NCLEX anxiety

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · May 31, 2014

You want to be rational about taking this examination. The best way to do this is to realize that this is a basic exam for entry-level nurses, not a clinical specialist examination. 85% of new grads pass it on the first try, and a large number of them don't even take these expensive review courses.

Whatever resource you use, make sure it gives you the rationales (reasons) for why the wrong choices are wrong as well as the right ones, right. This is where most people fall down-- they pick an answer that is factually true but is not the best answer for the situation as it would be assessed by a good RN. They try to memorize facts but forget critical thinking skills that are, well, critical in all nursing judgment. If you know the WHY of something, it makes it a great deal easier to reason your way through a problem, both in practice and in a test. You MUST get the "why" in everything you study. If you can't identify that clearly, go back and look for that information. You might find it in your nursing texts or review books, but you might also find it in your physiology or pathophysiology books, lab manuals, or other prerequisite books.

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-type tests 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.

1a) Some people find it’s helpful to look at “select all that apply” choices as individual questions. I really suggest you read the article on not fearing SATA in this forum.

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.

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 the way out the door in the morning, open the refrigerator and read the label on the mayonnaise jar. Do what it says: Keep cool, do not freeze.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2014

Are we chillin' yet?

:flwrhrts:

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

Yet? :flwrhrts:

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2014

Bump!

sleepycat7 · Jul 8, 2014

GrnTea, I've stumbled across your advice on these threads many times in the last few years. Your words have never steered me wrong, and I plan to use this advice as I prepare to take my NCLEX-PN on 7/9. I just wanted to say a heartfelt "Thank you" from the Pacific Northwest. Thank you!! :)

Nurse2beMN · Jul 8, 2014

GREAT advice GrnTea Thank you!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2014

BUMP!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2014

Bump!