failed first nursing test

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Hi ya'll-

I am in a ADN program that is highly competetive (I guess all are), and we had our first test. I needed a 78 at the very least and I got a 70. I am really freaking out. Did any of you fail your first, or any nursing test for that matter, and still be able to continue and complete your program? Thanks for your imput!

Yes... our pass is a 76 and I got a 70 on one as well. After years of being a straight A student, "failing" a test with a 70 is shocking! Don't freak out. If the questions you missed had more to do with not understanding the material, then schedule more study time and work with a study group, if possible. Just talking through the material helps! If you felt good about your understanding of the material, then the problem is understanding HOW to answer NCLEX style questions. This was a problem for the majority of my cohort for most of the semester. Buy a used NCLEX review book with the CD of questions, answers and rationales from a graduate nurse on Craigslist. There are some that will allow you to choose the subject matter of the questions. Do some every day. Do them aloud with your study group. Read ALL the rationales, even if you answered the question correctly. Read the front of the book where it gives you tips on how to answer NCLEX style questions.... Using Maslow, ABCs, determining exactly what the question is asking, etc.

It's hard to change how you learn, but you have to in nursing school. Many years of "read, memorize, and regurgitate" has to change to "thinking like a nurse". It WILL happen for you! It's frustrating, for sure, but you can teach yourself to take a nursing test.

I got that 70 and a few too many 76s on tests until I turned it around about mid semester and ended up very happy with my grade at the end of the semester! You will, too!

Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

I always get Bs on my first tests, but I did get a D on a test once and still made an A that semester. It was tough, and I had to put more into my study habits and asking for help, but I got it done.

1 Votes

Hi. I am in my 1st semester of nursing school and failed my very first test as well on 9/3/13. I was so bummed out over it and it ruined my whole weekends. We have had 2 more tests since then ( but both in different classes ) and I made an 84 on one and then a 90 on my one yesterday! It will come to you!

I hear that it's common to not do as well as you'd hoped/expected on your first test in nursing school. I will find out once I start later this month!

Our professors told us during orientation that if you don't do well on your first test, don't sweat too much over it. You're still adjusting. Nursing school from what I'm told is waaay different that going to school for your pre-reqs. It will take time to learn what to expect and how to change your study habits if need be. It's all a learning process!

I failed my first test (and even a couple after that) and ended up never making below a B in school, and now I'm a nurse!

Don't freak out, almost everyone fails a few.

Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Don't be too worried since it's the first quiz. Now you kind of know how nursing school tests it can only go up from here. I failed one quiz my first semester, mainly because I had to work extra shifts on the weekend (GY shifts sadly) and I couldn't keep up with the readings for that quiz, but the rest were all pretty good.

I failed my first quiz this 2nd semester and I was totally bummed out. I was way too overconfident and I didn't read when I should have. The 2nd quiz we had this past week, I almost aced it since I got back into study mode. I've learned from other classmates and seniors that some, if not most people will fail or do bad on at least on quiz in their nursing school. Just put it aside and move to the next quiz!

I too failed my first exam in Fundamentals with a 78 and need an 80, oh so close! I went over the test with the professor and I see what I had done wrong and will over come this. She said she was not worried about my study habits, this gave me confidence. I had another exam later that week in Health Assessment and made a 96 woohoo! Failing the first one helped me pass the next one. Good luck we can do this.

1 Votes
Specializes in CVICU.

I failed my first quiz/test. Needed a 74.9% and I got like a 68 or something. It isn't as big of a deal as you think as long as you seek mentoring and figure out why you did poorly. I did so and made an 86 on the next test.

Specializes in Hospice.

