Feeling discouraged...

Tony35NYC · Sep 14, 2004

Was the test a medical terminology test, or a Nursing Process test? In case it was the latter, the high failure rate was probably because most of you in the class are not yet used to critical thinking questions. Don't be discouraged. Get a good nursing fundamentals book with practice NCLEX-style questions and rationales. Read the rationales, then practice, practice, practice until you get the hang of it.

Don't choose an answer just because it seems logical or because its the first one that grabs your attention. Its possible that all the options in the multiple choice are correct, in which case, you have to figure which option is the MOST correct. Rationalize EACH answer and choose the one that is most appropriate, specific to the given scenario.

If you really want to kick butt on a nursing fundamentals exam, the first thing you need to do is have the "norms" down pat. Make index cards with the average baseline values for vital signs and fluids and electrolytes, and know what happens whenever there is a 'hypo' or 'hyper' situation. Then consider things like basic safety precautions, patient empowerment, and priority nursing interventions. Remember, its not always about what should the nurse do but what should the nurse do FIRST. Test Success is a great book, and there is another one that I would recommend called Fundamentals Success (also by Nugent and Vitale). This book was a lifesaver for me during my first semester in nursing school, and it might help you out, too.

All the best.

fourblessings · Sep 15, 2004

Thanks guys, you helped me put some things in perspective.

Tony- On the medical teminology tests, i am getting all 10 out of 10 (A's)...it was the fundamentals test that we didn't do good on...it was about Neuman, the history of nursing, etc, etc....some questions were even on what should be under our sylubus (sp?)....and for instance, there was a question which had a possibility of 5 answers (you could mark more than 1 correct), and the question was what should a nursing student do to make his/her studying easier? One of the answers that was correct was "know your teacher and know how she teaches and what to expect"....that was no where to be found in our notes and texts, so most of us got that wrong.

The first half of the test (50 questions), most got a low B or a C...I got a C.

In the second half of the test (the last 50 questions on communication), we all got 50-60% (F or a D). This was the teacher that talked about her own personal life instead of lecturing on the material.....communication on play with children was no where to be found in our text, she just handed out notes that didn't make sense and didn't lecture on those notes at all.

Hopefully it will get better soon, thanks for all your support....I will try to self teach alot more, like you all said.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Sep 15, 2004

If 72% of a class failed, something is wrong with either the test or the teacher, not the students. I would think every responsible educator would agree.

especially when you consider what you had to have completed, and the criteria you had to have met, just to be admitted!

I've wondered why nobody seems to notice that they get the cream of the crop in nursing schools, then lose more than 50% of them for failure?

What's wrong with this picture!?

Tony35NYC · Sep 18, 2004

Fourblessings:

A lot of the stuff that you'll be tested on in nursing school is pure critical thinking, and the answers aren't always to be found in a textbook. Another important thing to remember is that not all nursing instructors will tell you what to read or how to study for an exam. Its a good idea to practice with the NCLEX study materials in addition to your handouts and texbook. My first couple nursing semesters were rough because I had one instructor who spoke about her personal life ad nauseum, and only about 20% of her lectures were focused on the material.

Again, I encourage you to review NCLEX material that covers the part of the nursing syllabus that you're studying. If you use the NCLEX study guides and practice questions, you're going to find yourself getting better at answering nursing questions regardless of whether its a fundamentals or a med-surg course.

Thanks guys, you helped me put some things in perspective.
Tony- On the medical teminology tests, i am getting all 10 out of 10 (A's)...it was the fundamentals test that we didn't do good on...it was about Neuman, the history of nursing, etc, etc....some questions were even on what should be under our sylubus (sp?)....and for instance, there was a question which had a possibility of 5 answers (you could mark more than 1 correct), and the question was what should a nursing student do to make his/her studying easier? One of the answers that was correct was "know your teacher and know how she teaches and what to expect"....that was no where to be found in our notes and texts, so most of us got that wrong.
The first half of the test (50 questions), most got a low B or a C...I got a C.
In the second half of the test (the last 50 questions on communication), we all got 50-60% (F or a D). This was the teacher that talked about her own personal life instead of lecturing on the material.....communication on play with children was no where to be found in our text, she just handed out notes that didn't make sense and didn't lecture on those notes at all.
Hopefully it will get better soon, thanks for all your support....I will try to self teach alot more, like you all said.

vineyard · Sep 18, 2004

hi!dont worry,you can do it!:) just keep on going!:)fight the good fight of faith!God Bless!:)

elvie

I know I don't post much, but do lurk on here very often!
I started the ADN nursing program 3 weeks ago....took 3 medical terminolgy quizzes, got all A's (10/10) on all them...butttt, we took our first big test, 100 questions on what we learned the first few weeks. Well, it tunred out that 72% of our class failed (overall % was 60%)....yes, 72% of us got under a C (I got a low D)....we went to class today, and talked to one of the main instructors, and told her that during her lecture, we don't really learn much when she talks...she goes on and on and on about her personal life and gets off the topic in discussion quickly.
Does that statistic for failing seem kinda high to you? I am feeling very discouraged, because my "overall" grade in the class is now a C, so i am completely stressed out, and this is only the beginning of the semester. The rest of the class is about the same grade....how weird is that.
Just wanted to vent....thanks for listening....:uhoh21:

jschut, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2004

Hey Kiddo~

Hang in there. Just Wednesday eve I took the absolute hardest test of my entire life! I know I totally blew it and so did most of the class, but now I know what to expect and to start studying now for the next test in November! LOL! :chuckle

Don't dwell and just make more use of what you can do to succeed in this class.

I am using that philosophy since I need the class I am having trouble in to graduate, I will not dwell that I failed the first test, but I will use the knowledge I gained in order to pass the next!

You can too...hang in there and we will succeed together! :)