of the infection control questions were hard.
It will be interesting to hear what others think are easy or hard questions, especially those who teach NCLEX review courses or teach in nursing schools!
Jaimee

i was just wondering how to administer digoxin to pedia and how to calculate it.. and how to position post op cva? thnkyou

Leonardo Del Toro, RN · Apr 20, 2010

What would you all consider to be examples of easy and hard NCLEX questions??
I am thinking that "easy" would be general knowledge stuff. I had one question about manifestations of Cushing's disease. Would that be easy? How about proper positioning of CVA patients using pillows or rolled blankets...easy?
I had one question about the administration of pediatric digoxin, which I thought was hard. I also thought that many of the infection control questions were hard.
It will be interesting to hear what others think are easy or hard questions, especially those who teach NCLEX review courses or teach in nursing schools!
Jaimee

The NCLEX questions are based on the Bloom's Taxonomy scale.

Category

Example and Key Words

Knowledge: Recall data or information.

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from memory to a customer. Knows the safety rules.

Key Words: defines, describes, identifies, knows, labels, lists, matches, names, outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states.

Comprehension: Understand the meaning, translation, interpolation, and interpretation of instructions and problems. State a problem in one's own words.

Examples: Rewrites the principles of test writing. Explain in one's own words the steps for performing a complex task. Translates an equation into a computer spreadsheet.

Key Words: comprehends, converts, defends, distinguishes, estimates, explains, extends, generalizes, gives Examples, infers, interprets, paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates.

Application: Use a concept in a new situation or unprompted use of an abstraction. Applies what was learned in the classroom into novel situations in the work place.

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an employee's vacation time. Apply laws of statistics to evaluate the reliability of a written test.

Key Words: applies, changes, computes, constructs, demonstrates, discovers, manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces, relates, shows, solves, uses.

Analysis: Separates material or concepts into component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. Distinguishes between facts and inferences.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by using logical deduction. Recognize logical fallacies in reasoning. Gathers information from a department and selects the required tasks for training.

Key Words: analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, identifies, illustrates, infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates.

Synthesis: Builds a structure or pattern from diverse elements. Put parts together to form a whole, with emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure.

Examples: Write a company operations or process manual. Design a machine to perform a specific task. Integrates training from several sources to solve a problem. Revises and process to improve the outcome.

Key Words: categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates, devises, designs, explains, generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites, summarizes, tells, writes.

Evaluation: Make judgments about the value of ideas or materials.

Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire the most qualified candidate. Explain and justify a new budget.

Key Words: appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies, relates, summarizes, supports.

Application and analysis, synthesis are considered difficult and passing type questions.

caliotter3 · Apr 20, 2010

Thanks for the explanation Marcos. I think any question can be hard if the tester has not studied well!