Kaplan NCLEX Prep

Medical Surgical nursing (commonly referred to as "med/surg"), is typically the foundation of a nurse's career, the place where many begin to lay the initial groundwork. Med/surg nursing often involves a heavy client load and long, arduous hours, which is why it often gets a bad rap. With the right study tactics and skills, students can efficiently learn medical-surgical content, but that's not where the challenge ends. Students must also be able to answer med-surg questions on exams, which is another skill in its own. Here are a few tips to better help nursing students approach and conquer these questions on test day: Secret to medical-surgical questions In order to begin with a strong foundation when answering medical-surgical questions, nursing students should understand the pathophysiology of the disease. In particular, students should study the signs and symptoms, complications, nursing interventions, tests ordered and treatments for the disease or condition being tested. Of course, med/surg questions involve more than just understanding pathophysiology. Once you have learned all the content you need for your nursing course, you're ready to apply your new knowledge and skills to exam questions. While some questions will ask you to recall your knowledge, many will ask you to think critically and apply these questions to client scenarios. To answer these questions successfully, you can take a few different approaches: What You Need to Know STEP 1 Understand normal and abnormal anatomy for the disease or condition being addressed For example, think to yourself, "What does the client with pneumonia look like?" In many cases, knowing "normal" anatomy will help you to distinguish what abnormal looks like. STEP 2 Study the anatomy and physiology of the disease Those of you who have taken Anatomy and Physiology I and II in nursing school should remember what "normal" looks like for the disease in question. Understanding this information will help you to apply what you know and eliminate answer choices in the questions. STEP 3 Know the signs, symptoms and nursing interventions for the condition expressed in the question The foundation for this strategy is to recall the nursing interventions for a particular disease, but understanding concepts like "what should the nurse do first" or "what is the best nursing action" are critical thinking skills you will need to apply for tougher priority questions. STEP 4 Understand why the client is experiencing signs and symptoms A great place to start is your anatomy and physiology notes. Understanding the "why" behind the "what" will help you to identify the big picture when addressing NCLEX or nursing exam questions. STEP 5 When analyzing select all that apply (multiple response) questions, treat each answer choice as a true/false Especially on the NCLEX, there are times when each answer choice might feel correct. To help you navigate these questions, ask yourself "is this true or false" for each answer choice and choose only those that apply. STEP 6 Remember the "ABC's" (Airway, Breath and Circulation) for each question For priority questions ("what should the nurse do first), you should always pick an answer choice dealing with the patient's airway (for example, respiration or administering oxygen). If no airway answer choices are present, look next to breathing, then to circulation. STEP 7 Focus on the stem of the question and avoid the distractors With med/surge math questions, instructors (and the NCLEX) may sometimes add extra information that you don't need to answer the problem. Understanding what the question is asking (the stem) will help you better identify what in the answer choice is relevant, which will help you get to the correct answer much quicker. Practice makes perfect Don't let all this information overwhelm you! Now that you have this new knowledge, we recommend you start practicing! Practice questions can help you to strengthen your critical thinking and application skills, which will help you perform better on your exams, including the NCLEX. We especially recommend working through application questions that include rationales so that you can investigate why you answered a question correctly or incorrectly. The more medical-surgical questions you tackle, the more prepared and comfortable you will be for questions on your exams. Always remember to stay calm, read the question carefully, and think about what the stem of the problem. You've got this!

With over 100 types of nursing careers to choose from, the sky's pretty much the limit-and yes, that includes being a flight nurse. One of the great things about nursing is that it can pave the way to so many career paths and possibilities. Maybe you already know what you'd like to do and have it all mapped out, and that's wonderful. But what if you want to explore your options before you graduate? What other meaningful careers exist in nursing along with the hospital or surgical unit, obstetrics practice, or public school? Glad you asked! Here are just a few of the fascinating options available to you. Keep in mind, not every job is easy to find, and they don't necessarily mean you'll make more money. Still, they're viable choices that may let you use your degree in different ways that better suit your personality. Addictions NurseThis challenging but deeply rewarding role could be for you if you're committed to preventing and treating addictions such as alcohol dependency, eating disorders, and gambling. Camp NurseThere's never a dull moment in the world of the camp nurse, from treating injured staffers to handling anaphylaxis, all in a most unusual-and usually seasonal-setting. Corporate ConsultantYour days involve helping corporations bring about positive change in the health care industry. You may find yourself working with a hospital's leadership team one day and doing product training with health care providers the next day. One of your main roles is to make sure you're connecting the corporate business strategy with effective delivery of patient care. Domestic Violence NurseIn this relatively new and fast-growing discipline, you'll care for children, women, the elderly, and other patients who are dealing with the physical, emotional, and mental wounds of domestic violence. Along with examining and supporting the victims, you'll also document patient injuries so you can provide detailed records when they're required for the judicial system. Information Technology NurseAs a nurse who chooses to work in information technology (IT), you could be a systems trainer, consultant, or informatics nurse specialist. You'll work with medical records software and medical imaging systems. Insurance Company NurseInsurance companies need nurses to manage certain cases and perform medical coding, clinical research, and insurance audits. You may also get involved in developing treatment plans and evaluating illnesses. Medical Sales RepresentativeIf you're looking for a more flexible schedule and higher earning potential than many traditional nursing jobs, sales could be the route for you. You can help put the right product in the hands of the right customer and build lasting relationships with other medical professionals. Nurse EntrepreneurIf you're resourceful, want to combine nursing with business, and enjoy exploring your creativity, this is an exciting career path to consider. Nurse WriterYou'll help develop textbooks, create articles, or edit and proofread technical material. You could also consult on television shows and movies, craft books, and produce blogs. Parish NurseWhen you want a spiritual dimension to be central to your career, consider becoming a parish nurse. You'll focus on promoting health while sharing the values, beliefs, and practices of a faith community. Research AnalystLeverage your nursing degree to evaluate data, gather information, and research technology. You may be called on to help hospitals determine the best way to acquire technology or services, or you may choose to teach in clinical or academic settings. If you enjoy the idea of partnering with scientists from other fields, you could join with them to address complex questions within disciplines such as pharmacy, nutrition, and engineering. With so many choices available, you're sure to find a career path that makes the most of your passions, aptitudes, and the time and energy you spent earning your nursing degree.