How to study for nursing exams?

[Tamch]

Hello! Everyone!

I am a new nursing student in the RN program. I read the materials and the textbooks for exams. But for some reason, I have problem during the exams.

Any suggestions for how to study for nursing exams. Any Institution helps with tutoring?

Please let me know. Appreciate your help so much.

[chuckz, BSN, RN]

I can't memorize anything. I need to understand why and how and then I can fit things together. I don't think I have memorized that much info really, but I think I understand info better. This leads to allowing a person to apply information and not get stumped on the NCLEX style questions. Very nice hints above.

[nicolegrow]

Don't just view it as studying for an exam. Your goal should be to understand the material, all of it. This takes alot of time. Nursing is a process with rationale for every intervention. You need to spend 4hrs plus a day working with the material is various ways(suggested in the previous posts). I also like to break things down in lay terms, like if you were trying to explain it to a patient.

[cursedandblessed]

The test success series has helped me: fundamentals, med-surg, I think they now have maternal child and mental health as well, reviews and rationales series is also a good one. Well I'm off to take a test.

[Shatina]

I needed to read that. I am that student that constantly tries to understand the subject being taught. Some of the students tell me to just try to memorize the material to pass the test. I am very uncomfortable with that because once the class is over, you easily forget. If I dont have a clear understanding of something, I have to do it over until it makes since. I see so many people cheat in class that it was discouraging to me because I wasnt getting as far as them. I even had to drop a class because of the grade I needed; I wasnt acheiving. Its fine, because my aim in life is to be a great Nurse my patients will love and trust.

[O'SheaRN]

Use a nclex review book. I also recorded my nursing lectures.

[alexandra991]

hello everyone,

can anyone offer any advice relating to studying for the fundementals final exam. To be frank, i am very confused and overwhelmed with the enormous amt of matrial which we are going to be tested on.

can anyone recommend any books, review sheets, or specific topics to focus on for finals.

currently at this moment, i am using cd's with practice nclex questions. i sincerely appreciate any advice given. thank you

[CuriousMe]

hello everyone,

can anyone offer any advice relating to studying for the fundementals final exam. To be frank, i am very confused and overwhelmed with the enormous amt of matrial which we are going to be tested on.

can anyone recommend any books, review sheets, or specific topics to focus on for finals.

currently at this moment, i am using cd's with practice nclex questions. i sincerely appreciate any advice given. thank you

I'd ask your Prof, because different fundamentals classes cover different material.

[metal_m0nk, BSN, RN]

I'll echo some of what is being said here. Your best bet is to read for comprehension, and not for memorization of the "surface concepts". There is far too much information for you to successfully memorize it all. First and foremost, you have to understand what you're reading; the why's and the implications.

If something doesn't make sense to you on the surface, do some research into the details until you've satisfied your understanding. Most sections/subjects present or allude to an underlying conceptual framework. That conceptual framework could be the nursing process, the ABC's, etc. Find out what it is (or which takes precedence if there are a few) and use that framework to inform what types of information to look for when directing your research for clarification/understanding - or if you're preemptive, use that framework while you read your assigned chapters in order to identify vital information.

Hope that helps.

[metal_m0nk, BSN, RN]

OK! Prior to nursing school, I bet you were accustomed to questions like this:

Deep Vein Thrombosis is:

a. blood clot in lungs

b. varicose veins in lower extremities

c. vasoconstriction of veins in legs

d. blood clot in lower extremities.

That works for memorization-- however in nursing we have to be able to USE (apply the information we learn). So you would write a question that asks you to use what you learned. Such as:

The nurse is caring for a patient who had a choleycystecomy 12 hours ago. To prevent deep vein thrombosis the nurse will teach the patient :

1. keep legs immobile while in bed

2. to avoid ambulation except to bathroom

3. to keep legs elevated above the level of the heart at all times

4. the importance of early and frequent ambulation.

The correct answer, of course, is #4.

Try this strategy prior to your next exam. I use this with all my students who have difficulties with those first few exams --it works!

Good example! I would like to expand on it....

To answer this question you need to be able to draw on a wealth of information. You need to know at least 4 pieces of information:

That choleycystecomy is a surgery

That surgery increased the risk for DVT

What DVT is

What does and does not prevent DVT

It is a very global way of thinking that we all need to get down pat!

Follow-up for the original poster, Tamch:

Actually, to answer this question, the only three things you really need to know are 1) what DVT is, 2) the most effective prevention method for DVT and (loosely) 3) of the available options, which is most indicative of teaching. It might also be helpful to know what causes DVT, but that information should be part of your understanding of what DVT is. All other necessary information is contextual and is provided by the question.

You do not necessarily need to know that choleycystecomy is a surgery because, while it is worthwhile to know for its own sake, that information is not necessary to answer the question.

You do not need to know that surgery increases the risk for DVT because, while it is probably worthwhile to know for its own sake, that information is not necessary to answer the question.

The most important part of the question is: "To prevent deep vein thrombosis the nurse will teach the patient:"

Rationale:

1 is incorrect because movement facilitates circulation, which combats the onset of DVT, and keeping legs still is the opposite of movement.

2 is incorrect because movement facilitates circulation, which combats onset of DVT, and since there are no mitigating factors described in the question, there should be no reason why the nurse would encourage the patient to restrict movement.

3 is incorrect because keeping legs elevated is not a preventative measure for DVT, but a suggestion for relieving pain and swelling after DVT has already taken hold.

4 is correct because it involves prevention of DVT and teaching.

Make sense?

If you've ever practiced NCLEX questions or nursing school exam questions that use the same methodology, you will always find a rationale. The concept of rationale is KEY to answering these types of questions correctly and it should be in the forefront of your mind whenever you're faced with this type of question. Ask yourself first, "What is the question asking specifically?" Then as you read through the available answers, ask yourself, "Why would this be done?" and "Does it coincide with what the question is asking specifically?"

Also, I recommend that you get the book, Test Success by, Nugent and Vitale. It will answer a lot of your questions.

Oops! Didn't realize this thread was over a year old.

[yesitslaura]

Excellent thread! So glad it was refreshed!

[iwannabeanurse2010]

This information and the rationale and breakdown is extremely helpful. I found myself confused on how to answer some of the questions in the NCLEX review style before , now i feel better equipped. Thanks again!

[FA2Nurse]

Read and figure out what the nurse is supposed to do in each situation.