One thing on NCLEX, another thing in Practice

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A question I encoutered during my NCLEX review questions over the weekend was a question about

selecting All that apply to administering Heparin to a patient.

One of the answers was - Ask another nurse to cross check the Heparin order before administering it.

I have never done that in Clinical nor seen any nurse do that during clinicals.

The nurses administer Heparin without cross checking with another nurse.

BVecause of this, I got the question wrong.

That reminds me, during clinical when I asked a question some nurses told me "on NCLEX you do blah blah blah, but in practice you do blah blah blah"

Is this a common issue?

Think of the NCLEX has Barbie's perfect hospital. All of the supplies you could need are at the bedside. For each question think that that is your only patient. Don't use clinical experiences. The NCLEX isn't testing you on "real life nursing" its by the book ivory tower nursing. Clinicals are an excellent learning experience but they can trip you up on this test. In every question you have to think you have all the supplies and all the time you need. No short cuts.

If you answer NCLEX questions based upon how you see things done on the job, you will guarantee failure every time. NCLEX is the perfect nursey world, not the reality where most people take short cuts every day that they work.

NCLEX: You've got to think perfect patient, perfect nurse, perfect equipment, perfect family, perfect facility, perfect providers, perfect treatment

Real World: it's a job

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