Broward College Nursing Dilllemma

NurseStephRN · Mar 30, 2010

I didn't go to BC, but I work with a few nurses who did go there and they said it was quite a tough program. I went to Barry for my BSN and I found a lot of help from the Saunders NCLEX review book, especially when I got a 27 on my first OB exam...we needed at least a 38 to pass. needless to say, i was hysterical and afraid i would fail the class. i did a lot of the practice questions on the CD that comes with the Saunders book and the textbook for the class. i really just busted my butt and refused to fail the class. i ended up passing with a B+. it can be done! keep your head up!! study hard!

ohmylove · Mar 30, 2010

Thank you so much for your reply! Yes!, it is a very tough program. I have the saunders book and a lot of people told me to study the format of the test questions. I passed process 1 and failed 2 tests in that term.. but only by 1 or 2 points.. a 28 was so shocking to me. Your story has really encouraged me to put my head up! I was very hysterical and so afraid I'd give up, but this is something I worked SO hard to get to, I WILL pass this next test!!

When you studied from Saunders did you just study the format or were there OB questions in there?

We use Perry/Potter for Nursing Process 2 and I read everything word for word and that got me a 28.. I feel like I read but nothing stuck.

labrador4122, RN · Mar 30, 2010

as a former BC student & grad '07, I can tell you that I've been in your shoes before, I had to make up a few points to pass a couple of classes, and I was sweating bullets.

mmmmm I'm wondering what you are missing in your studies...... when I was in NP1 & 2, I read the entire chapter word for word, and the boxes with the pictures I read as well-- a lot of q- came from those boxes.

I also used the saunders, and looked for every topic that it had on the subject that I was studying, read that and did the questions...

ALSO that big thick packet that we are supposed to buy in NP1 at the beginning where it tells you all the objectives.... I got a huge 5subject notebook and wrote by hand the answer to the questions word for word straight from the book, and I read those answers over and over. I ended up getting 40, 39, 42, and 37 in NP1, in NP2 there was the hurricane katrina, so we only had 2 tests, and I ended up with an 76 and an 84.

when you read the questions--- never think to much into the question. If they say "oh a patient slips and falls.." don't think on how old the patient is or if they are a female or a male... lol... sounds like silly advice, but it is very true. Often I missed questions because I thought "oh I would do this in this situation"... and often because of my thinking I missed them.

for NP1 & NP2 I did not use the saunders cd, I thought the book was more helpful for me because I could easily look up the topic in the index, and read the topic and do the following questions.

NurseStephRN · Mar 30, 2010

i used the Saunders for clarification on content (and because the format is so easy to read) and the CD for help on answering questions. it helped me pace myself and helped me learn HOW to answer questions. as you know, on our exams there is sometimes more than one right answer, and knowing how to pick which is the MOST right is critical. don't add things to the questions, go by the information they give you in the question and nothing more. when we start thinking, "what if? or they may have... " that's when we get in deep doo-doo... lol

if you really dedicate yourself you can and WILL make it. good luck!

ohmylove · Mar 30, 2010

See i noticed that there were a good 7 questions I KNOW were in the boxes and I ran out of time and didn't thoroughly go over them.. this next test I need a 46 to be passing! It isn't impossible but it will take some work. Did you have to make up just about 9 points? I can't believe I put myself in this situation! :uhoh3:

NurseStephRN · Mar 31, 2010

what i would do is go through the exam and answer the questions i was SURE about and skip the ones i needed a little more time to think about. *make you sure skip the bubble on the scantron on you'll get in trouble! lol!*

the way i see it, if your exam is 50 questions and you only make it up to number 40 because there were about 10 you weren't so sure on and you spent a lot of time pondering them, you're selling yourself short! *remember that sometimes the answer to one question could help you answer another one! provided you answer the first question correctly*

labrador4122, RN · Mar 31, 2010

See i noticed that there were a good 7 questions I KNOW were in the boxes and I ran out of time and didn't thoroughly go over them.. this next test I need a 46 to be passing! It isn't impossible but it will take some work. Did you have to make up just about 9 points? I can't believe I put myself in this situation!

not in NP1 or 2 but...

In gi/gu I had to make up 6 points,

and in pharm I was really low, i need to make up 20 on the 3rd test to be passing.....

it is really nerves.

but now you just have to get into study mode and just go over your book and those boxes, and just study super hard.

I know what you mean by "putting yourself in this situation"

just last week I totally failed my statistics quiz and got a 20/100 because I just didn't apply myself hard enough. I read the book but I did not do any questions, so I didn't understand the subject at all.......

I hope I pass the class too.

