Passed My First Test! Kind Of...

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Technically I passed, which is great! That said, I'm not satisfied with my grade, something I know I'll have to get used to. Having said that, my program is not nearly as stringent as some of yours in that we only need 75% to pass. I made a 78.6% (I think I correctly answered 47 out of 60). The course average for all sections was 75%, meaning half of the students failed. A while this made me feel 'okay' with my grade, I've always been taught not to compare and justify my grade with 'most of the class that failed', but to ask what those few students that passed did to earn their grade.

Anyway, the questions were surprisingly exactly how I expected them to be, so I'm not sure how I could've studied differently. I will say that working three 12-hour shifts on the weekend and waking up bright and early for the exam the next morning is dreadful. I feel like if I didn't work weekends I'd have gotten more studying in, but that's just an excuse. I guess my question is, is it all about just practicing more and more questions to become familiar with as many scenarios as possible? There were a few diagnoses and diseases I wasn't familiar with and we don't really study diseases in particular so I'm trying to figure out the best and most efficient way to study.

At the end of the day, I passed! Which is good. Any feedback and insight you can provide is much appreciated!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Welcome to nursing school. Unfortunately, most of it tends to be self-taught via reading and research, and I think you may not be taking enough time to study the material if you're working as much as you are. Any possibility you can cut back your hours some?

Is there more about specific diseases in your textbooks? You'll be expected to know them when you get to your NCLEX.

That said, if this was your first exam of your first semester, the actual diagnoses may be distractors- really read the questions and see what they're asking. NCLEX style questions generally throw in a few distractors, which means you need to suss out the actual question. For example, the question may be about a patient who's pregnant, and you haven't even had mother baby yet, but the question is really about patient safety or about patient rights or verifying a medication or something, and the pregnancy isn't even part of the actual question. Don't let those things throw you! This is a very common mistake that new students make, and part of why they do this is to prepare you for the NCLEX. These are the kinds of questions you'll have throughout nursing school and when it comes time for the NCLEX.

If it makes you feel any better, I got a 71% on one of my exams (I was violently ill, and my instructor knew ahead of time). I'd studied like crazy and KNEW the material, but I read the questions too fast and missed that questions were or weren't "select all that apply" or that the question was asking for what was INCORRECT rather than CORRECT. Gah!! :arghh: I was so angry with myself, but it was on me, ultimately. My instructor was kind enough to offer extra credit, because I'd been sick and had e-mailed her prior to let her know I'd be leaving after the exam. I didn't do the XC (no time!!), but I have my BSN now, and am waiting to take my NCLEX. :) Chin up!

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Specializes in Neuroscience.

If you are able, go and review your test. See what you missed and compare the right answer to your thought process upon choosing the other answer. Was it something they covered in class and repeated multiple times? Then start to record and listen to the lectures. If the questions you missed were based on priorities (ABC's v Maslow's), then review those concepts and start to apply them to every practice question you have. Was anything pulled from the text book and tested on that wasn't covered in class? Read the book.

I always find that after the first test of any semester, I have a better understanding of what I should have been studied prior to the test. Try that approach first, tweak your studying, and see how you do on the next test. Best of luck!

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If you are able, go and review your test.

Our only option was to review our test as soon as we submitted it right there in the lockdown browser. I did choose to go back and read what I missed but trying to sit there, comprehend, and understand what you missed the moment you hit submit is a little difficult. It's easy when studying because you don't have the pressure of the test on your mind. But yes, I took advantage of that feature, I just wish we could look at it at a different time and location.

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