Before going into nursing, I did a bachelor of science and I can really tell the difference between the exams in nursing and in science .... in a BAD way. I always did really well on my science exams (even though they were hard and you had to study ten times harder). The concepts built on one another, and the test was cohesive. Tests were mostly written responses, in which you had to recall information on your own!
When I write a nursing exam, it feels like there's all these bits of information scattered everywhere, nothing feels cohesive about it. Exam questions are almost exclusively multiple choice and either OVERLY simple (i.e. anyone could get the correct answer even without studying) or OVERLY weird (not hard, WEIRD.... as in you don't know what the question is asking.... or the correct answer is missing.... or there are 3 equally correct answers!) I am so sick of not earning the marks I deserve in this course! The exams should be validated by an external reviewer, and then maybe change would occur!
There are several major problems with this. For me, I end up studying overboard for every exam (30 hours plus), which doesn't help anyway!!! (My average on a nursing exam is 80% but I can get an A+ on advanced organic chem? HUHHHHH?????) Others end up with the attitude that "you cannot study for a nursing exam." What's up with that? I think it would be better to give an exam that is well validated and structured with correctly worded questions and answers that truly test our knowledge. In the end, students will end up with the grades they worked for rather than settling for something less than they deserve because of horribly written questions!!
Our school's pass rate is 99-100%. However, I'm not just concerned with passing an MC exam... I'm concerned with the style of questions and whether these MC exams really challenge us to study and learn everything comprehensively... Bottom line is they DON'T. It's fine to have an MC exam for the NCLEX, but it's ridiculous to rely on MC so much for EVERY single nursing exam! I don't think this is teaching us to know our stuff INSIDE and OUT.
Then your school is probably doing NCLEX type of questions rather than out of nowhere weird questions. Hence, that's how it's supposed to be. Those questions are nothing like the other classes. So don't compare even the hardest class' exams to the nursing exams. Nursing exams don't only test your in depth knowledge, but it tests your critical thinking, prioritizing and such abilities.
Essay type of questions would be very subjective, so useless for preparing you for the real world of nursing. I won't even mention the possible conflicts between students and instructors if they were to give essay questions.
I understand it feels like all those choices are right and similar, etc. We've all been there. What matters is not that you memorize the book and are able to recite the content even backwards, but your ability to apply that knowledge in real world. So nursing exams are full of patient where they look for your ability to apply that knowledge.
I am the total opposite... I did two blocks of nursing school... which were the LPN blocks, then went on to finish my science co-reqs so I could get into the RN blocks. I actually prefer the nursing exam style questions over my science classes. (Chem, Micro & Pathyo)
I think it is just the way that I test. I am better at application of information and analysis than I am at regurgitating facts. I can't tell you exactly what is happening or exactly why... but I can tell you how the process effects you, how it will apply to a series of symptoms and which the most effective course of action or priority. Especially if this is set in a patient based question!
Why do people think that science tests are just about "regurgitating facts?" (I've found that many people seem to have this misconception). This attitude might be why you found the tests harder than nursing... Most questions on these exams test the meaning of the information and how you would actually use the information. Once you know the "why" behind stuff, you don't need to memorize...
These "application" type of tests in nursing make sense. However, when we get out into the real world, there won't be A, B, C, or D stamped to patient's chests.... so I still prefer written over MC (even if they are harder to mark).
The difference is that nursing tests are designed to test your critical thinking skills. Science tests are designed to see if you can spew out knowledge.........comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges.
I just finished my last semester. My course avg was over 96. The way I did it is this. Focus less on patho. Focus more on nursing intervention and collaborative care.
Dont read the text like a novel. Use the text only as needed to clarify the odd point of confusion. Finally, acquire MANY NCLEX review books. I suggest Saunders and Tthe SUCCESS series published by FA Davis. Also your text will have optional study guideds that have many NCLEX style questions.
