First semester first exam

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Aug 31, 2012

Do not make a decision based on one test. The purpose of testing is to find out what you know and what you need to learn. I know you are disappointed, but you will hit a groove eventually and it will all make sense. Good luck!

guest64485 · Sep 2, 2012

The first test is always the hardest because you don't yet know what the teacher wants/how to best study for that particular teacher's class. Please do make an appointment to see your test and talk to the teacher about each question you got wrong so you can see why you got it wrong. Then you can alter the way you study or think of questions.

Nursing school is a lot different than most other schooling - for example, many teachers will use 'what is the most right answer' type questions, which has multiple correct answers in it, but one answer which is 'more correct' than the rest. This is a different type of testing that can throw people off.

Once you figure out exactly why you got those test questions wrong, you can go full steam ahead :)

NightBloomCereus · Sep 2, 2012

When I took Physics in college and got a D on the first test. I then got an A in the next one because I learned how I needed to study.

I noticed my NS counts the first test for less a percentage of our grade than our other tests. It's kind of nice that they do this. Point is, when I saw that I knew people probably don't do well on the first one. Good luck!

GonnaAmazeYou, ASN, RN · Sep 2, 2012

I'm two weeks into my very first semester of nursing school. I'm in my forties and feeling pretty good about school. I though I was ready for the first exam which mind you was very small..I only got 14/20 correct which is below the 74% need to pass. Now I'm worried I don't have what it takes to handle nursing college. I guess I feel like someone left the air out of my ballon

Let me tell you, when you begin nursing school you are not going to do as well on tests as you have done in prerequisite courses, at least at first. You are going to have to rewire your thinking and logic. You will no longer be answering questions based on straight forward book content- everything is like a mental slushy. At first when I began school, I had to figure out how I NEEDED to study, every student nurse has their own way. For ME, I used power points, the same ones the instructor lectured from. I would take post-its and make up questions, putting 1 post-it question over every slide. So like What are the signs of Renal Failure, what are the interventions for someone with an altered LOC, what are adverse reactions to this medication, and then I would study that after I did my reading and everyday until my test- that worked for me. Other students do notecards etc... I also searched online, on the Flashcard website where people make flashcards and I would search whatever my class was studying, Fluid & Electrolyte etc and I would find flashcards other students had created and study off of them.

Just dont lose your motivation, study hard and work on your test taking strategies(I felt that was a major part of nursing school honestly)

Good Luck!

mmills63 · Sep 2, 2012

I just took my first test last Wednesday too; the "check all that apply" questions really got me. 10 out of 50 questions were in that format, and I missed 6 of them. Part of you gets discouraged, thinking "this is supposed to be the easy part of nursing school and I am doing poorly" but another part kicks in saying "the first test is actually the hardest because you have to learn a new way of thinking and studying." Out instructor assures us our grades will go up towards the end of the course... they always do.

GonnaAmazeYou, ASN, RN · Sep 2, 2012

Select all that apply, you go one by one and treat each answer as True/False...

truckinusa, BSN, LPN, RN · Sep 2, 2012

I'm two weeks into my very first semester of nursing school. I'm in my forties and feeling pretty good about school. I though I was ready for the first exam which mind you was very small..I only got 14/20 correct which is below the 74% need to pass. Now I'm worried I don't have what it takes to handle nursing college. I guess I feel like someone left the air out of my ballon

68 on my first test. Guess I got 34/50 correct? a 74 would have been nice. Now i have to remediate by taking all the end of chapter test questions. I have no idea what to do to improve. I feel very disappointed in myself. The test reminded me of my intro to psychology class, but the ambiguous questions were much worse.

seanynjboy, BSN · Sep 7, 2012

I'm two weeks into my very first semester of nursing school. I'm in my forties and feeling pretty good about school. I though I was ready for the first exam which mind you was very small..I only got 14/20 correct which is below the 74% need to pass. Now I'm worried I don't have what it takes to handle nursing college. I guess I feel like someone left the air out of my ballon

DO NOT LET IT GET YOU DOWN!!! You can do it. One test does not measure anything!! Tests don't even measure anything anymore. They mostly measure what a person can memorize in the few minutes before the exam.

I am in my 2nd to last semester of school. I have gotten a few 60s-70s along the way and it just pushed me to work harder to do what it takes to be better!

You have worked hard to get into nursing school and the benefits will outweigh anything you can think of. Just put in your time. Nursing school is no cakewalk. It can be hell at times, you will cry, you will want to quit many times. Just push through. I am seriously a big supporter of the "You can do whatever you set your mind to" It works.

Good luck and YOU CAN DO IT!!! :)

seanynjboy, BSN · Sep 7, 2012

Select all that apply, you go one by one and treat each answer as True/False...

That is some reallllly good advice. I never thought about it that way...

cbsncmom · Sep 7, 2012

PLEASE!!!!!! Keep on going. I am in my 40's, and I am still doing my pre-reg's. As my 10 year old son would say "You got this". In my case, I have been out of school for 22 years. If you don't believe in yourself right now, believe that I believe.

ames86 · Sep 7, 2012

My instructor said the first test is always the worst. Out of 54 students only 14 passed the first test. We have to get a 80 or more to pass. Like many others have said go look at the test ask questions and then find a way to study. Don't give up.