How do you grasp the whole concept of taking nursing test

[thatsforreal]

Hello everyone. I'm proud to say that I passed my first nursing exam (82)! I just had my second one today. It wasn't bad but I had to go back and narrow down the one's I didn't know, to two choices. The two choices seem so similar, so what really makes the right one right, if this makes sense to everyone? If we are not to study by memory, then how do you study until you are confident and sure of what you know and then be able to apply it to nursing questions?

[NewmanFamily6]

You are absolutely correct in that you can not just memorize. What has helped me the most is an NCLEX review book. Whatever we are studying I go through that section of my Saunder NCLEX RN review book. I read it and answer the questions. It gives rationales to all questions and this puts you in the mind set required for the tests. These tests really require you to understand the information not just learn it temporarily. You will get used to these tests the more you take and will come to know the information to a point where you know why one answer is just a little better:twocents:

[Fermin Hernandez, ADN, ASN, RN]

Sometimes instructors use questions from the textbook company I think.

These are only about 98% accurate, and in nursing, that 2% is huge. SO its kinda a crap shoot.

Example question supplied by company (Potter):

"Under what condition should a nurse apply restraints?"

Test Answer: "When the patient is being difficult to make the nurse's job easier."

Hehe. There is like, NO way that is right...

[AirforceRN, RN]

Welcome to nursing! Every test I had in 4 years was like that...many times it was just narrowing it down to 2 choices and you have a 50/50 chance....which isn't too bad. There is often more than one correct answer but in the end you have to pick the "most" correct one. Impossible you say? Yup...have fun.