Not a test taker

NightNurseRN13 · Mar 1, 2014

Do you feel you need more time? I know for me it was because I spent too much time on a question. I would answer it and then rethink my answer and ultimately change it to the wrong answer. I stopped second guessing myself and started doing much better.

If you feel it's a time issue, your school might offer student assistance. A lot of my classmates would test in another building and they were given 4 hours to complete the exam.

quirkystudent · Mar 1, 2014

I'm not sure it's that because I can finish in time. I've honestly considered that perhaps I am dyslexic? When I get my tests back to review them it seems I want to bang my head on a wall. Most of the ones I get wrong I don't understand why I chose the answer I did because it was obvious it was incorrect. I've gotten to the point that I whisper the questions to myself as I take the test because reading things out loud helps to not miss words like "everything except".

Hpy_Vly_RNBSN · Mar 1, 2014

I realized that during nursing school I had a severe form of test anxiety. I was studying hard for every test. I joined study groups for the extra help and I still consistently scored lower on my exams than my study partners. I found myself in the professors offices countless times trying to figure out why I was struggling. I started attending tutoring sessions and found a tutor who helped me with my anxiety. I never failed a class but I scraped by in each and every class until I found her. Before my exit exam she did guided imagery with me and it helped so much I had one of the top scores out of my group.

quirkystudent · Mar 1, 2014

This is a great example of what happens when I take tests. The answer is obvious however I read that question 3 times and still got it wrong because I did not read "the skin around the stoma". I read "the stoma is red" and the stoma is supposed to be red. I know you would report more of a bluish color, but again I read that question 3 times and still missed it. ARGH. I know liquid stools is normal but the word "large amount" made me think it was the answer since I didn't catch the "skin around" in the first answer.

Hpy_Vly_RNBSN - I know I have test anxiety. I just don't know if it's because I know it's a test or because I am so used to the poor scores that I lose self confidence, which undoubtedly affects the outcome. How do you do guided imagery during a test? What exactly do you envision? I repeat to myself in my head "You can do this. You know the answer." and as we can see it doesn't help.

EDITED due to the pic not showing up completely.

EDITED again... apparently I'm too sleepy to see there is a scroll bar... oi.

NightNurseRN13 · Mar 1, 2014

Ohhhh yeah. Lots of people have problems with questions like that. Unfortunately nursing is "attention to detail", that is def. something you are going to need to work on. Keep doing practice questions! Have you started doing NCLEX questions yet? There is a lot of practice catching words and phrasing of sentences with those. Good luck.

quirkystudent · Mar 1, 2014

These are the only questions I have access to that I know of. I think the NCLEX ones you have to pay for right? I haven't bought anything besides the ATI books. The instructors gave us codes for the ATI website. I also have 6 Lippincott apps on my phone that I have been using not only to study but also to get the practice in for the questions. I'm just getting frustrated because my biggest fear is failing out due to not being able to pass a test even though I know and understand the content. I do fine on the assignments. I've also been told I do the best work out of the whole class on the assignments and in clinicals. I think A+ hands on care is more important than A+ book knowledge but like my instructor said, the best nurses can do both and if I don't tackle this problem I will struggle immensely on the NCLEX.

I was also wanting to go straight into the RN program after this but now I don't know if it's a good idea. I'm seriously considering working for a year to have time to prepare myself for the RN year and test taking. :unsure:

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 2, 2014

You may need to find out if you have dyslexia or some form of test anxiety; no matter if you wait to go on to take classes for your RN, you need to learn how to look at the question and understand what it's ASKING.

For the previous question that you posted; the question key words of "notify the doctor". A great way of choosing the BEST answer is looking at which answer that needs IMMEDIATE attention that is beyond the nursing intervention. The other options can be managed by a nurse; "thinking like a nurse" including know when to notify the physician/practitioner is in order to choose the best answer for your example.

If you know your learning style, look up ways to help your learning style transfer into helping your test taking skills; I find I am a kinesthetic learner, so action words around the keywords in a question helped me choose the best answer.

NightNurseRN13 · Mar 2, 2014

These are the only questions I have access to that I know of. I think the NCLEX ones you have to pay for right? I haven't bought anything besides the ATI books. The instructors gave us codes for the ATI website. I also have 6 Lippincott apps on my phone that I have been using not only to study but also to get the practice in for the questions. I'm just getting frustrated because my biggest fear is failing out due to not being able to pass a test even though I know and understand the content. I do fine on the assignments. I've also been told I do the best work out of the whole class on the assignments and in clinicals. I think A+ hands on care is more important than A+ book knowledge but like my instructor said, the best nurses can do both and if I don't tackle this problem I will struggle immensely on the NCLEX.
I was also wanting to go straight into the RN program after this but now I don't know if it's a good idea. I'm seriously considering working for a year to have time to prepare myself for the RN year and test taking.

