Help studying for exams for classes

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I am in my first semester of nursing classes. I am taking Pathophysiology, Intro to clinical nursing, intro to professional nursing and health assessment class. I have taken an exam in each of the four classes and have bombed all four. I am studying long and hard and feel I know the information but when it comes to the test, the questions are nclex style. It all looks foreign to me. It is hard to understand what most questions are asking. Can anyone help with ideas and ways to study and how to better be prepared for these types of exams. I take notes from the power points in class and good notes from my readings in the book and then comprise the two and make another set of notes. I than take the blue print for the exam and write down again information pertaining to the blue print and study long and hard but it just does not seem to click with me. I know these are harder type questions.I previously was holding a 3.75 GPA so it can not be me slacking off cuz I am putting in the work just seems like I am spinning my wheels here and maybe better understand how to study and a better way to prepare for these classes to do well in.

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Here's how I usually find the answer to NCLEX style questions:

First, READ the question AND the answers. You can generally eliminate 2 of the answers right off the bat because they don't make sense.

Other things to consider:

-Safety first

-Remember Maslow's - what's more important, food or self-esteem? Keep the heirarchy in mind.

-Also remember A, B, C's - airway, breathing, and circulation. If they can't breath they can't ambulate

-Never leave the patient. Something like "call the provider" will generally be less important than "assess lung sounds"

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

In addition to the PP's tips with NCLEX-style questions, think of it this way- if you could only do one thing and leave, which answer would you choose? Nursing school exams are definitely different than any other classes you've taken before! :)

Is rewriting your notes like this the best way for YOU to study? What about reading them aloud and recording it and then listening to it? Drawing things out? Making diagrams for yourself? Try different approaches and see what works. Work smarter not harder. If the way you're spending your time isn't working, it's time to try something else. Is there a learning center or other resource like that on campus that you can access?

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Specializes in geriatrics, psych.

I agree with all posting but I would add, just to elaborate on "study smarter, not harder" comment. Don't study for hours on end. Study in small sessions and try to take breaks between or it will soon turn in to just reading words that are not sinking in. Good luck! Hope you find a study style that works for you.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

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I agree with what the previous posters said! Another thing that helps is to read the question and think about what it's asking before looking at the answers, which sounds weird but does help. I even underline or cross out things based on what it's asking...sometimes it's "what's the priority intervention" which eliminates any answer that's NOT an intervention...sometimes it's a "what NOT to do" kind of question. There are always key words in the nclex questions, pay particular attention to those! For the select all that apply questions, make each answer true or false...for example (just an easy one but you can see what I mean) for an abnormal urinalysis if you have answers "specific gravity 0.015, cola color, RBC 7, ketones" answer each of those true/false (is SG 0.015 abnormal? T/F...is cola color abnormal? T/F...is an RBC of 7 abnormal? T/F, etc)

Also, if you're making sure you understand the pathology behind disease processes and understand HOW meds work, usually you can figure out the answer by thinking it through, even if you don't recognize the answer right off. This was something that took me a bit to get, I was trying to memorize stuff which totally does not work. You have to understand what's going on.

I hope you find a study style that works for you! I know how frustrating it is to spend so much time studying and it doesn't reflect in your grade. I spend a lot of time studying, but I also figured out what WORKS for me so even though it's a lot of time, it's not WASTED time.

Good luck to you!! :D

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Test Success was a book that I found helpful at the beginning of nursing school. It helps get you into the nclex testing mindset.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Hi, Jarnold

Please take a look at these books:

Amazon.com: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Success: A Q&A Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking (Davis's Success) (9780803629813): Cathy Melfi Curtis MSN RN-BC, Audra Baker RN PMHNP APRN ANCC, Carol Norton Tuzo MSN RN-BC: Books

Amazon.com: Fundamentals Success: A Q&A Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking (Davis's Q&a Success) (9780803627796): Patricia M. Nugent RN EdD, Barbara A. Vitale RN MA: Books

Amazon.com: Med-Surg Success: A Q&A Review Applying Critical Thinking to Test Taking (Davis's Q&a Series) (9780803625044): Kathryn Colgrove, Ray Huttel: Books

You are not alone in that it seems like most people do not do well in their first semester of nursing -- or at least, the first few tests that they encounter -- because the test style is completely different. You need to understand that you cannot straight memorize things. This is about concept. The thing that I would recommend is to take as many NCLEX style questions as you can and read the rationale. There will always be two very wrong answers and two right answers -- but, one is the BEST answer.

The books in "...Made Incredibly Easy" are also good as well.

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Thank you all for your help. I know I need to learn a different way of studying for these kind of tests. I have to learn now what to study for each chapter that will better help me to understand and be able to apply to the test in each class.I just don't know where to begin with that since all i know is how to pick key words and learn what they are in a chapter, concepts and learning to apply them for the test is something new. Like for example I have a test for Pathophysiology this coming week and it is on chapters 9-Biology, Clinical Manifestations, and Treatment of Cancer , 10- Cancer Epidemiology, 11- Cancer in Children , 19- STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE HEMATOLOGIC SYSTEM,, 20- ALTERATIONS OF HEMATOLOGIC FUNCTION and 21- ALTERATIONS OF HEMATOLOGIC FUNCTION IN CHILDREN. How am I to study all of that and be able to apply it? I just need to figure out what to study and be able to apply it all when it comes to test time.

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One book that I have gotten that really helps with learning the NLECX style questions is Amazon.com: Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination, 6e (Saunders Comprehensive Review for Nclex-Rn) (9781455727551): Linda Anne Silvestri PhD RN: Books it is a very good book and all it has is NLECX style questions in it. In the book it also has subsections of what you may be learning in the semester. its not very expensive and I would recomend it!

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I haven't even take my first test yet (next week) --in my very first class- Pharmacology. But you sound like me. I feel like I read and study way too much for this one class. Is 3-4 hours a night too much or too little? I can't possibly keep up this "style" once I have a full load of classes. But I'm so nervous for this test. I hope once I know what the test is like then I can figure out a better method of studying.

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