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

Nursing Students General Students

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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 ;)

here is another example of best answer:

Nurse needs to assess vital signs for a new patient. What is the most important action the nurse can take to prevent spread of infectious disease.

1) use a clean BP cuff

2) perform hand hygiene

3) use appropriate PPE

all three are correct. but the answer that always beats out the others in this scenario is 2) perform hand hygiene.

(before touching patient or anything patient may come in contact with. After doing any procedure, and before you leave the room, then again when you go to your next patient etc... etc... etc... lol)

these questions arent designed to "weed you out" they are like this to force you to use critical thinking skills. Because int he real world of nursing you have to know everything about everything and how to apply everything to every situation... and every situation is different. So in a matter of seconds you have to have sorted through all of your collected knowledge and know very very quickly what you need to do. And for your patients sake it must be right

get as many NClex books as you can afford and Nugent's Fundamentals Success. They are alot of help and try any iphone free apps that you can get your hands on. I have about ten on my phone and run through the practice questions on there constantly

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

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?

I'm not sure where this mentality comes from, but observing (or assessing, or evaluating) IS an action/intervention! It is a huge part of our job. I know you prefaced your response with the fact that you are not in nursing yet, but I bring this up b/c many students share the same sentiment as you.

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I'm not sure where this mentality comes from, but observing (or assessing, or evaluating) IS an action/intervention! It is a huge part of our job. I know you prefaced your response with the fact that you are not in nursing yet, but I bring this up b/c many students share the same sentiment as you.

In our Fundamentals book, assessment and intervention are clearly separated. In NCLEX world, assessment and intervention are two separate steps of the nursing process.

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I went to LPN school 4 yrs ago and I LOVE these type of questions!!.....I loved reading this post as it is getting me SO excited to start the RN program!!......I just applied for next fall as I am getting ALL the co-sciences out of the way first..so I can concentrate on JUST the program!!......i cant wait!!

can ya tell I am excited.....and did ya notice I didnt say IF i get in,but WHEN...haha....now thats positve thinkin!!:lol2:

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I'm not sure where this mentality comes from, but observing (or assessing, or evaluating) IS an action/intervention! It is a huge part of our job. I know you prefaced your response with the fact that you are not in nursing yet, but I bring this up b/c many students share the same sentiment as you.

Assessment is not an intervention, the intervention is what you do with the data you collect...

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Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.
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.

Sometimes all the answers seem bad, so I try to think of the least bad, rather than the best. Somehow 'best' implies that there's a stand-out answer, at least in my head. I tend to read into things, and I get hung up on language, because, you know, words mean things. It's lost me points on tests, so changing how I think about choosing answers has helped. Whatever it takes, yo.

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Sometimes all the answers seem bad, so I try to think of the least bad, rather than the best. Somehow 'best' implies that there's a stand-out answer, at least in my head. I tend to read into things, and I get hung up on language, because, you know, words mean things. It's lost me points on tests, so changing how I think about choosing answers has helped. Whatever it takes, yo.

Yup, I have trouble considering a bad answer, the best answer, therefore it becomes the least bad answer.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Assessment is not an intervention, the intervention is what you do with the data you collect...
In our Fundamentals book, assessment and intervention are clearly separated. In NCLEX world, assessment and intervention are two separate steps of the nursing process.

I've been doing this for a little while, I do know the difference. However, a huge part of what we do as nurses is assessing. Assessing is ongoing. Assessing is an action (to intervene means to act). Case in point: Assessing lung sounds is an intervention, no? But it's also assessing. To me, it's semantics, that people get caught up with. That is why I don't like the word "intervention" in test questions, I prefer "action". I'll do anything to avoid "tricking" you guys ;).

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I've been doing this for a little while, I do know the difference. However, a huge part of what we do as nurses is assessing. Assessing is ongoing. Assessing is an action (to intervene means to act). Case in point: Assessing lung sounds is an intervention, no? But it's also assessing. To me, it's semantics, that people get caught up with. That is why I don't like the word "intervention" in test questions, I prefer "action". I'll do anything to avoid "tricking" you guys ;).

Yeah, I think it's stupid to separate them, but I was zinged on a lot of test questions. I wish you wrote my tests!!

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look at

and this book http://www.amazon.com/Test-Success-Test-Taking-Techniques-Beginning/dp/0803618948 and other Success books are generally recommended. Part of getting NCLEX / nursing school questions right is being able to apply concepts to a situation.

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with regard to the question of which answer is correct..

1 - need a doctors order

2 - should say in the doctors order the times

3 - is an evaluation - you evaluate after implementation

4 - seems like the best answer

my instructor told me & previous nursing students.. nursing exams are like no other, sometimes all of the answers seem correct or you would do all of the things first. but you have to choose the best answer.

like if you had a question about the monitor going off that suggest heart failure.. what would you do first?

1.) grab a crash cart

2.) notify another nurse for help

3.) check on the patient

4.) check vital signs

all of the answers seem correct.. but of course, you would check on the patient first. you just gotta pick out the best answer.

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

ding-ding-ding! we have a winnah!! and extra credit for such a succinct explanation.

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