You aren't in the RN program already?

I would exhaust all resources available to you. Go talk to an instructor and see what might be available.

quirkystudent · Mar 2, 2014

No I'm not. I wanted to do a step ladder approach. There's only two schools to choose from near me without driving 3 hours. I researched them both and my decision was based on step ladder approach (because the other one skips LPN), the drop out rate of the other school (which is ridiculously high and scared me), and my nursing program is named top 10 in the nation for community colleges. The ultimate factor though was the step ladder approach. I figured it would be easier for me to manage being a single mother to two.

PayitForwardHolistic · Mar 2, 2014

These are the only questions I have access to that I know of. I think the NCLEX ones you have to pay for right? I haven't bought anything besides the ATI books. The instructors gave us codes for the ATI website. I also have 6 Lippincott apps on my phone that I have been using not only to study but also to get the practice in for the questions. I'm just getting frustrated because my biggest fear is failing out due to not being able to pass a test even though I know and understand the content. I do fine on the assignments. I've also been told I do the best work out of the whole class on the assignments and in clinicals. I think A+ hands on care is more important than A+ book knowledge but like my instructor said, the best nurses can do both and if I don't tackle this problem I will struggle immensely on the NCLEX.
I was also wanting to go straight into the RN program after this but now I don't know if it's a good idea. I'm seriously considering working for a year to have time to prepare myself for the RN year and test taking.

I am currently prepping for the NCLEX RN and my struggle with testing anxiety still thrives, I actually take a Beta blocker to help manage it ("performance anxiety") and throughout nsg school I had testing accommodations for extra time and tested in my own lil' closet of a room (at the University's "Disabilities Resource Office," in the Library)

I had too much pride (or maybe shame/embarrassment??) when I first started NSG school, and my Anxiety,(kind-of)unfortunately, resulted in failing a NSG Course. I say kind-of, bc, THANKFULLY the program was great in understanding and respecting that the anxiety was not simply an excuse or result of "poor preparation," but rather, a true, condition.

When in discussion (class/clinical/one-on-one with professors), I KNEW MY STUFF. But I remember the first time a professor called me out on my testing abilities. Prior to a quiz, I was verbally answering all of the questions during class discussion. The prof handed out the quiz, and one by one every other student left the room. Time was up, I walked to the front of the classroom and handed in my BLANK/UNANSWERED Quiz!!! She asked me what happened?.... I couldn't get past the word "The." During the quiz, all I could hear was the clock ticking (literally, like it was a church bell!), everyone's pencils writing, and then as students stood up to bc they were finished my heart raced more and more! I couldn't think straight. Heck, I don't even remember if I managed to write my name on the quiz. LOL

Anywho, sorry for the brief ramble, but I just wanted to stress that you are not alone and the possible issue of Testing Anxiety WILL NOT stop you from achieving your dreams. Remember, you are surrounded by nurses..... past, future, and present! I know hands on how frustrating and even discouraging it can feel to be the only student (in my case) who can't test comfortably like other student's do. With that being said, I would also like to mention that the anxiety r/t feeling like the odd man out, lessens quite quickly.. (At least for me).. I was blessed with classmates who didn't look down on me for a second bc I required accommodations, but instead, encouraged & supported me for taking the initiative to not only ask for help, but get the appropriate help.

Never give up on your dreams. When feeling discouraged, I just take a moment to breathe and remind myself, "Look, PayitForwardHolistic, you made it this far for a reason, you want to be a nurse, Be a Nurse!. You have a purpose in this world!" It helps redirect my racing (panicked in fear of failure) heart... to return the passionate beat which drives me and my dedication to PayitForward.

*Please Note: The above statement is personal to me. I am not suggesting or recommending that anyone and everyone out there who feels anxious during exams will need and/or require meds or the specific accommodations which I received (based on the DSM_IV).

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 2, 2014

Test taking is not like turnout in ballet. It is not something one is born with. It is skill, and everyone of average intellect can develop it with time and effort.

Take any NCLEX book and do questions about subjects you already know. Do it slowly, analyzing your thinking process and not caring about immediate results. After 5000 or so questions you' ll see the difference.