NCLEX, a perfect world?

[Kaix781]

Is NCLEX really based on a perfect world? Which means you have all the supplies you need like meds, IV access, etc, and that the labs/cultures are already drawn up?

Because wouldn't that mean that in a question, drawing up a lab or establishing IV access wouldn't be a correct answer if you were thinking that way?

Not that I thought of it that way but recently saw a post about it on FB about nclex being a perfect world so I'd like some clarification please!

[RAndaRoo]

I haven't taken NCLEX yet, but I've been told that before too. I think it means when you're answering a question you only have that patient on the screen or patient(s) if it's like who do you see first. So in other words if it asks you something don't think well I couldn't do this answer choice because realistically I have other patients etc. etc.

And then with meds like you have an order for everything so don't think well I have to have an order for this med. Basically I think it means don't read into the question or think about real life hospital problems you've encountered, read the questions and answers for what they are truly asking.

And from most questions I've practiced usually the start an IV/draw up labs are more of a what would you do "first" type of thing.

[Central BSN, RN]

It means think text book. Don't base your answers off of practices you saw in clinical. The test is not a trick if it states something take it at face value.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

It also means that you assume that you have a prescribed order for each option. I.E. Don't not pick an option because you don't know if you have an order. Assume that you do.

[HeySis, BSN, RN]

IN the NCLEX world you have all of the supplies, staff, time and orders you need. (so you never need to leave a client and you always have staff/time to sit one on one)

This does not mean you won't get a question in which you have to make a call to a doctor (usually very rare, I'll talk a bit more about that below) or establish an IV. It does mean if there are multiple choice answers that are orders for medications, IV and PO, that you know you already have IV access, so you can't rule some out because it didn't say the patient has an IV.... you'll have to look at the medications, indications, patient status and such.

So as far as calling the MD.... NCLEX wants to know what you would do, not what the MD would do. But I did have practice questions (in either Kaplan or LaCharity) in which you did everything you could, or a patient had a change in status for the worse and the choices weren't things that would help, so calling the MD to inform was the correct answer... So always look at your questions carefully.

Our instructor told us to think "If I could only do one thing to help the patient before I left the room, which one thing would keep them the safest"

NCLEX is all about safety.