Is Priority Qs the New Trend this year 2017?

Editorial Team / Admin · Jun 17, 2017

Here's the thing about those alternate format questions: the number of them/the number of a specific type doesn't mean anything. Questions of all types, including those alternate format ones, are written both above and below passing standard. If the question is below passing standard and you get it right, it doesn't help you pass because it's below minimum competency.

ReeltoRealNurse, LPN · Jun 17, 2017

That's good to know. I just took my NCLEX and I got less than 15 SATA Qs but tons of other alternative Qs. I was reading a lot of nursing forums and it's all like they passed with tons of SATA Qs. or like most likely half of their 75 Qs were SATA.

Extra Pickles · Jun 17, 2017

Luck of the draw. Passing with one SATA or a hundred, no difference. Too much is made of Prioritization questions also, as they aren't indicative of being higher level questions just because they are prioritization.

This example below is obviously a below-passing standard question, but is in fact a prioritization question:

You are at the scene of a massive train wreck. You begin to assess those people on the ground to help determine priority of treatment. Which of these victims should be seen first?

a. 34 year old man with massive visible wounds, head is 75% severed and is non-responsive.

b. 72 year old woman with no visible wounds, but has no pulse or respirations.

c. 14 year old girl with a laceration to her palm, very upset, but stable VS

d. 50 year old man c/o chest pain, screaming in pain and with visible lacerations to all his limbs.

Pretty sure this wouldn't be a good sign to anyone receiving a similar question that they are doing great because of the type of question it is!