Help! Bad First Test...

[Kathyz]

I had my first test yesterday and didn't do well at all. It's only 16% of my total grade and I need a 75% to pass the class. These are definitely not unrealistic goals.

Unfortunately it came down to two answers and for some reason I thought the teacher was trying to trick us and went w/ the wrong answer.

I'm so scared that I will fail out of the class. Statistically several people will. I have an appt w/ the teacher to go over the test on Friday.

Any words of advice/encouragement?? I'm in a funk!

[PurrRN]

Chin up! I strait out failed my first test of this second semester, but have gotten back into the groove and done okay since. Identifying the cause may be helpful. Did you study enough but have test anxiety, wasn't quite as prepared as you might have been study wise, or do you have trouble diciphering the intent of the question, etc. Alot of times if you can pinpoint WHY you didn't do as well, you can work on the problem and be more successful.

I don't know about your program, but mine follows really close to the objectives, so if you study that really well, you'll do fine.

Sometimes, it's just getting that first test out of the way....an then you improve. So hopefully you will do better on the next one.

Hang in there!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

you definitely have to sit down with the instructor on friday to go over the test to find out where your critical thinking is going wrong. that is most likely your major problem.

critical thinking in answering nursing questions involves knowing what takes priority in needing to be done. later the nursing process gets added into the mix if you haven't already had that information. also, the questions given on nursing tests are often application type questions, so you have to read the root of the question very carefully. instructors will sometimes try to trip you up by giving you extraneous information or leading you down another path in the answer choices. these are called distracters and they are put there for the specific purpose of distracting you from choosing the correct answer to see if you are thinking and paying attention to the problem at hand. this is a teacher thing. you always have to keep your eye on the root of the question that is being asked.

[DiabloFreak]

Don't let it get you down. I bomb the first test every quarter. My teachers all laugh at me because the first test is how i learn how the teacher test and after that it gets easier. Be sure to go over the questions you missed so that you will not make the same mistake twice. Also, try not to read more into the question than what is really there. Sometimes i think the teachers make the test just to trick us into messing up. I absolutley hate those "What is the best answer".