Already failed three exams in one class! Help!

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It is the third week of lpn and i have failed all three exams given to us. I am not going to blame the teaching method because others have done this before me, but i need to know how everyone passed. I am reading the chapter two times, writing notes, and watching videos and the questions are still throwing n

Me off. I am getting discouraged, even though i tell myself i will do better the next time and that i really want to be a nurse! Please help me with some things that help you all! Im desperate to learn!

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What's the subject?

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Applied nursing skills. Not the check offs, just the exams for the chapters. Im actually really good at the checklist

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Work on your test taking skills.

Here's my best nursing school test taking tips.

Test taking strategies

If I am stumped and there are two answers and they both are similar for example you have 4 answers and two of them were say - lack of appetite and upset stomach and the third answer was headache I would pick headache (this is not even knowing what the question is at all) because those two answers are so similar. Now, that strategy doesn't always work, but if you are totally stumped and making a random guess it is a better guess than just grabbing at straws. Plus a lot of times if you have 3 good answers and 2 of them are similar then I'd pick the 3rd one that isn't similar.

Another strategy, if you see an answer on your test and you've never heard of it before even if it looks really good don't pick it. I find myself sometimes reading a question thinking heck I don't know that looks right, but I just don't remember reading it. I have stopped picking that answer. I think of it is as a trap.

Priority questions - know you're priority assessments and interventions. If they asked which was most important I use ABC MASLOW strategy or with psych SAFETY, but again know your diseases and priority assessment. Do not try and memorize everything, you won't remember it all, but remember the priority assessments and interventions.

If there are two answers and both look ok pick the one you are 100% sure is right. I know there was some that I knew one was right and I thought another one was right too. Go only with the one you are 100% sure is right even if the other answer looks better.

Also, here are some of my studying strategies. I am copying and pasting this from a post I made years ago when I was going to school, but the info is the same.

Studying tips

The point of NCLEX questions isn't to memorize the answers, but to learn the process of answering them. There is a trick to it, but you really need a lot of practice to get good at them.

I personally do not make outlines or flashcards to study, not that I think that is wrong. I read the chapters and do NCLEX questions and bunches of them. If I find there is a topic I'm getting stuck on then I will look at that topic some more. I also have 1 study guide book for each area (med/surg, OB, etc). I used to buy 2 or 3, but realized they are all kind of the same so now I just get one and use that. (If you get them used they aren't that much money.) I generally don't reread the chapter but try and find another source for the same topic and sometimes 2, 3, or 4 if I'm really stumped. I will also use Google and Youtube and search the topic until I get it. I find reading on the same topic from different authors helps because sometimes one person just explains it better or a way that makes sense to me better than others. I generally do not start doing extra searching on a topic though until I've done NCLEX questions that way I can figure out which areas I really need to study more on.

I really like Med Surg Success and have recommended it often. It's got a ton of questions and really helped me practice for tests. You can look up for other books with NCLEX questions and I would definitely start using them to prep for ALL of your tests going forward. Find ones particularly for the subject/class your in.

Hope these tips help.

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Im going to read your tips everyday to see how to improve. Im all ears! Thanks! #Positive

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Agree with the previous poster - it sounds like you are spending a lot of time going over the material and understanding it, which is good. I bet working on developing test taking skills will help a lot. Good luck!

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Taking test skills? That might be what i need since ive noticed i stuggle with select all that apply. Any accredited sites for more information/practice on test taking?

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Taking test skills? That might be what i need since ive noticed i stuggle with select all that apply. Any accredited sites for more information/practice on test taking?

The dreaded SATA.

Look at them as true/false. Ignore the other answers, and take them ONE AT A TIME!

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I keep that in mind. Thanks!

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Studying for nursing exams is really different because most of the time questions are on application and not just if you know the knowledge or not. I would really suggest picking up any review book (I use the Davis Success series) that has practice NCLEX questions for whatever topic you are covering. They will help build your test taking skills.

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You need to make an appointment to examine your progress with the nursing instructor. S/he is the best individual to offer help based on your performance. You should have been in their office after the first test failure.

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I would suggest buying Test Success” and Fundamentals Success” books. They are on amazon or any other websites. I failed my first exam in nursing school and these two books helped me a lot with Nursing style questions. Don't read into the questions. Work with only what you're given in the questions. It's really easy to overthink and make mistakes.

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