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

pockunit, ADN, RN · Sep 23, 2011

You have to understand what the question is asking before you can pick an answer. That's where doing NCLEX questions over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and OVER really helps. And most books will help you learn how to disassemble a question to determine what it's actually asking you to know. If you take the time and do the steps, it's not as hard as you might think.

morte, LPN, LVN · Sep 23, 2011

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

There we go...!

canigraduate · Sep 23, 2011

The key words are "nurse initiated" and "intervention". Observation for side effects is an assessment, not on intervention, so scratch that one out. The medications are doctor-driven, not nurse driven, so scratch those out. That leaves only the teaching.

There are several books out there that can teach you how to read, interpret, and correctly answer this type of question. The ones that helped me the most are Fundamentals Success and the Kaplan NCLEX review.

I have heard good things about this book, Test Success:

http://www.amazon.com/Test-Success-Test-Taking-Techniques-ebook/dp/B002KYHZ98/ref=pd_sim_kinc1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

Good luck!!

Texasstudentnurse · Sep 24, 2011

So I guess this is something that a nurse will really have to deal with on a daily basis? I want so badly to be a nurse, so I will do whatever it takes to become that person, I just have a hell of a time second guessing myself! It is also hard when there is no explanation as to WHY you got it wrong. Our teacher is limited in help lol... she will say IT IS IN THE TEXT BOOK OF FUNDAMENTALS.... AAAHHHH Really? No kidding lol... but we are not experienced nurses. We are one month into this, UGH... I will roll with it like I always do... Say a little prayer for me

canigraduate · Sep 24, 2011

So I guess this is something that a nurse will really have to deal with on a daily basis? I want so badly to be a nurse, so I will do whatever it takes to become that person, I just have a hell of a time second guessing myself! It is also hard when there is no explanation as to WHY you got it wrong. Our teacher is limited in help lol... she will say IT IS IN THE TEXT BOOK OF FUNDAMENTALS.... AAAHHHH Really? No kidding lol... but we are not experienced nurses. We are one month into this, UGH... I will roll with it like I always do... Say a little prayer for me

LOL!! No, nurses don't have to deal with test questions on a daily basis. However, these questions do help you to develop critical thinking skills, and you WILL use those on a minute-by-minute basis.

ro2878, ADN, BSN · Sep 24, 2011

I, too, would have picked the teaching answer.

Yes, technically assessing falls under assessment for ADPIE and not intervention but don't we always use "Assess Pt for...." as an intervention when we write care plans? Couldn't you make the argument that assessing a Pt would be an intervention????

lrlat · Sep 24, 2011

WOW thanks ....i am one month in also and am having trouble with some of these kinds of questions but seeing metricalpound's answer kind of clicked a light on for me!! I think my biggest problem has been "adding " to the questions or not really understanding what the answers are saying:)

Constantly Surprised · Sep 24, 2011

A big lesson I learned recently is one that I seem to have to re-learn over and over in life lol...

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

I always over think everything and even analyze a question down to facts that aren't even there. The only thing you can do is answer the question right in front of you. Don't fill in any little blanks, don't dream up wild scenarios to suit the answer you WANT to pick. Just simply answer the question based on what you know, and what the question is asking.

Re read questions if you can't find the answer with ease. Is it asking for the FIRST thing you would do? If the first thing you would do isn't listed as a choice, is the second thing? Is the question asking you to interrupt vocabulary (rare on an RN test), and if so does the exact match for that word not appear, but a similar one for another word does? Is this question asking you an ABC (airway, breathing circulation) order of what is important to do first?

Just focus on answering that ONE question right in front of you.

pockunit, ADN, RN · Sep 24, 2011

Sometimes the answer is the least bad one.

Constantly Surprised · Sep 24, 2011

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.

RE: This question. Interventions are actionable.

Observing, as #3 seems tempting to pick, is more evaluating in my mind than intervening. Schedules for administering meds are pretty standard on an order (prn and so forth) so #2 is out. #1 is actionable, but ordered by the doctor and not necessarily something the nurse would do herself so I'd rule out #1.

Teaching is an action initiated by the nurse that helps the patient stay safe. I'd go with #4.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Sep 24, 2011

Sometimes the answer is the least bad one.

Also known as "the BEST answer". They all may have some truth to them. If it is a priority question (which would you do FIRST) then they should all be correct. It then comes down to which action is most important to do first.

OP: all the reading in the world may not help you, if you don't know what to do with that information. You also need to know what the question is asking, In your sample question, these are all things that a nurse does do (and is responsible to do), But we're looking for the one that is nursing focused. This is where many students get caught up, They KNOW the answer, but sometimes they don't really KNOW the question.

M.Nurse · Sep 24, 2011

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%

Well my two cents might not mean much because you are closer to the goal then I am because I am still finishing up my nursing pre-reqs, but here is what I am thinking:

1) Well you said you are in your first month of nursing school, so my thought process as far as this one goes is; do you even know what gentamicin is? If so then wouldn't you know at what times and situations it can be administered? If not, which I am guessing would be because you have not been through the pharmacology course yet for nursing, then you would not pick this one because it would be akin to grabbing a random unlabeled bottle of medication off the ground and taking one.

2) I am aware nurses can administer some medications but this sounds to me that you are managing all medications? That does not sound like something nurses can do in a scope of practice, only MDs...

3) It is definitely not this one. Intervention means doing an action, not observing a reaction.

4) By process of elimination I would have to go with this one, however logically speaking this would be my guess anyways because this is an ACTION that occurs between the patient and nurse where the nurse actively takes part in the care? /shrug