So as many NCLEX review questions as you can. Read all of the rationales even for questions you get right. Study with a group and talk out the material. Teach it to eachother. Listen in class attentively. Record the lectures and listen over and over....
I realize that we may have different learning styles but this is what worked for me.
Why do people think that science tests are just about "regurgitating facts?" (I've found that many people seem to have this misconception). This attitude might be why you found the tests harder than nursing... Most questions on these exams test the meaning of the information and how you would actually use the information. Once you know the "why" behind stuff, you don't need to memorize...
These "application" type of tests in nursing make sense. However, when we get out into the real world, there won't be A, B, C, or D stamped to patient's chests.... so I still prefer written over MC (even if they are harder to mark).
Actually I took Bio I, II, Chem I, Chem II, Organic Chem, I,II, Physics I, Physics II and many many other science courses. Aced every class. Sorry, they are knowledge based tests.
Nursing exams are exponentially harder than any science test I have ever taken. Nursing rocked my brain. It was much harder than I ever inagined it would be. As many have said, put your science past out of your mind. You are not in Kansas anymore.....
Actually I took Bio I, II, Chem I, Chem II, Organic Chem, I,II, Physics I, Physics II and many many other science courses. Aced every class. Sorry, they are knowledge based tests.
Nursing exams are exponentially harder than any science test I have ever taken. Nursing rocked my brain. It was much harder than I ever inagined it would be. As many have said, put your science past out of your mind. You are not in Kansas anymore.....
You might be right about year 1 level bio, but you are wrong about 3rd and 4th level sciences. You can't just memorize the facts without making sense of them, that is bogus. Science is where I learned critical thinking... And even if the nursing exams do not have a lot of pathophysiology on them, understanding the patho will help you understand why you are doing the interventions in the first place! (AKA critical thinking). An MC question can not DEMONSTRATE critical thinking the way a written one can, period. i.e. anyone can circle A-D... it might stimulate critical thinking in some people; in others not so much.... it's impossible to grade the critical thinking with just "A-D" to show for it.
Sorry, all of you do have some great advice for studying for the NCLEX... which is great...
I'm just still keen on changing the way nursing exams are created for nursing courses (which are written during school). Perhaps maybe by the time I actually CAN make a difference, I will have changed my mind! But I still think MC exams are horrid, and I have a lot to say about them (I know, probably more than people want to hear I should get my brain out of Kansas for sure :)
You can kick, you can scream, but if you want to succeed you will need to stop fighting and assimilate......
I fought at first and then realized it was going to be a fruitless waste of energy.......
I don't think it's a fruitless waste of energy to question "why" we do things.... If the only reason the tests we write are multiple choice is to do well on the NCLEX, I think that's pretty weak. We could just take an NCLEX course. Tests in nursing school should do more than the NCLEX. The NCLEX is designed for many, many students and has to be easy to grade, but our schools need to do better!
Be advised, you are in Nursing school to learn how to pass the NCLEX. QUOTE]
WRONG.... I am in nursing school, not to prepare for a single NCLEX exam, but to learn how to be an AMAZING nurse.... and these tests are not facilitating that growth to the extent that they should.
I should get my brain out of Kansas for sure :)
Seas
519 Posts
Then your school is probably doing NCLEX type of questions rather than out of nowhere weird questions. Hence, that's how it's supposed to be. Those questions are nothing like the other classes. So don't compare even the hardest class' exams to the nursing exams. Nursing exams don't only test your in depth knowledge, but it tests your critical thinking, prioritizing and such abilities.
Essay type of questions would be very subjective, so useless for preparing you for the real world of nursing. I won't even mention the possible conflicts between students and instructors if they were to give essay questions.
I understand it feels like all those choices are right and similar, etc. We've all been there. What matters is not that you memorize the book and are able to recite the content even backwards, but your ability to apply that knowledge in real world. So nursing exams are full of patient where they look for your ability to apply that knowledge.