I wish you the best, and just study study study

ohmylove · Mar 31, 2010

not in NP1 or 2 but...
In gi/gu I had to make up 6 points,
and in pharm I was really low, i need to make up 20 on the 3rd test to be passing.....
it is really nerves.
but now you just have to get into study mode and just go over your book and those boxes, and just study super hard.
I know what you mean by "putting yourself in this situation"
just last week I totally failed my statistics quiz and got a 20/100 because I just didn't apply myself hard enough. I read the book but I did not do any questions, so I didn't understand the subject at all.......
I hope I pass the class too.
I wish you the best, and just study study study

Oh no Did you bring up that pharm grade? I remember statistics , that class would always get me.. I'd always get the calculation correct and then Id get that little sentence that you have to state at the end of each problem... wrong. Goodluck with that, trust me if I passed that class, anyone can !

what i would do is go through the exam and answer the questions i was SURE about and skip the ones i needed a little more time to think about. *make you sure skip the bubble on the scantron on you'll get in trouble! lol!*
the way i see it, if your exam is 50 questions and you only make it up to number 40 because there were about 10 you weren't so sure on and you spent a lot of time pondering them, you're selling yourself short! *remember that sometimes the answer to one question could help you answer another one! provided you answer the first question correctly*

Thanks so much for the motivation! This next test has fluid and electrolytes on it, I started reading on it, and so far it isn't too bad I am understanding it but if it gets too tough, I have a book called Fluid and Electrolytes made easy! :) I'm really trying to keep my head up and never give up!

labrador4122, RN · Apr 6, 2010

Oh no Did you bring up that pharm grade? I remember statistics , that class would always get me.. I'd always get the calculation correct and then Id get that little sentence that you have to state at the end of each problem... wrong. Goodluck with that, trust me if I passed that class, anyone can !
Thanks so much for the motivation! This next test has fluid and electrolytes on it, I started reading on it, and so far it isn't too bad I am understanding it but if it gets too tough, I have a book called Fluid and Electrolytes made easy! :) I'm really trying to keep my head up and never give up!

yes, I made the pharm :) I for sure thought I was going to fail, but because of hurricane katrina we had 2 weeks off, and we were without light & power, so all I did was study pharm ALL 2 weeks 24/7 I made up the 30 points and some, I got I think it was a 96, and then needed a 36 in the final to pass the class, so I was set :)

but yes, that sentence is what kills me too in statistics. I hope I pass the class, we have a final left and homework. so I hope I do well.

Best of luck to you, and keep up the good study time!

GabbsRN · Apr 10, 2010

I'm not sure I can really give you any good advice here. Is it possible to make up the points? Possibly. I got a 39 on my first NP1 test, and then scored a 47 on the second exam- boosted myself up 8 pts. So, it is doable, but fluid and electrolytes is a tough subject. I would read the Fluid and Electrolytes Made Easy book anyway, even though you feel like you are understanding it and I would definitely practice NCLEX questions. When I was in NP1 and 2, I used the Fundamentals Success, Test Success and Saunders to practice NCLEX questions and I think that helped. Are you allowed to review the exams there? If so, did you? Did you see places where you might have made silly mistakes? What were they? Were there a lot of knowledge issues? Did you over think?

I'm still learning how to take the tests efficiently and critically. I suppose it doesn't help that every 8 weeks I have a new instructor with a different testing style, lol. Reflect back at where you might have went wrong if you were able to review your exam. I saw some of my mistakes, started doing NCLEX questions (didn't do it for the first exam) and my scores went up.

Also, I did similar to Bumblebee with the objectives, but I typed each topic up into a word document first right before the lecture, then read the book and found the answers. Then I went to lecture and took notes. After that, I went home and filled in the stuff from the lecture into my document, then printed them out and used that to study from for my exams. With that method I got a B in NP1 and missed a B by 2 stinkin' points in NP2, lol. In GIGU however, I stopped using the objectives. I'm not sure if I would have done better if I had, because my teacher was just ridiculous, but I still haven't come close to failing. Now I'm in Peds and I'm still not using the objectives anymore, and I got an 84 on the first exam---there were no A's either (highest grade was a 90). So, I think you have to find what works for you, and then tweak it a little as you get to a new class with a new teacher because things will change. Maybe you can stop by the library and talk with the tutor there and get some suggestions on how they studied for that class. I think this is a good idea because you can talk to someone who goes to your campus and get more relevant info since things are a little different at each campus.

ohmylove · Apr 15, 2010

I passed. I got a 37... I wanted a 39. So now I need a 40 and 41 to pass.

Im soso worried. Fluid and Electrolytes was on this test and I passed it when not many did.

Tomorrow is withdraw though