failed NC1 , being so sad and amazed

Nursing Students Online Learning

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I just took NC 1 yesterday. It was a nightmare for me. Before taking the exam I thought I have prepared well, Reading through the textbook, taking practice exams. But when i really take the NC1 , I found so many questions are asking what the nurse should think , do or say and so on. By looking at the 4 answers, you will feel each one is reasonable.

I was really confused by the questions because it is not like a scientific question which definitely have a certain answer and no doubt. I feel very sad and now questioning if EC suits me or not. I don't know if all the concepts are like this . I like questions asking for the real medical knowledge. Can anyone kindly provide me good suggestions for me ? How to prepare NC1? I found the real exam is harder than the practice one.

Specializes in LTAC, Telemetry, Thoracic Surgery, ED.

I am scheduled to take the NC1 on Oct 17th.....a question for Frogstomper and singlelife. What did you do to study? Did you read the chapters in the books outlined by Excelsior or did you use notes from Yahoo study groups or did you use publishers (TCN, Rue?). Did you take any of the practice tests?

There are 40 chapters from 3 different books for NC1 based on the study guide from excelsior.

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I purchased "study material" for NC 1-7 off Ebay for $60. I also purchased the practice tests for Excelsior $60 also. I took practice test part A then studied the material I needed most work on using notes and reviewed all rationels for answers given on study test. then I took practice test part B, reviewed rationels on that one.....studied "study material" more. Scheduled the test and took it. I have to be honest this process took me about 2 weeks.

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You can get everything you need to learn the material for these exams for free, online.

One good source is a Yahoo group called nontradnurses. In the files section are notes for each of the nursing concepts exams. Don't trust them entirely, as there are errors, but do check out everything you don't know for yourself using google or a similar search engine.

I made note files on my computer from a combo of the nontradnurses files and what I found using google (the stuff written for patients is accurate. clear and easy to understand; the stuff written by patients should be avoided because it is not dependable).

I reviewed my note files before each exam.

When it came time to take the NCLEX, I also used an online source to study; although it wasn't free, it was cheap.

I have written in many other threads more specifically about the system I used. Granted we all learn differently, but this worked for me. Maybe it will work for you as well.

Email me if you like--I'll see if I can help more specifically.

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Oh! Almost forgot! One of the best helps I had, at least for my first couple or three exams, was I got a "study buddy."

I posted on the EC board asking if anyone in my area was available, and I got one response. It helped us both get over our terror (and I was truly terrified!).

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I purchased the practice exam and read most of the chapters. But I didn't read according to the outlines of the free study guide which I thought was a weakpoint.Because after the exam, when i looked the outline again carfully, I found a lot of questions are just related to the examples.

By the way, what is the study material from Ebay about? Is it like the documents published in the yahoo group?

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

The other tests are the same format. I thought NC1 was the easiest. NC3 and NC5 were the hardest for me. NC2, NC4, and NC6 were not as bad. I thought I had passed all the tests when I was done and did not pass NC3 the first time. When I finished NC7, I was sure I failed, and didn't even want to know how bad. I couldn't believe that I made a B.

Most all of these questions are critical thinking/priority nursing types. Watch the "you would do the following EXCEPT" type questions.

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I also failed NC1 the first time. I am working on my Critical thinking now then I will start restudying the study guide. Below you will find information I have put together from things I have read about taking a test.

Help with multiple choice questions

The part of the question that ask or poses a problem is called the stem. The answers presented are called options. One of the options is the correct answer; the remaining are incorrect. The incorrect options are the distractors because they distract the test taker from the correct answer.

1. Read the stem carefully before looking at the answer.

-Determine what the question is really asking by looking for key

words

-Make sure the answer completely covers the material covered by

the question

-Toss out the answers you immediately know are wrong

2. Watch for answers with always, never, all, every, and none since few things are absolute.

3. Look for answers that include the other answers.

4. Make sure the answer you choose is reasonable under ordinary circumstances and can be done.

5. Watch the grammar. If the stem(question) is in the form of a incomplete sentence then the answer should finish the stem. Also watch for answers that are not grammatically consistent with the stem.

6. Avoid answers with hospital rules as a reason for action.

7. Look for answers that focus on the client or are directed toward feelings.

8. Look for priorities for action. All the answers may be correct but one may be the highest priority.

9. Do not select answers that contain exceptions to the general rule, controversial material or degrading responses.

10. Watch for words like not or except

11. Do not worry if you select the same number several times. There usually isn't a pattern.

  • Look for answers that are different. If three answers say the same thing but in different words, choose the answer that is different.
  • When given choices that are pharmacologically based or non pharmacologically based, choose the non pharmacological intervention. It is more often then not, the correct answer.

Some common words that are associated with ANALYSIS questions: diagnose; contrast; compare; analyze; order; prioritize; define; classify; catagorize; synthesize; sort; arrange;

Some common words that are associated with ASSESSMENT questions: observe; gather; collect; differentiate; assess; recognize; detect; distinguish; identify; display; indicate; describe;

Some common words that are associated with PLANNING questions: rearrange; reconstruct; determine; outcomes; formulate; include; expected; designate; plan; generate; short/long term goal; develop;

Some common words that are associated with IMPLEMENTATION questions: document; explain; give; inform; administer; implement; encourage; advise; provide; perform;

Some common words that are associated with EVALUATION questions: monitor; expand; evaluate; synthesize; determine; consider; question; repeat; outcomes; demonstrate; reestablish;

Annette in texas

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