Psych class

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 9, 2007

Hello all! I was just wondering if anyone had any good advise on psych tests or how to study for them? I took my first psych test on thurs. and totally bombed it! Please help! Thanks

It is hard to say, but I can tell you that most of the psych tests are based on critical thinking, a thing that you will definitely see in nursing school. If the book you have has a study guide, I highly suggest that you purchase it. They may place scenerios that will describe what disorder or whose theory is being displayed in that passage, which will further help you. Good luck!

billyehaynes · Sep 9, 2007

Do practice questions. This will get you into the mind state of the pschiatric nurse. It's just a different type of thinking that is more intuitive than anything else. So just keep doing practice questions. Good luck.

Crux1024 · Sep 9, 2007

Did your assigned textbook come with a CD of some sort?? (I know that sounds like a "duh" question..) Sometimes they are used in the process of making the tests. Also, try something called Psyk Trek 2.0. Its a multimedia CD that gives activities and practice quizs...

Good Luck with Psych!! I am also taking it now...

SaderNurse05, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2007

Try to read the material in advance. Make a vocab list and learn the terminology. Find someone to study with. You also can check and see if your text has any online support, eg practice tests. Good luck!

treysdaddy08 · Sep 10, 2007

It is hard to say, but I can tell you that most of the psych tests are based on critical thinking, a thing that you will definitely see in nursing school. If the book you have has a study guide, I highly suggest that you purchase it. They may place scenerios that will describe what disorder or whose theory is being displayed in that passage, which will further help you. Good luck!

It really depends on the instructor, but my psych class we went off of the notes. I took psych 101 and 210, and to be honest I never once opened a book in those two qtrs. Most instructors in a critical thinking class (like nursing) are testing you on THINKING. Realize that they are testing you on how THEY think; how they perceive the information. The best way to understand that is to look at the info. they give you and study mainly off of that. Let us know how it works out!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 10, 2007

It really depends on the instructor, but my psych class we went off of the notes. I took psych 101 and 210, and to be honest I never once opened a book in those two qtrs. Most instructors in a critical thinking class (like nursing) are testing you on THINKING. Realize that they are testing you on how THEY think; how they perceive the information. The best way to understand that is to look at the info. they give you and study mainly off of that. Let us know how it works out!

We were given many scenerios with hints of what disorder was spoken of and I used the CD as well as the study guide to get better ideas of how to answer those questions. She really didn't go by notes in 101. 102 consisted of writing many papers and open book exams. That professor really didn't put much effort into that course...she had her own private practice and it was a 6 week course.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2007

one thing that saved me in psych (i too bombed a few tests) was to look for the answer in an objective test that left the door open the widest, go for the most therapeutic answer, leaves the patient free to make up his/her mind, not something that corners them in. i don't know specifically how to give a concrete example of this but looking at nclex questions on psych helped me to see the light. so if you don't have one, i recommend saunder's prep, it's cheap and really good. you may get a clearer headsup as to what the instructor is looking for. good luck!

ps. perhaps i am mistaken that you are actually taking a prerequisite course psychology 101 instead of psych class for nursing school. if so, read the text, do the study questions and form study groups! good luck and godspeed to rnship!