Failed my first med surg test

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I have done everything that was asked of me. I did the nclex questions for practice, reread notes and the chapters. I have the success series and hogan series. I'm just confused on what I did since I left feeling at least I passed. Our hardest topic is coming up next and from what I heard no one passed that test the previous seciton:/.

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The importance in taking test in nursing analysis and application of a theory or a procedure. Nursing is very subjective and each nurse have their own beliefs on what works. Just remember, in the NCLEX world everything is possible with unlimited which is not true in the real world.

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Nursing is not something you memorize. It's all about "what is safest? what will save the patient?". Of course, in order to answer the question on the exam you need to know the content. Content is important but so is nursing judgement. Study your topic and study the nursing care at the end of each topic in the book. You need to understand the "why" of every nursing action you do. When I was in nursing school I asked myself "why?" all the time. This technique helps you utilize your critical thinking skills.

On the test, you need to break down the question. Look for the topic and what exactly are they asking (instructors/nclex like to be very tricky in asking questions). If it helps, paraphrase the question so all unneeded info is left out, or better yet, all distractions are left out. READ EVERYTHING! (one word that you misread or missed can cause you to answer incorrectly). Recall what you know about the topic, then look at your choices. Rule out anything that won't help the patient "here and now", usually those are the psychosocial choices..remember physical over psych. Then use ABCs to rule out your choices. BUT remember not every ABC choice will be the correct answer because it may not even relate to the topic or the needed nursing action. So this is where you can also rule out choices. If it doesn't relate to your topic and it won't help the patient right now then don't pick it. Nursing students love picking the first respiratory problem or circulation problem without even thinking it through. When you get stuck between two choices really ask yourself why one would be chosen over the other and as a nurse what would you do to IMMEDIATELY help this patient.

I know sometimes you'll get answer choices with assessments or interventions, in that case, always look at your assessments first and ask "why" would you assess first and how would this assessment help with patient's current status. Remember assessment is needed before you intervene UNLESS it is an emergency situation in which you need to help the patient ASAP (like position patient in high fowlers, give O2). Use ABC technique in emergency situations.

If none of your assessments relates to the topic or not needed in the current situation then move to your intervention choices and analyze them. how does intervention relate to the topic? why is this intervention needed? will it help the patient now?

As you can tell...answering nursing style questions are not easy and it requires tons of analysis/interpretation/application in order to find out what the correct answer is. Do not over think the answer choices..by doing this you allow yourself to come up with rationales that lead you way off the topic and somehow make a wrong choice seem right.

I've failed only one med-surg exam in nursing school...During the exam review my instructor taught the class to always ask yourself "why" with everything!! and when I studied for my second med-surg exam I took her advice and why'd every single thing and I passed in the 80s. Every exam after that I always passed in the 80s-sometimes 90s :)

"Why? Why? Why?" lol.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

Did you study the rationales for the answers? That provides the most insight. It's one thing to memorize, but it's another thing to be able to synthesize the information you've learned and take the next step into why that answer is the most correct. Have you met with your instructor to go over what you got wrong? That may help give you some direction for your next exam.

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If no one passed the test, you have a lousy teacher. Are you in one of those programs that prides itself on weeding people out? Something is wrong here.

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If no one passed the test, you have a lousy teacher. Are you in one of those programs that prides itself on weeding people out? Something is wrong here.

I think its the weeding out thing. I asked a student who is repeating and they said everyone failed it. 80 is a C at my program.

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