Today was the last day of the trimester, we finished with the pharmacology final. On Tuesday was our med-surg final. I've heard from several classmates that they just need ____ points to pass. Some are doing the bare minimum and just aiming for that 70 required to pass. A few people even finished the 100 question pharm final in 30 minutes...which is almost impossible because with the amount of SATA questions it seems unlikely that the students were even trying.
It makes me wonder about the nurses who have taken care of my family members and whether or not the nurse even knew what she was doing. Or if she just got lucky passing the NCLEX. I work hard for my good grades and it worries/angers me to see people that barely try and still get to continue to the next semester when it's obvious they're not that interested in actually learning anything. With many even using test banks from the textbook
Even if someone has a test bank they still had to memorize those questions and answers - they were still learning. Taking short cuts - yes. Is it right? I don't know. There are multiple tests and as long as they didn't have the exact test beforehand (which is cheating and a different story) then they were studying. Our instructor is letting us come in before and after class to study our previous tests because the material will be on the final. We are not allowed to take pictures of the tests or take them with us - but we can have as much time with the tests as we can afford to spend in the building with them. I still have to know the material to get a good grade.
We have one guy in our class who can take a test in 15 minutes - no matter what its on and do well every time. I read every question from back to front, and then I start taking the test from the middle to the front. 1) This usually keeps me on a different page from everyone else so I can't be accused of cheating. 2) I once took a test where the instructor said "read the test first". One of the last questions said "write your name on the bottom right of the last page and turn in this test without answering a single question". Everyone in the class failed. Now I read every test - because he taught us that its important. I'm a slow test taker, some are fast. I don't really care about what anyone else is doing. What matters is what I am doing. I had a non-english speaking student ask me how I prepared for my tests one day and I told him. I don't know if it will help him, but it works for me. He has a language barrier, I don't. We all have our issues. We need to give our classmates a hand-up whenever we can - you never know when you will be the one needing a little help. I surely don't want enemies in any of my classes!
A few people even finished the 100 question pharm final in 30 minutes...which is almost impossible because with the amount of SATA questions it seems unlikely that the students were even trying. [/Quote]
Unless they know the material well and therefore don't feel the need to agonize over every question.
Just because someone takes a test quickly doesn't mean they aren't trying. I did my 180 question ATI comprehensive predictor and got an 85% on it (which resulted in me being given a 99% chance of passing the NCLEX).... and I was only sitting there for 40 minutes. I learn by listening in lecture and by doing hands-on things, so this leads to me getting good grades without putting in hours and hours of studying. When I pass the NCLEX it's not going to be because of luck, it's because I'm smart, have excellent critical thinking skills, and have an excellent memory. But go ahead and keep thinking that people like me don't care and just luck into becoming nurses :)
I once took a test where the instructor said "read the test first". One of the last questions said "write your name on the bottom right of the last page and turn in this test without answering a single question". Everyone in the class failed.
Why would they do this for a test! How is this benefiting anyone? I would not be surprised people are cheating if your program allows such practices.
Its very messed up, that people who worked hard to prepare fail a test because they didnt encode some cryptic instruction at the bottom that negated the entire test!
Btw the test bank thing is real; if the school uses the text book version of the test you can literally buy the exact test bank online and memorize each question. I know some people did this in my program.
Specializes in FNP-BC, MedSurg, GeroPsych, ICU/Stepdown, clinic.
In our nursing program, students actually had clinical grades and test grades. The test grades were to test knowledge, but the clinical grades were to test application of knowledge. There were many times that the teachers would use clinical grades, since they were subjective, to grade certain students lower if they knew they would not make a good nurse and needed to get them out of the program. A good nursing program usually has a way of getting out the bad apples.
I passed my NCLEX with 75 questions in 40 minutes. I've been an ER nurse for over five years and I am damn good at my job. I didn't guess or get lucky, sorry but you sound jealous.
This kind of stuff happens all the time. Nursing school teaches you two things: how to pass the NCLEX, and how to NOT kill patients. Its pretty presumptuous to claim that people saying I need XX to pass the class, "aren't trying." I had several classes where I only needed a 60% or so on the final to pass the class and it was actually a relief. I still tried my best to know the material, but having some relief that you need a 60% to pass instead of freaking out that you need a 95% to get an A is way easier to cope with.
News flash: the students that get all A's in nursing school vs the students that get all C's still take the same test. I got a 3.00 in nursing school and passed the NCLEX at 75 questions in about 45 minutes.
I have to respectfully disagree with you op. People have different test taking habits that is all. Also in my program, I found that students who finish fast most often reported the highest grades and those that finish last usually say that they struggle and ran out of time or changed answers and got them wrong. I use test banks and love them because I am able to do focused studying when I use them and they help me understand the details of the material better and commit them to memory better rather than senseless reading. Since English is my second language I use all the help I can to effectively read my books. I can honestly admit my grades have really improved due to test banks. I am also one of those students finishing early now, yeaah!!!!
Tell me, which nurse that has cared for you in the hospital or doctor's office got a 70 on their pharmacology test? You can't tell in the real world. Anyway, I finished all my tests in all subjects in under 30 minutes, was usually the first one done, and graduated with a 3.85 GPA (got one B in peds/OB because my third care plan scenario/project wasn't written out in as much detail), and passed my NCLEX on the first try in 50 minutes. Some people read faster than others. All that matters is how they work in the real world.
bitter_betsy, BSN
456 Posts
Even if someone has a test bank they still had to memorize those questions and answers - they were still learning. Taking short cuts - yes. Is it right? I don't know. There are multiple tests and as long as they didn't have the exact test beforehand (which is cheating and a different story) then they were studying. Our instructor is letting us come in before and after class to study our previous tests because the material will be on the final. We are not allowed to take pictures of the tests or take them with us - but we can have as much time with the tests as we can afford to spend in the building with them. I still have to know the material to get a good grade.
We have one guy in our class who can take a test in 15 minutes - no matter what its on and do well every time. I read every question from back to front, and then I start taking the test from the middle to the front. 1) This usually keeps me on a different page from everyone else so I can't be accused of cheating. 2) I once took a test where the instructor said "read the test first". One of the last questions said "write your name on the bottom right of the last page and turn in this test without answering a single question". Everyone in the class failed. Now I read every test - because he taught us that its important. I'm a slow test taker, some are fast. I don't really care about what anyone else is doing. What matters is what I am doing. I had a non-english speaking student ask me how I prepared for my tests one day and I told him. I don't know if it will help him, but it works for me. He has a language barrier, I don't. We all have our issues. We need to give our classmates a hand-up whenever we can - you never know when you will be the one needing a little help. I surely don't want enemies in any of my classes!