Question about Nursing school

pinkiepie_RN · Jan 27, 2009

It really depends on the instructor and the course material. More often than not, I've had instructors review NCLEX type questions before exams and questions in similar format tends to appear on said exams. A few instructors have given "exam blueprints" which break down the topics and how many questions will be on each topic, but never anything in depth.

Something that I found to be useful regardless of whether I was given a blueprint or practice questions were the NCLEX review books and also the study guides that are often companions to textbooks, as well as CDs/websites that came with the textbook.

vashtee, RN · Jan 27, 2009

My instructors gave out study guides, but the study guides weren't always helpful. For example, it might simply have said "renal disease".

Yeah, thanks a lot, teacher. :)

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jan 27, 2009

Yeah depends on instructors.

One may say if you have been paying attention the last 5 weeks you will do fine

Others will give a study guide.

Professors choice really.

pharmgirl · Jan 27, 2009

No study guides for us.....read bizillion chapters and they pick out a random 50 questions for the test.

Ms. Nurse Assistant, LPN · Jan 27, 2009

No study guides for us.....read bizillion chapters and they pick out a random 50 questions for the test.

I find this method to be really unfair. There's no way you can retain all those chapters, and say the things you found important don't end up on the test? Then you fail.

Starfish1 · Jan 27, 2009

yeah well, I think it just comes with the territory- we never had reviews in first semester, second thus far we have had oral reviews, but we are just reviewing what you should know IF you keep up with the material. I think last semeter we had 30 chapters on one test, literally it was one textbook minus about 7 chapters...we didnt get help with what to study...I even asked my teacher what we should concentrate on and she said, "its all fair game" you get through these tests. I would suggest doing a lot of Nclex ??'s and reading the rationals, because if you come to a question you cannot remember use your common knowlege from the Nclex books and take your best guess!

Cilantrophobe · Feb 4, 2009

I find this method to be really unfair. There's no way you can retain all those chapters, and say the things you found important don't end up on the test? Then you fail.

That is the key, to know (or find out) what is and isn't important.

ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN · Feb 4, 2009

I have to say our instructors work really hard in presenting the material and preparing their students for both their exams and the ATI practice exams. They pass out copies of the Powerpoint lecture for us to take notes on. About one week before an exam, we receive an outline of what to study for the exam. The outline is not vague. For example, the outline will mention, “know the cranial nerves” or “have an understanding of Multiple Sclerosis”. I: read my chapters, pay attention during lecture and take good notes, and do the outlines given for the exam. I do well in class by doing these things. I have also never scored less than a level 3 on the ATI exams, which according to ATI, equate to a 99% chance of passing NCLEX in the tested area.

I know some students will disagree with me when I say I really don’t see a point in telling a group of students to read 30 chapters and be prepared to be tested over it in a week without giving the students some sort of study guide that is relevant to the exam. That would be the same as telling a new hire to read a policy and procedures manual and be ready to jump into his/her new position within a week without telling the employee what they will be doing. My wife’s law professors didn’t even make such unrealistic requests.

I think it is important to understand the material, but I also understand that the majority of what I am going to learn as a new nurse will be done during my orientation and my time on the floor.

darlak07 · Feb 16, 2009

every instructor is different and their teaching styles and testing is different. i had instructors who taught information and taught like you were in med school. it was so way over everyones heads in our class. and she was a walking drug book. then i had instructors who lectured but gave a test that you had no idea how to answer because they never discussed it in class. and then there are the instructors that hold your hand and give you a review and tell you all that is needed to know on the test. we took tests on computers in order to simulate the nclex process. after a test we would all get together and write down as much of the test questions and answers as we all could remember. even if it was one word from a question and a one word answer. just something to trigger the right answer so that the next time you saw the question you would remember it. keep a list after each test and then go back and use it to study for your final because most teachers take questions from previous tests and put them in the final. hope this helps

shorty3_31 · Feb 16, 2009

Like everyone has said, it all depends on the teacher. First semester we were given a list of chapters to read and our "objectives" for the tests, which were basically an outline format of the reading, but really condensed. I learned to read and fill in the main idea and some important details about each subject. That helped a lot.

All of our lectures are also online. The only thing we do when we go into theory class is a bunch of case studies to help us apply the knowledge we've gained.

This semester is pretty much the same, except on the first test the teacher gave us page numbers to the pertinent info that could be on the test. Other than that it's still watch the lectures, read the chapters, and take as many notes as you can while sticking to the objectives as best as possible...yay!

smartin13 · Feb 16, 2009

No study guides or reviews for us. They will tell us that 40% will be on this topic 20% on this and the rest on anything else. Everything is fair game, weather they said it, we read it, or a guest speaker said it. I know it sounds intimidating but after the first test you recognize the kinds of questions they are going to ask and you know how and what to study for them.