Help answering questions on Nursing tests...

JamesJr. · Feb 7, 2008

I don't know if this will work for you, but you can try Quizlet to study:

They even make test for you to take and it will grade it for you.

allthingsbright · Feb 7, 2008

You probably need more practice with NCLEX style testing. Get some NCLEX-RN books and practice relevent questions before each test--it will help you better apply your knowledge. I like Saunders and NCLEX made Incredibly Easy. Good luck!

ladylikeRN · Feb 7, 2008

Try to prioritize using the abc's (airway, breathing, circulation) and/or Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I know the tests are hard in nursing school and requires critical thinking. Also, it might help to gauge what the instructor is big on or hints toward during lecture so that you can get an idea. Also use study companions like Lippincott's Nursing Made Incredibly Easy so that you can see what is important regarding certain disease processes..that's what helped me!

Good luck...just know and stay confident that you will graduate in May!

brandilovesaaron · Feb 7, 2008

Thanks so much for all of your help!! I will keep you posted on my next test grade! My next test is about 2 weeks away! I will let you know! Thanks so much!!

BookwormRN · Feb 7, 2008

Saunders Strategies for Success on the NCLEX-RN Exam by Linda Silvestri is a wonderful tool!

I read this material while in my last semester of Nursing School-it really did help me learn how to tackle the questions on school exams as well as the NCLEX-RN.

Good luck!

BoopRN · Feb 7, 2008

One thing they always remind us of is that you have to assess first, so be careful not to go right for that intervention. Keep your head up...you're almost done!

xviii-xxv · Feb 7, 2008

stick with the nursing principles, ABC's and Maslow's heirarchy of needs, then try the test taking strategies..and pray :)

mauxtav8r · Feb 7, 2008

The above suggestions are right on target (books, practice questions).

I have found that my test scores dramatically improved by employing a few simple "rules" for myself while taking tests:

-Don't rush. I use mints or gum to slow myself down if I feel I'm rushing

-Don't look at the answer until you have read the "stem" (first part before the multiple choices) THREE TIMES. Sounds a little nutty, but it works to get it clear in your head what the question is looking for

-THINK about what the answer should look like before you look at the selections. In this way, you will dodge falling into traps, like with "negative stem" questions, because you will recognize the wrong answers as distractors

-When you finally look at the answers, think through each one. They ALL fall into three categories- Definitely not it, Maybe it, Probably it.

-After you have narrowed down the choices, examine the ones that are left. If you were able to narrow it down to two (most of the time this is pretty easy to do), then apply what you know (and was mentioned above) about priority. If two options look really good, but one is an assessment option and one is a diagnosis option, you know what to do first.

-After you pick, don't change your answer.

Also, if three options are basically saying the same thing, and one option is different, the answer is the different one. This doesn't happen as much with the better review books, but happens a lot in school when the instructor is writing their own questions.

Good luck.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2008

hi, brandilovesaaron, and welcome to allnurses! :welcome:

these critical thinking, or application type, questions require you to draw from a number of disciplines and knowledge. the basic strategy for answering critical thinking (application type) questions is as follows, you must:

know and consider the normal anatomy and physiology
know and consider abnormal anatomy for the disease in question
know and consider the resulting signs and symptoms when the disease occurs and how they proceed from mild to fatal - each sign and symptom can be related back to the pathophysiology of the disease
know and consider how the doctor diagnoses and treats the disease in question
know nursing interventions for the signs and symptoms you are being asked about
know the steps of the nursing process and what goes on in each of the steps and consider how they are affecting the question you are being asked
know and consider the principles behind the actions being done - there are many kinds of principles: principles of nursing, principles of biology, principles of chemistry, principles of physics, etc.
read the stem of the question carefully and answer that because the test makers try to trip you up by distracting you with conflicting information they give you in the answer choices that sounds good but has no relationship to what the question is asking for
ask yourself "why" a patient is experiencing some sign or symptoms to get at the underlying problem. nursing like other disciplines treats the problem/signs and symptoms.

you should check out the student nursing forums of allnurses. there is lots of helpful information for students on the sticky threads there. in particular, check out this thread that discusses the very issue you are posting about and has a number of weblinks to information on taking nursing tests that i think you will find helpful:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/looking-test-taking-stratagies-224581.html - looking for test taking strategies (on the nursing student discussion forum)

alc4522 · Feb 8, 2008

I just graduated a couple months ago and was struggling with my tests! Granted some of it was the style of the questions in nursing and I did the ABCs, maslow, and all of that, i knew the info like the back of my hand and I still couldn't pass- i did NCLEX review questions for the material- still no luck! I always thought test anxiety was kind of a cop out but people insisted I had it... I went to the doctor and asked for xanax and he gave me a low dose script and I have been excelling ever since! If anything, it slows your brain and nerves down enough to choose accurately- i recommend it to anyone who is really struggling and can't figure out why! Good luck and trust me... I know how ya feel... Ive repeated a bunch of nursing classes cause of low test scores and i just took my boards this week and passed in 75 questions... on xanax of course... :)

Ashley

SDS_RN, RN · Feb 8, 2008

When I was in my 2nd year my facility had a video that taught you how to break down the questions on the nursing test to help you find the BEST answer to the question. Sometimes their was more than one right answer to the question but you had to pick the best and most practicle out of the answers. The video helped me out a lot, sorry but I'm unsure of what it was called. Check with your administration or instructors if they provide something like that or if they have any study tools that you could use. I also did my course objectives for every chapter covered and practiced w/ my NCLEX book. Good luck to you, you're almost there!