Help answering unfamiliar NCLEX questions

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Yesterday I took the NCLEX for my first time and I got all 265 questions. Of those questions there were several I had no idea as to what the disease or medication was. I'm wondering if anyone has tips on how to answer a questions that you don't know anything about, for instance I was asked about Fifths disease, scabies and scleroderma ...we didn't cover those in school or in the HURST review.

Also, if anyone can recommended a study program. As mentioned I did HURST, my average was 67% which is their passing minimum. I did about 400 question from Kaplan and averaged 63%. For the LaCharity book I consistently got between 75-85%.

Thank you guys for any help you offer!

Yesterday I took the NCLEX for my first time and I got all 265 questions. Of those questions there were several I had no idea as to what the disease or medication was. I'm wondering if anyone has tips on how to answer a questions that you don't know anything about, for instance I was asked about Fifths disease, scabies and scleroderma ...we didn't cover those in school or in the HURST review.

Also, if anyone can recommended a study program. As mentioned I did HURST, my average was 67% which is their passing minimum. I did about 400 question from Kaplan and averaged 63%. For the LaCharity book I consistently got between 75-85%.

Thank you guys for any help you offer!

You took the NCLEX just yesterday.......why are you asking about study plans, and how to answer questions? Surely you cannot know that you failed yet..?

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

I agree with RNsRWe. Your results aren't ready until tomorrow. No need to think about a new study plan until you know for sure that you didn't pass. Good luck! :)

I'm assuming I failed since I took the max amount of questions, I ended on an 'easier' questions and had to guess on several. I'd like to retest ASAP so I want to start studying ASAP :)

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

You have no way of knowing if that question was above or below the passing line. I know it's hard not to stress. It's very nerve wracking. We're lucky we don't have to wait 6 weeks or more like they used to :)

I'm assuming I failed since I took the max amount of questions, I ended on an 'easier' questions and had to guess on several. I'd like to retest ASAP so I want to start studying ASAP :)

Unless you like living in a permanent state of angst, I'd suggest waiting for results before making your next move!

You cannot assume you failed based on having the maximum number of questions; people pass all the time with the maximum, the minimum, and every number in between.

And what is "easy" to one person may be "difficult" to another, so...you really can't be too sure on this.

States typically require a 45 day wait in between authorizations to test, so you can afford to wait another day for Quick Results (if available in your State).

Good luck!

I know we're not supposed to know high level from low level questions but I had this really interesting experience and I haven't seen anyone on here talk about it. Somewhere in the 100s there became a pattern! I would get 2-3 questions that to me were 'easy' they would be like "what is this" pretty basic. Then I would get 2-3 prioritize questions and those would always have bolded word, then I would get one SATA. Most of the time the SATA was the type that I had no idea about so I would guess and then boom... 3 easy, 3 prioritize and another SATA. The occasion I knew the SATA. I would get a prioritize after that. If this didn't happen to me I'd say you're crazy lol but at one point I laughed in the test because I had predicted the next type of question and I got it! So long story short... That's why I said an 'easy' question haha

Well, I guess all we can do is hope for the best at this point! And hope you don't have to go back to studying ;)

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
I know we're not supposed to know high level from low level questions but I had this really interesting experience and I haven't seen anyone on here talk about it. Somewhere in the 100s there became a pattern! I would get 2-3 questions that to me were 'easy' they would be like "what is this" pretty basic. Then I would get 2-3 prioritize questions and those would always have bolded word, then I would get one SATA. Most of the time the SATA was the type that I had no idea about so I would guess and then boom... 3 easy, 3 prioritize and another SATA. The occasion I knew the SATA. I would get a prioritize after that. If this didn't happen to me I'd say you're crazy lol but at one point I laughed in the test because I had predicted the next type of question and I got it! So long story short... That's why I said an 'easy' question haha

The only flaw with that logic is that what might be "easy" to you might be "hard" for someone else. Sometimes, a general knowledge question can feel hard because it's something you're not familiar with. Conversely, a high level question might feel easy because it's a topic in your comfort zone.

If you went all the way to 265, you were borderline pass/fail all the way through your test. So you were dipping and going above passing over & over but never low enough or high enough for the computer to make a decision either way.

I think this video explains it well: https://www.ncsbn.org/5910.htm

Specializes in LTC, Med-surg.

Dude, you don't know if you passed or not. Just wait for the results and then figure out how you're going to study then.

I know people that passed and fail with 265 questions.

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