Nursing Students General Students
Published Sep 20, 2007
lizzyberry
440 Posts
Im so upset. I know teachers are to suppose to give us hard tests but do they really need to be so tricky. It almost feels like my instructor was trying to fool us in a lot of our test questions. I studied so hard for this communication test in my fundamentals nur. class and the question had two very right answers and it seemed like the right answer could really have been both. Heres an example of a question sort of like one on the test:The patient states "Im having a problem with this" I dont want to do this diabetes shot thing" then the nurse asks "What kind of problem is it" What is the nurse doing:
a)elaboration
b)seeking clarification
c)wrong answer
d)wrong answer
Will I get used to these questions?
GingerSue
1,842 Posts
I think that clarification is the answer that is wanted
Because, clarification is often mentioned in reading material about communication.
Elaboration - is this a term that is used in the reading material?
I go by what is included in the reading material.
Sometimes in these questions, there are ideas that are not mentioned in the material.
donsterRN, ASN, BSN
2,558 Posts
I agree. We've just covered communication techniques also, and I don't think I heard elaboration as a communication tool. Seeking clarification, yes.
xNursePinkx2b
172 Posts
I think its seeking clarification as well, clarification is to make something clearer or easier to understand, and elaboration is more like explaining something, and the nurse wasn't explaining anything, she was asking a question.
Daytonite, BSN, RN
1 Article; 14,604 Posts
The answer is "B" clarification. That is a straight knowledge question and not tricky at all. Did you tell me you were studying therapeutic communication? Because I have a number of links to some very nice PowerPoint presentations that explain this stuff, including clarification.
Thanks,but I took the test today so Im starting to read on Medication Administration. Our instructor had many tricky questions and the whole class was saying how horrible the test was. Well see what happens when I get my grade. Their really beating the critical thinking into us I guess. I don't like it how they make two very right answers and you have to pick the "best" one. I think Im stressed. Well gotta get back to studying. Thats my life right now!
In the last couple of days I have posted the strategy for answering application type (critical thinking) multiple choice questions into several threads that I replied to. It is information that I have saved in a file and copy and paste into a reply. Have you read them? This thinking strategy won't work if you haven't learned the underlying nursing/medical/science knowledge that also needs to be applied to the question. Do you want me to post this list of strategies here?
This communication question. . .the answer choice, elaboration, does not appear on any list of effective responses or communication blocks to therapeutic communication that I've ever seen, so it was a "distractor" answer--looked good and sounded like it might be right but was totally bogus.
Thankyou. If you can post it that would be great. Any help I will take it. Thanks so much.
kasia2
199 Posts
I totally understand your frustrations. We as nursing students are pressured that it almost feel like a torture, we have to be on top of our studies all the time, it is so easy to slip...And I really dont like our schools grading system, if you dont maintain like 94 avarage for each test you are basically at risk of failing the class. So if you fail one exam you basically out.
nrsx
7 Posts
What is the nurse doing:
a) elaboration is wrong because the nurse is not elaborating. The nurse is seeking an understanding about why the patient is having a problem. The patient would be the one to elaborate on the problem because the nurse asked an open-ended question ("What kind of problem is it?").
I can see why you might think (a) is right. The nurse is encouraging elaboration, but she is doing so by clarification.
lizzyberry. . .
NaomieRN
1,853 Posts
Clarification sounds like the best answer. Remember the nclex test also has tricky questions, so I believe your instructor is trying to prepare you for that exam. If you have trouble, buy test taking techniques book.