I finally decided to make an account after coming to this site almost everyday, for the past several weeks, to research nursing topics. It has helped me greatly and Thank you all for you contributions!
I recently graduated from an ADN program and I am soooo happy and grateful that I was actually able to complete it because it was the MOST challenging experience I have EVER gone through in my entire life. I have to admit, it has been extremely hard to get back to the studying for the NCLEX. It's like my brain rejects the information every time I try to pick up a book and do questions... my brain says: "oh, no not you again." hahaha.... ugh! Never the less, I know I have to prepare for this beast which brings me to this post. I was thinking... Why not challenge some of you who plan on taking the NCLEX late? March/early April 2011? What do you guys think? Maybe we can message each other here by the end of the day and share whether or not you met your daily goal. For example, I have 2 books (lacharity and Davis Q&A) and I plan on doing 100-150 questions a day until my test date. Even if I do 20-25 in increments throughout the day, the point is to do them daily. Then I will come here and share how my day went. That way we can motivate each other through this excruciating journey.
Whaddayasay huh?!?.... I plan on starting this Sunday... Let me know if any of you guys are interested, I would love to motivate and be motivated by you guys... We need to get together and tame this beast! Lets do this!!!!
Wooohooo! Congrats to all those who made it so far. My best friend took her test today and she got the good pop up. I will be using her books that helped her pass (kaplan & Saunders) so I decided to reschedule for May. Let's do this!!!!!!
P.S. I continued my exercise/healthy eating regimen and lost 15lbs so far. holllaaaaaaaaa! :)
im thinking of rescheduling my exam too! maybe first week of May! we'll see! :)
Yup! Let's do this! We gonna PASS the NCLEX! Goodluck to all of us!:redbeathe
How are you doing with the Kaplan? What are your percentages like on the exams, if you're taking them?
I got so many books from different people, its insane! lol... Im NCLEXed OUT! That's why I decided to reschedule, so I can get myself re-organized and get back on track. I finished lacharity and pri/del/asg next on my list Kaplan.
I could see myself on the beach this summer sipping on some ices, NCLEX-worry-free.
Okay so far I have come up with a few rules that have helped me in answering these priority questions, mind you I have not taken the exam yet but these rules have increased my practice test scores...
1. You know the famous ABC's... Except it's A-C-BC... Airway, (Consciousness), Breathing, Circulation.
2. Maslow's hierarchy of needs (self-explanatory, they have in a nice little pyramid just go in the order they provide you with)
3. Knowing what the question is really asking. Although, you have to obviously know what EVERY single question is asking, The type of question I am referring to specifically has to do with the nursing process.... Example, a question that asks, what ACTION will you take most likely requires you to do an INTERVENTION as oppose to a question that asks, what will you do NEXT... Which requires you to identify what part of the nursing process you are in. Do you need to ASSESS more, are you ready to INTERVENE, are you EVALUATING, TEACHING, etc...
Hope you understood those few tips and try to apply them to your practice questions and see how you do. These are not "set in stone" rules because we all know NCLEX style questioning has a way of making things a bit more complicated, this is more of a guide to help you start thinking in terms of how they want you to think. Anyone else with tips please feel free to add.
Some other things I remembered... If they are all stable patients go with the one that is most immunocompromised. I use to get these questions wrong all the time because the answer only explained what type of medication the patient was taking and not the actual disease. Pharmacology is my weak point so try and become familiar with medications for immunocomprimised patients like cancer, aids, etc... and/or medications that actually compromise the immune system.
Don't forget Erickson's stages of growth and development. I have a tendency to relate this to my own personal experience and although in real life all children are different we have to pretty much memorize the Erickson table and use that to answer the questions. This brings me to another point, don't use your personal experience while answering the test only use text book answers.
Obviously if the vitals are not within normal limits they take priority.
SO let me give you an example of a patient priority list in regular questions:
However, if you have a disaster and triage question, this is how you would answer that question;
Triage nursing:
Priority#1
-chest wounds, airway obstruction, shock, pneumothorax, 2nd & 3rd degree burns to 15-40% of body. (key words-anxiety, apprehension, restlessness, confusion, changes in LOC -these are 1st sign of increased ICP)
-upper extremity fractures, minor burns, sprains, small lacerations w/o significant bleeding, psychological disturbance.
Priority#4 (changes of survival are unlikely)
-penetrating head wounds, burns in excess of 60% of BSA, seizures or vomiting within 24hrs of exposure to radiation, profound shock with multiple injuries, absent pulses, absent bp, fixed & dilated pupils.
Never the less, I know I have to prepare for this beast which brings me to this post. I was thinking... Why not challenge some of you who plan on taking the NCLEX late? March/early April 2011? 
What do you guys think? Maybe we can message each other here by the end of the day and share whether or not you met your daily goal. For example, I have 2 books (lacharity and Davis Q&A) and I plan on doing 100-150 questions a day until my test date. Even if I do 20-25 in increments throughout the day, the point is to do them daily. Then I will come here and share how my day went. That way we can motivate each other through this excruciating journey.
ann_08RN
249 Posts
yeah sure.. hehehehehe. we will make it, i know it!!!!