Helpful Advise: retaking my RN exam in Oct

[Purple226]

Hey fellow colleagues,

Today I received bad news that I didn't pass my Canadian registered nursing examination. Quite hard to swallow that news. It has been a long year and a half just trying to graduate and finally get my degree. But I know life goes on. The moment I received the letter I went and sent my application for the October 1st exam 2014. Less than 3 months away.

During the time I was preparing for the exam, I have utilized many resources that were advised by past graduates who were successful. I have used the mosby's prep guide along with a few lippincott's question reviewer. I also utilized the CRNE exam prep guide. I didn't take the prep courses since I don't have the budget for it.

I would really like to get some advise and any feedback from anyone. Any strategies to help me through my studying. If you have any of your personal stories to share feel free.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post,

C

[careforyoujanu]

Please do not focus only on answering questions. Increase your knowledge base and study pathophysiology, common drugs, common nursing care plans, and nursing procedures. This will help you with critical thinking. If you have strong knowledge it will help you find the right answer and eliminate wrong ones.

[CanadianGirl79]

I totally agree with the above advice! While it is important to be familiar with the structure of MC questions, and how to read and interpret them, you need the knowledge of the subject matter as well. That said, take care not to OVER read a question. What I mean is, if you are awesome with mental health questions for example, and you get a question about a patient having an MI and they mention that he also happens to have schizophrenia, DON'T assume automatically that the answer has to have something "Mental healthy" in it.

Example: Mr Jones, a 54 year old male with schizophrenia and diabetes presents to the ER with severe chest pain and diaphoresis. He is anxious and tells you that he is worried he is dying. What should you, the nurse, do first?

a) Call for a psych consult and administer Mr Jones' antipsychotic.

b) Administer oxygen

c) Check Mr Jones' blood sugar levels

d) Find out when Mr Jones last took his prescribed medications for his schizophrenia and diabetes

The answer is b) administer oxygen. Mr. Jones is presenting with signs of MI, so first you would give him oxygen. While you want to know when he last took his medications, and what his blood sugar level is, those are not as important as giving oxygen. Don't get "tricked" by his comorbidities into thinking the answer has to have something to do with one of them. Highling/underline/circle the information and read the question to decide what parts are pertinent to what you are being asked. Many times you are given "extra" information.