SATA questions help

[mynamejake]

So I'm a first year nursing student and recent uni grad in the sciences. I just had my first round of midterms and across all midterms, the one thing that truly screwed me was the SATA questions. The minimum average I have to maintain is a 70 and getting grades ranging between 76-80 isn't good enough. To me, it's too close to a 70 which I consider failing.

So my question is what are your strategies to answering them and what resources have you used that you find helpful? now before anyone says to get a nclex review book, its content is irrelevant in my first year but I will be picking one up next when it's actually usable.

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

There is no real secret to SATA -- you must know the content that is being questioned. Read the question and then select each answer as either a true or false... if it's a true statement based on the question stem then select it. More practice with the questions helps to build confidence.

Best of luck.

[lehaley1989, ADN, RN]

Pick up a good NCLEX review book. Not only can they help you review content before each exam, they contain lots of great SATA practice questions. I really like the Saunders review book.

https://www.amazon.com/Saunders-Comprehensive-NCLEX-RN%C2%AE-Examination-Nclex-Rn/dp/0323358519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541192367&sr=8-1&keywords=saunders+nclex

[mynamejake]

i actually really like that strategy. Will definitely use it in the next round of tests! thanks.

[mynamejake]

@203bravo i actually really like that strategy. Will definitely use it in the next round of tests! thanks.

[mynamejake]

@lehaley1989 i plan to in my second year because the Saunders book doesn't cover much of my first-year content

[SqrB3ar, BSN, RN]

Dissect a SATA question by looking at each option separate from the others given. Ask yourself if it is true or false.

EXAMPLE: A nurse is planning care for a client to prevent post-op atelectasis. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care? (Select all that apply).

A) Encourage the use of the incentive spirometer Q2H

B) Instruct to splint incision when coughing and deep breathing

C) Re-position the client Q2H

D) Administer abx therapy

E) Assist with early ambulation

Look at option A only. Will this action by the nurse help prevent atelectasis? True or False?

Move on to option B - ask the same question. True or false?

And so forth ...

Your answers should be A (IS aides with breathing), B (post-op patients should splint in order to deep breathe, cough out sputum and reduce risk of the wound from dehiscence), C (repositioning equals movement and also prevents other complications), and E (again, mobilization of secretions and you'd want to try to do this after surgery anyways to prevent other complications). Option D ... giving antibiotics seems like the right thing but the question isn't talking about an infection like pneumonia - also, this is the most invasive action.

Break down the question and look over each answer separately. Most importantly, don't OVERTHINK!

Also, I know we all want perfect grades, but don't beat yourself up for it too much. You get what you get. As long as you learned from it, move on and apply it better next time. Your scores should improve throughout your nursing journey. It only gets easier since everything starts to make more sense/come together!

[Cindyel, ASN, RN]

@lehaley1989 i plan to in my second year because the Saunders book doesn't cover much of my first-year content

I used the Saunders book my whole first year. You may not need the whole chapter but you certainly can answer the questions that apply to your content. It is absoluely applicable to Fundamentals. The Saunders also has a great test taking strategies section to teach you how to answer SATA.