How quick do you answer a question

RN403, BSN, RN · Aug 22, 2014

I have learned that it is best to spend 1-2 minutes on each question. It would be a great habit to get into now, to take no longer than 2 minutes to answer a question. Spending too much time on a question will lead you to over think and not spending enough time will lead you to miss important information.

The way I approach questions:

1) Read the question once - at this point I have not even looked at the potential answers

2) Then I read the question again- this time I pick out the key words and quickly note the important information

3) Next, before I even look at the potential answers I formulate what I think the answer might be

4) Now, I look to see if any of the potential answers match my thinking

5) Rule out distractors/obviously wrong answers and Select my answer

6) Re-read the question to make sure my answer answers the question

7) Move on to the next question and don't look back

This really should take you no longer than 2 minutes. You should move at a speed that is quick enough that you don't linger but not so quick that you don't analyze the question and answers correctly.

You just have to find that balance and what works for you.

I answered between 100-150 Qs per day while preparing for NCLEX...I set up a timer and allowed myself 100-150 minutes. (Although, I usually broke up the questions to 50 at a time so - I set a timer for 50 minutes). During nursing school we were allowed one minute per question so I allotted the same amount of time when practicing for boards/exams.

Some questions take you less than a minute to answer and some take more. It ends up balancing out. If you have a lot of dosage Qs/alternative Qs then you might add on another minute for each when timing yourself.

I had 75 Qs on boards and it took me about an hour. I actually felt like I was moving too quickly while taking the exam and afterwards felt like I failed and wished I had slowed down. Apparently I was wrong, but, if I had to do it over again I would definitely take my time - within reason.

I hope somewhere throughout my rambling I was helpful. :)

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Aug 22, 2014

This is very close to how I approached NCLEX questions.

Here's how I do it... (just rearranging things copied from above.)

1) Read the question once - at this point I have not even looked at the potential answers

3) Next, before I even look at the potential answers I formulate what I think the answer might be

2) Then I read the question again- this time I pick out the key words and quickly note the important information

4) Now, I look to see if any of the potential answers match my thinking

5) Rule out distractors/obviously wrong answers and Select my answer

6) Re-read the question to make sure my answer answers the question

7) Move on to the next question and don't look back

I tend to be a quick test-taker but at times that can be to my detriment because I'll read questions too quickly and miss a key word or phrase which causes me to answer the question incorrectly. Once I started using the above method, I did well... I did about 1 question per minute and I was completely done with my NCLEX, 75 questions and outprocessed, in about 90 minutes. Remember, if you're doing RN, you have 265 questions to do over 6 hours. That's about 80 seconds per question. Usually that's plenty of time.

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Aug 22, 2014

I also use a timer app, its set to 70 seconds if I'm in strict exam mode conditions to see where I am at, my goal is to answer in 72 seconds max. Of course some questions I answer quickly leaving me with extra time on the others.

But if you want to be mathematical about it, The NCLEX is max 265 questions in 6 hours which is 360 minutes. Literally leaving you with 1 minute 21 seconds to answer each question. And that's without breaks. Can you sit for 6 hours with no breaks? Not likely.

While you make a point that you do need more time to analyze some of the questions to get it correct, what I find happens to me is if I take too long, it usually means I am OVER analyzing and then I end up reading too much into the question then I choose the wrong answer. But that's just me. Anyways the math says you need to be somewhere in 1 minute 21 seconds or less.

I've seen somewhere kaplan recommending 78 seconds per question, I can't remember where I saw that. It good to set a realistic goal.

mkcab · Aug 25, 2014

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this wonderful and surely very helpful advice. Today I am trying to practice myself to be ready to take as far as 265 questions to built some" stamina". I noticed myself that after reading a question some part of my brain can like automatically choose an answer, but as I stay too long in that question, I tend to change my first answer which the actual first answer was the correct one, maybe I was over analyzing it.. :no:

iamleeann · Aug 25, 2014

I make sure that I think through the questions and at the testing center, I utilized the white board & marker that is given. If I knew the answer, I chose it. If I was unsure, I would write down 1, 2, 3, 4 on the board and I would go through each answer and if I knew it was wrong, I would cross it off.

I can't tell you how long each question took studying but for the actual NCLEX, I took 120-130 or so questions (I actually had in my mind that I was going to get the full 265 so I wasn't really paying too much attention to the question number) in 2.5 hours.

RN403, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2014

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this wonderful and surely very helpful advice. Today I am trying to practice myself to be ready to take as far as 265 questions to built some" stamina". I noticed myself that after reading a question some part of my brain can like automatically choose an answer, but as I stay too long in that question, I tend to change my first answer which the actual first answer was the correct one, maybe I was over analyzing it..

Your first instinct is usually right. I have learned that usually when I change my first answer I end up being wrong. "Always go with your first answer." The only time you should change an answer is if you are absolutely 100% sure that your initial answer was wrong and you have the rationale within your mind to back it up. Other than that, leave your first answer, click next, and move along to the next question.

Girlygirl23 · Aug 27, 2014

Honestly I recommend just TAKING YOUR TIME. I cannot stress it enough. I was considered a very fast test taker in nursing school and I was always the first or second person out.

For some reason it took me about 2 hours to finish 89q and thats a lot for me. I know a girl who took 4 hours to take 75q and she passed. I know that may sound extreme but you have to take your time to ensure you have fully read the questions and answer choices.

Yes, be confident with your answers, but dont hesitate to read the question again to make sure you really understood it. In my opinion its worth risking the extra time because you will probably end up passing with less questions.

With that being said, everyone tests differently. You know yourself and how you test, wishing you the best of luck on your exam :)

mkcab · Oct 4, 2014

Hi everyone, I took the exam last month, just to give you guys an update I passed the exam at 75. It took me about 2 hours,before taking the exam I already conditioned myself that I should focus and concentrate for the first 75 questions, and lucky for me I guess it worked Lol, so a BIG THANK YOU all of you for sharing all these very helpful strategies. =))