Published Feb 3, 2011
Rconectn
2 Posts
I'm in my 5th semester of my BS program and one would think that everything should be clicking by now, it's not. I'm really frustrated because I just took my first OB exam and I got a 74, 75 is passing, and I swear I studied, every single day. I manged to read the four chapters the exam was based on twice, I even read the Test for Success Book questions. I felt prepared for the exam. Even when I finished the exam I felt comfortable. The grades were posted today and I am truly ******!
My two friends who crammed over the weekend ended up with a B on the exam and they always say the same thing to me after the exam, "I failed the test, I marked 15 questions I wasn't sure about", and they always end up with a B or better. Meanwhile here I am busting my butt and I can't even make a B. I asked them for help, but they say they just pick what they think is correct, they have no advice for me. This has been going on since I began the program.
I am truly frustrated and angry. I truly felt like giving up. I think to myself what's the point of studying so hard for and I can't even make a B on my exams. I know it's the way the questions are asked, the critically thinking questions, what am I doing wrong I wonder. Can anyone please advice me a way to become a better test taker when it comes to these critical thinking question. Is their a book out there that can help? Thanks in advance.
Turd Ferguson
455 Posts
How do you study?
bonnevie13
73 Posts
Critical thinking questions are some of the most difficult. Your friends say they just pick the answer that they think is most correct...well one thing I have learned is.....READ THE QUESTION...don't assume, don't add anything or any other information to the question....read the question and select the best answer..it is when we second guess ourselves....we start to manipulate the question by adding info, and reading more into it. This is about the best advice I can give. Keep your chin up.....keep studying and putting in the time...just don't over think and add information to the question...this will definitely get you into trouble. Good Luck...you'll do better next time!
I read until I understand what the subject is talking about. I basically read to get a understanding of the material. There is so much to read that I can't afford to slowly capture all the points of the subject matter. I highlight what I think is important, obviously I am highlighting the wrong information. I truly am lost here. Funny thing is, I have no problem with dimensional analysis exams or when I was taking the prerequisite chemistry, anatomy, and biology classes; I was making B's and A's in those subjects. It's the nursing questions, they seem so easy when I'm reading them, but I end up choosing the wrong answer.
Thanks for the advice. I don't believe I read into the question, but maybe I do. Maybe my pathology is weak. I did have trouble in that class along with Med-Surge, but then again when I took anatomy I didn't find it as difficult. Then again, the anatomy that I took, which was the prerequisite class for nursing didn't have critical thinking questions, it was more black and white thinking.
Anymore advice would be great.
Mike R, ADN, BSN, RN
286 Posts
Is all you're doing is reading? Get a book with NCLEX style questions to test your comprehension. Get into study groups and bounce ideas and questions off of each other. Put all that reading to use to see if what you read actually soaked in.
Straight reading only gives you facts. It doesn't really enrich any critical thinking skills unless you're answering the questions in the assigned readings. Even those are limited in what they can offer.
JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN
710 Posts
So many questions on our exams are asking us to think like a nurse and decide what is the appropriate action to take right now, with this patient, in this particular situation. You have to draw a little from what you read but more of it comes from knowing the most appropriate action to take. You may know the black and white answer to the physiology questions but when it comes to treating your patient, you have to tweak things to cover the circumstances. I'm going to be helping a friend with studying but I don't put a ton of time into studying myself because it seems to provide only a memorized answer and that isn't what the tests are asking for. I take a long time reading the questions and really thinking about them before answering.
newstudent2010
29 Posts
Ask yourself questions as you're reading. It helps you apply what you're reading. Take tons of NCLEX and chapter questions. Rationalize through each question you do and talk it out. Join a study group, I LOVE mine and we work awesome together. Go speak to your professor. Our professors say if its not "clicking" then go talk to them and they can try and figure out whats wrong.
When taking your test, cover the answers. It helps you understand the question without getting distracted by the answers. Underline the question and focus on what its asking. Highlight or circle key words (best or first, etc.).
I hope this helps. Good luck!
link51411
100 Posts
I know how you feel. I was failing OB, gave up and did not study and ended up making a 97 on that exam. now do not take that advice, very risky. however, my advice to you is to talk to your teachers and review you exam with the one who made the test. I ended up doing that and it was more help than anything else. I also got destracted while taking my tests and my teachers allowed me to take the test in their office without any other students.
Others have said it too, but practice questions work the best for me- rationales are more valuable than the textbook (for me at least). I do probably 200-300 practice questions in preparation for each test. It's all about finding what works for you!