Oh how can I pass when 3 out of 4 answers seem correct

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*sigh* I started nursing school last month. I study my butt off. I am talking I read every moment I am not showering, eating or sleeping. I did okay on the first test and then the second one came. I made a 73, which is NOT acceptable. I failed because we must have a 75. I just don't get the groove I guess. Is it really possible to read the chapters and know exactly what is the right answer lol? Of course I know it is, but it is not so cut an dry as her asking about the ABC's.. I am talking about questions that have THREE great and similar answers. I know they are weeding us out, but man. At what point does the nursing brain start kicking in? Whats worse is I have had a few years as a CNA and phlebotomist, so I am aware of medical terms and situations, but this is nothing like it. Nothing at all... How did you study for school in order to retain and pass? I retain it, but my problem is using my retained information to find the right answer when my teacher is a really great nursing instructor (meaning she is tricky and sly with her wording ;)

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Specializes in Operating Room.

You need to get an NCLEX study book. Kaplan and Hurst have great strategies to help you identify the right answer when ALL the answers seem right.

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Thanks! Here is a for example question:

Which of the following nursing activities most clearly reflects a nurse initiated intervention?

1. Safely administers intravenous gentamicin.

2. Establishes schedule for the administration of medication.

3. Observes for side effects of the medication.

4. Teaches client to self administer medication after discharge.

Hell, maybe its just me? Maybe I am just not giving 100%

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Thanks! Here is a for example question:

Which of the following nursing activities most clearly reflects a nurse initiated intervention?

1. Safely administers intravenous gentamicin.

2. Establishes schedule for the administration of medication.

3. Observes for side effects of the medication.

4. Teaches client to self administer medication after discharge.

Hell, maybe its just me? Maybe I am just not giving 100%

Yeah - these questions are tough but some of them you just have to sort of reason out what may be wrong or what may be right and then take a leap of faith with the answer.

So let me try my hand at this question:

I see "nurse initiated intervention," I'm thinking an intervention that doesn't need another member of the team working with the patient. Of course, I could be wrong with this interpretation, but I think I'm on the right path.

I look at the first answer - I can't safely administer IV gentamicin without a doctor's order. So I'm not choosing this option.

I look at the second answer - I can't schedule administration because the MD's write the frequency of when the patient take his or her medication. So I'm not choosing this option.

The third and the fourth answer both look really good to me. But I have a small problem with the fourth answer - "after discharge." He or she should be taught before discharge to administer their medication.

So I'm going with the third option - observing for side effects of the medication.

Did I get it right or wrong?

Now if I got it wrong, I'd like to know why I got it wrong and then I'd consider how I can improve the next time I get a question similar to this.

*The trick is to sort of reason things out - even if you get a question wrong, if you start to reason things out, you'll see that you will get better at answering these type of questions. Also do as many questions as possible in NCLEX books.*

Either way - good luck and I hope you do better on your next test. =D

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If I had seen this question I would have picked #4...

Which is the correct answer?

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It is the teaching! Ugh!! Darn questions.

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It is the teaching! Ugh!! Darn questions.

But why is it the teaching?

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that does seem tricky to me. i'd freak out if all the questions were like that.

1. doesn't seem right because the doctor orders the med, so it's not nurse initiated.

2. ^ pretty much the same thing... the doc specifies how frequently it's given.

3. could be right... it's definitely the nurse's job to assess the patient after the med is given.

4. could be right as well - this is definitely the nurse's job, although usually the doctor gives instructions with the prescription...

ultimately i'd go with 4, it seems the most "nurse initiated" to me.

do you know the right answer?

ETA I see you replied. yay i got it right. do you know why #3 is wrong? because it goes along with the doctor's order?

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I would have went with #4 because even though it is a nurse's job to assess for side effects, ultimately the patient would notice the side effects before the nurse. Where as teaching the patient is nurse initiated.

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Specializes in Infusion.

I picked #4 because watching someone for a reaction is not an intervention. The other 2 are not "nurse initiated".

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I saw it as an intervention is an action; something that the nurse actively does. Teaching is active, it requires direct patient contact. I saw observing as more passive, not an action or intervention. That was just my thought process.

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Specializes in LTC.
But why is it the teaching?

1 and 2 need doctors orders. 3. is an assessment. 4 is an actual intervention.

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