Second Guessing

Chantilly · Jan 3, 2008

One of my best NS friends goes through this same thing. She is on it when you talk to her, she knows her stuff and is great in clinical. But, like you she just doesn't test well. My suggestion to you is to not read too much into the questions, go with your first instinct, and DON'T change your answers. If you ask me the tests are not the most important part it is clinicals...you say you do well there so focus on your strengths and as long as you pass the classes you are doing well. After all no one asks you what grades you got in school, just be a safe nurse. Keep your chin up and GOOD LUCK next semester!!!! :wink2:

ThinkRNin2009 · Jan 3, 2008

One of my best NS friends goes through this same thing. She is on it when you talk to her, she knows her stuff and is great in clinical. But, like you she just doesn't test well. My suggestion to you is to not read too much into the questions, go with your first instinct, and DON'T change your answers. If you ask me the tests are not the most important part it is clinicals...you say you do well there so focus on your strengths and as long as you pass the classes you are doing well. After all no one asks you what grades you got in school, just be a safe nurse. Keep your chin up and GOOD LUCK next semester!!!! :wink2:

Thanks so much for your response. I feel much better. Your friend sounds alot like me. I'll take your advise "Go with my first instinct and don't change my answers!" I tend to do that alot, but not anymore.

shock-me-sane · Jan 4, 2008

I would say practice with a TON of NCLEX style questions. Learning how to take those tests are a great challenge. I wouldn't say that you should "go with your gut" but learn how to think through that style of testing.

good luck!

annaedRN, RN · Jan 4, 2008

Kaplan has a book that is about test taking( not the course..just a book) - it is really a NCLEX review book of sorts but it applies to nursing school tests as well. It talks about breaking the question apart and how to analyze it.You should be able to find it in eBay or Half.com pretty cheap. It served me well as I graduated in May and passed boards in June! Good luck to you.

ThinkRNin2009 · Jan 4, 2008

Thanks you, I appreciate everyone's suggestions. I'm going to check out the nclex books and the Kaplan book. I need to prepare for next semester which starts on Monday.

Next week I start OB/Peds, can anyone recommend a good Nursing Care Plan Book. The nursing care plan book I current have is geared towards Adults in acute, extended and home care settings.

Thanks!!!

annaedRN, RN · Jan 4, 2008

My peds instructor said numerous times that kids are just little people...meaning the illnesses/diagnoses/disease processes are the same...so the physical nsg dx will be what the same as you use for adults...but you also have to make sure to include the psychological/emotional/coping ones as well the ones that include the caregiver. I didn't buy a new book myself.

ThinkRNin2009 · Jan 4, 2008

Thanks!! I didn't think of it like that. Makes alot sense.

APBT mom, LPN, RN · Jan 4, 2008

For testing do you go back over the test if you have time left. I notice that when I do that I see where I might have made a mistake the first time. If I have trouble with a question I'll leave it blank or put a dot by the number to go back and check again. I tend to overanalyze the questions so I make sure that I apply my answer to whats in the questions only. There's a student in my class that's in love with her eraser and will erase the right answer and switch it when she double checks her work. She started leaving them blank and when she goes back answers the questions that she's stuck on so she only gives her self one chance to go over it.

For the OB/Peds care plan book check in your fundamentals book because they may have some nursing dx in it related to the disease. The pp said that the peds nursing dx are the same in the adult diseases which they are but the diseases themselves sometimes have different signs and symptoms. My book says throughout the peds chapters that children are not little adults in the aspect of disease. But different schools and books so different was it's explained so just remember go by what the book says because that's what they test on.

ThinkRNin2009 · Jan 4, 2008

For testing do you go back over the test if you have time left. I notice that when I do that I see where I might have made a mistake the first time. If I have trouble with a question I'll leave it blank or put a dot by the number to go back and check again. I tend to overanalyze the questions so I make sure that I apply my answer to whats in the questions only. There's a student in my class that's in love with her eraser and will erase the right answer and switch it when she double checks her work. She started leaving them blank and when she goes back answers the questions that she's stuck on so she only gives her self one chance to go over it.
For the OB/Peds care plan book check in your fundamentals book because they may have some nursing dx in it related to the disease. The pp said that the peds nursing dx are the same in the adult diseases which they are but the diseases themselves sometimes have different signs and symptoms. My book says throughout the peds chapters that children are not little adults in the aspect of disease. But different schools and books so different was it's explained so just remember go by what the book says because that's what they test on.

Thanks Tampagirl....I do tend to go back during my test and change my answer or answers. I then change the correct answer to the incorrect answer. I also tend to overanalyze and pick the question apart. Now it's a new semester, a higher goal to achieve and nclex books to buy. I need to leave the questions that have stumped me till the end and go back to answer them. Thanks again!!!!

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 4, 2008

One of the first things our nursing instructors told us was that most of the time when students change test answers they change them from right to wrong, and that your test grades will usually improve if you leave the eraser at home--often, your first "gut" answer is the correct answer.

It only took me two tests to realize that for myself :) On test 3, I put the eraser on the instructors' desk, and proceeded to get myself a 99. I've been a notorious answer changer for years, and it was (is!) very hard for me to do that.

So now what I do when taking tests: for any questions I'm not sure of, I mark off my first guess on the test paper but not on the scantron just yet. Then after I've gone through all the questions, I go back to the questions I'm not sure of to mull them over...and unless something obvious jumps out at me, I'll usually go with that first guess. About 80% of the time, it's the right answer.

This doesn't mean that I don't go over the test when I'm done to double-check and look for obvious mistakes and even *gasp* change a rare answer (current success rate on changes in NS tests: about 50%). But I try not to second-guess myself as much as possible, and it's really helped.

The last thing to remember: most of the time, these tests are based on the textbook fantasy world of nursing, where you supposedly have the luxury of unlimited time and resouces on your side to do everything precisely by the book for your patient. In real life (as you've probably seen in clinical), you won't have unlimited time with each patient and your resources may range from lush to non-existent--also, specific facility policies will vary so what flies at facility X may not be acceptable at facility Y. So what the correct test answer is and what the correct "real world" answer is may very well be two different things :)

Karley9336 · Jan 4, 2008

My peds instructor said numerous times that kids are just little people...meaning the illnesses/diagnoses/disease processes are the same...so the physical nsg dx will be what the same as you use for adults...but you also have to make sure to include the psychological/emotional/coping ones as well the ones that include the caregiver. I didn't buy a new book myself.

Do Not forget Risk for Developemental Delay in your Peds Diagnoses. Most children in hospital are outside their natural environment which takes them away from their ADLS which promote physical developement, they are also away from their little friends (school, daycare, siblings, etc) which puts them at risk for psychological/emotional delays.