Med-Surg Exams

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Jun 11, 2011

Your best bet is going to be to go to the instructor and have them look over your test with you to try and figure out where you are going wrong and how to fix it.. They will be able to see where your weaknesses are and help guide you.

alibee · Jun 11, 2011

The Saunders NCLEX-RN review book is a godsend. I'm in a program where the tests that the med-surg instructors give do not pertain to the lectures or powerpoints whatsoever, but when I switched from rifling through the textbook to reading the Saunders chapter reviews and doing applicable NCLEX questions, I pulled an A- (and that was with minimal studying).

Med-Surg nursing school questions are primarily about delegation and priorities; what are you going to do FIRST to treat this patient? Which of these patients has the highest priority. Also, use your ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation) and Maslow's to help determine priority of care. Lastly, make sure you understand the disease processes and warning signs. Again, I found that the Saunders book broke everything down without the unnecessary extrapolation of the textbook, and that the explanation of rationales with the NCLEX questions filled in any gaps that I might have missed.

Good luck to you!

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 11, 2011

For each med-surg category, think about the diagnosis and the signs and symptoms of patients with that diagnosis. What can YOU do as a nurse? What do YOU do first? What is normal and what is an emergency situation. Know your vocabulary words - because the tests will ask a question in such a way that you will need to know what type of care is needed for xerostomia and the answer will be obvious (provide oral care). The Saunders study guide is an excellent choice also.

den_rob1913 · Jun 11, 2011

Thank U! I will order it now. :yeah:

nlion87 · Jun 11, 2011

This helped me for med surg. In outline form List disease/disorder, pathophysiology of the disease/disorder, diagnostic tests to used to identify each disesae/disorder and special nursing considerations associated with each diagnostic test, signs and symptoms of the disorder, special nursing implications that go along for the disease/disorder as well as listing the meds used to treat disease/disorder and corresponding nursing implications associated with each med. It may be time consuming but as you are writing you are also reviewing as well plus no need to reread chapter--your notes will be all set for the exams

michellej_1012 · Jun 13, 2011

Do any and all NCLEX type questions you can get your hands on. Most of your books will come with online access, register them and I am sure you will find questions on some of those.

fromtheseaRN, BSN, RN · Jun 13, 2011

in addition to the excellent advice above, read the beginning of your nclex book. it goes into detail about how to read, decipher, and answer nclex style questions. just doing that alone brought me up a letter grade

MandiRN2011 · Jun 13, 2011

den rob 1913,

I have a book titled Med Surg Success by Colgrove and Callicoatt, it is a very good book. It helped me tremendously in Med Surg as well as when I progressed through the program. I strongly reccommend this book. Good luck and keep pushing on.....

michellej_1012 · Jun 13, 2011

den rob 1913,
I have a book titled Med Surg Success by Colgrove and Callicoatt, it is a very good book. It helped me tremendously in Med Surg as well as when I progressed through the program. I strongly reccommend this book. Good luck and keep pushing on.....

I agree with Mandi... Med surg success is an AWESOME BOOK. I also recently got pharm success and it's just as amazing.