Published Mar 14, 2014
borge82
15 Posts
Hi Guys, I'm about to take the NCLEX RN this next Friday, I'm a bit anxoius but trying to be focused and relaxed for the coming day. BTW, can you share to me your opinions about my score in kaplan Qtrainers, if I still have time to reconsider postponing my exam.. Here's my result QT1: 58% QT2: 73% QT3:59% QT4:68% QT5:61% QT7: 64%.. It feels theres still a lot that i need to cover. How will I adjust for this hene my exam is coming very soon..I need your thoughts,thank you and I appreciate it.
LoveMeSomeLDL
63 Posts
On Kaplans guide they recommend a score of 65% or higher for QT4 & QT5. For QT6 & QT7 they recommend a score of 60% or higher. Looks like you're doing OK but what was your score for QT6? Also, some people have passed without achieving the recommended scores.
LoveMeSomeLDL: my QT6 score 63.5%..uhmm I"m quite nervous due to the fact Fri is nearly coming. I don't know what to do next if I will still study or try to relax ..guys,give some ideas that is beneficial for my preparation this Friday.
nurseprnRN, BSN, RN
1 Article; 5,116 Posts
NCLEX items are developed in part from knowing what errors new grads make and how. They tend to be of two kinds: inadequate information, and lack of knowledge (these are not the same thing). The goal of NCLEX is to pass candidates who will be acceptably SAFE in practice as NURSES. So-- they want to know what the prudent NURSE will do.
1) When confronted c 4 answers, you can usually discard 2 out of hand. Of the remaining two,
-- always choose the answer that (in priority order) makes the patient safer or gets you more information. "Can you tell me more about that?" "What do you know about your medication?" "What was the patient's lab result?"
-- NEVER choose the answer that has you turf the situation to another discipline-- chaplain, dietary, MD, social work, etc. It's often tempting, but they want to know about what the NURSE would do. See "always..." above.
2) "Safer" might mean airway, breathing, circulation; it might mean pull the bed out of the room and away from the fire; it might mean pressure ulcer prevention; or improving nutrition; or teaching about loose scatter rugs ... Keep your mind open. It might also mean "Headed down a better pathway to health." For example, while telling a battered woman who has chosen not to leave her partner that "studies show that he will do it again" is factually true (and that's why this wrong answer is often chosen), the better answer is to acknowledge that you hear her choice to stay and say "now let's think of a plan to keep you safe." This doesn't turn her off from listening to you, so she will trust you, acknowledges her right to choose, and helps her along a path to better safety.
3) Read carefully. If they ask you for a nursing intervention answer, they aren't asking for an associated task or action which requires a physician plan of care. So in a scenario involving a medication, the answer would NOT be to hang the IV, regulate it, or chart it; it would not be to observe for complications. It WOULD be to assess pt knowledge of the med/tx plan and derive an appropriate patient teaching plan. Only that last one is nursing-independent and a nursing intervention.
Again, they want NURSING here.
4) The day before the test, do not study. Research shows that your brain does not retain crap you stuff into it at the last minute-- musicians learning a new piece play the first part on Monday, the second part on Tuesday, and the third part on Weds. Then they do something else entirely on Thursday; meanwhile, behind the scenes, the brain is organizing the new info into familiar cubbyholes already stuffed with music, putting it ready for easy access. On Friday, the whole piece works much better.
What this translates for in test-taking land is this: The day before the test, you go to a museum or a concert, go take a hike, read a trashy novel, make a ragout, do something else entirely. Take a small glass of wine, soak in a nice hot bath in a darkened tub with a few candles on the sink, get a nice night's sleep.
5) On your way out the door in the morning, open the refrigerator door and read the mayonnaise jar label. Do what it says: Keep cool, do not freeze. Then go to the testing center, you incipient RN, you!
Hi Grn Tea, i do appreciate you comment. it helped me clear my thought. Anyways, i'm so very proud to a USRN!..i took the exam last friday march 21, then found the result last sunday.. I'm so happy. God is great!..It took me 75 items.
US-RN! yohooo! God Is So Good!
Hi LoveMeSomeLDL: my QT6 score 63.5%..uhmm I"m quite nervous due to the fact Fri is nearly coming. I don't know what to do next if I will still study or try to relax ..guys,give some ideas that is beneficial for my preparation this Friday.
lulasuerte
4 Posts
I scored a 54 on QT7, low 60s on the rest and thought that Kaplan was quite a bit harder than the actual exam. GrnTea's answer is spot on...I would add: do not to overthink the answer, keep it basic...you are a new nurse! You sound very well prepared and I would opt for a study break at this point Good luck!
Hi lulasuerte, thank you for the reply..my mistake i post my previous post. I already got my scores in NCLEX..I'm proud to say I am now a USRN!