Oh God...... my first two exams are next week covering about 24 chapters in two classes. I've studied like a mad woman and I'm still afraid I will fail. This nursing school thing is a beast, I swear.:devil: Never done anything like it. And getting my family to understand is next to impossible. Just yesterday my boyfriend invited his grown daughter's family over for an afternoon and dinner (when I had told him last weekend, NO COMPANY THE WEEKEND BEFORE A TEST!) When she walked in she saw my books spread all over the place and I said "I'm studying for my exam on Tuesday." She said, "It's only Saturday!" Like I'm supposed to stop studying because I had company now. I have told them repeatedly, "You can't CRAM in nursing school! I will FAIL, do you understand?" They say, Oh, pshhh...... you'll do great, you always do. So, it's going to take me failing an exam to get through to them. Even then, I wonder.......

Oh God...... my first two exams are next week covering about 24 chapters in two classes. I've studied like a mad woman and I'm still afraid I will fail. This nursing school thing is a beast I swear.:devil: Never done anything like it. And getting my family to understand is next to impossible. Just yesterday my boyfriend invited his grown daughter's family over for an afternoon and dinner (when I had told him last weekend, NO COMPANY THE WEEKEND BEFORE A TEST!) When she walked in she saw my books spread all over the place and I said "I'm studying for my exam on Tuesday." She said, "It's only Saturday!" Like I'm supposed to stop studying because I had company now. I have told them repeatedly, "You can't CRAM in nursing school! I will FAIL, do you understand?" They say, Oh, pshhh...... you'll do great, you always do. So, it's going to take me failing an exam to get through to them. Even then, I wonder.......[/quote']

I feel your pain my boyfriend doesn't get it either.. He puts on the radio loud as can be and then gets upset when I asked him to turn it down..I said to him if I don't pass this test and fail out of nursing school you will have to support me and pay all the bills on your own..since then I don't here a peep out of him..Lol!!

This happened to me today. It came out of nowhere...I was soaring...now in the blink of an eye, I'm plummeting. We received our test results from our first test today...I should have known. I had this gnawing feeling inside, that something just "wasn't right". My classmates tried to comfort me "It'll be fine" they said. "You'll do great they said" "Stop worrying, I bet you got an A" they said...then one by one we were called up, student's silently looked at their grades and almost all had smiles and raised their fists in triumph.

That almost everyone did not include me unfortunately. In my school 75 and under is failing. My score? 73. One freaking question. I had gotten a 100 on the quiz. I honestly do not know what went wrong except for a tiny little fact that apparently, I despite KNOWING that one is supposed to "contain" a fire, apparently according to my test, I think it's appropriate to "Call" maybe I was subconsciously asking to "phone a friend" during my test? I have no idea.

The only other thing is that THE CHOICE OPTIONS SUCK!! In a very ironic "because they are all good choices" kind of way.

Ugh, my major downfall (besides my delusional fire one) came from a question about a pt going "AMA" -against medical advice, for those that aren't up to that yet. It asked what we were supposed to do if our pt did this. Well, my teacher emphasized (along c the book) that you are supposed to have them sign a form! It's an important thing to do! Well one of the options was "tell your supervisor." Well, I choose the other option to have the pt sign the form (what I honestly thought we were supposed to do.) My teacher never mentioned anything about telling the supervisor in this situation (neither did the textbook) I mean I'm not naive enough to not ever mention the fact that my pt decided to go ama to my supervisor, (Of course I would!!) however, I always imagined I would approach my supervisor with a signed FORM IN MY DARN HAND!! Unfortunately, there were a few more questions like this on the test that I must have gotten wrong as well.

I mean maybe there is a lesson to learn in all of this, maybe I need to think outside the box? Be more logical? Or maybe I'm just supposed to watch my future pt make a run for the exit WITHOUT having him sign the form according to the test(The second I leave to tell my supervisor, naturally) and shout "That's him...it's AMA man, he went that-a-way!" and point dramatically. Or maybe I'm supposed to silently hope and pray my client trips & falls & sprains and ankle on the way out so that I might be able to in fact have him sign the form, seconds after telling my supervisor. However, that would (to me at least) be a little tongue-in-cheek no? :sneaky: :cheeky:.

+ Add a Comment