Select All That Apply Q's - Help?

RunBabyRN · Jan 29, 2015

The bane of every nursing student's existence is SATA. Treat every answer as a true/false question.

if you do a search on this site, there are a ton of posts on here about answering SATA questions.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2015

https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/why-you-dont-902671.html

Students are sometimes thrown by the "select all that apply" format in licensure examinations. Let's talk about why NCLEX uses SATA items, compare and contrast them to "pick the best answer" items, and consider a way you can think about them to prepare successfully.

I will be taking my NCLEX exam this summer. I'm super scared of the SATA amounts that I have seen across the forums.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to discuss this kind of question, what it means, and why the NCLEX thinks it's a good idea to test new grads using it. Step away from the piles of review questions, stickie notes, and scribbled scraps of paper for a minute, go get a nice cuppa tea, and take a deep breath. This is thinking time, not grab-the-highlighter time. Read on.

"Select all that apply" means that of the four choices given, more than one may be correct. This is in contrast to the "pick the best answer" that also bedevils new grads. However, the philosophy behind them is the same, and it goes to the heart of your chosen profession. Deep breath again.

In the "pick the best answer," there are usually two choices that just about anyone can discard out of hand. Of the other two, one is either loaded with at least one buzz-word to make it plausible to a guesser or someone who isn't clear on the concept, OR is also factually correct but not fully applicable to the full meaning of the question.

The classic example I use to explain this concept is the scenario of the abused wife who, back again after a beating, states she will not leave her husband, and you, the nurse, are counseling her. Of the two plausible correct answers, one is, "And yet you are here. Let's work on a plan to keep you safe." The other is, "You must leave him for your safety. Studies show that he will do it again."

While both are true, only the first is the correct answer. Why? Because the registered nurse knows that part of her responsibility is to lead the path down to better health, and it is always the patient's decision how to choose to do that. The first acknowledges the situation as it is without judgment, and offers a way for the patient to empower herself in a way that does not deny her choice. The second answer denies the patient's feelings and her expressed desire, and will turn her away from the nurse. The nurse who has a deeper understanding of her professional role will discern the difference. This isn't something you can memorize; it's part of your assuming, internalizing, the professional role.

SATA questions take this concept to the next step. They tend to look at more complex situations that require more knowledge and judgment than single-answer ones. This is because in nursing there are many, many situations in which more than one thing is going on (such as pain + fear + a pathophysiological issue). There may be interlocking aspects (such as looking at digoxin level + potassium level + diuretic use + assessing patient self-care management) that need to be seen as a whole rather than individual data points.

SATA situations test your ability to look at the forest, not just the trees. This is a critical skill for a new nurse, so it's clear why a form of question in the examination for initial licensure would include a lot of them.

Sometimes if you know the why of something, it helps you look at it in a way that leads you to better understanding. In the case of NCLEX, there are questions that test your memorization and understanding of single data points or concepts, and knowledge of how to do what students often call "skills" but are really manipulative (psychomotor) tasks.

But in SATA questions there are also items that look beyond these, focusing on your performance in the RN role you wish to assume. These are not to be feared but to be approached thoughtfully. You prepare for them not by looking at vocabulary, lists, and lab norms, but by reflecting on the meaning of nursing and the nursing process itself. This is where you take an evening to reread "Notes on Nursing, What It Is And What It Is Not," and pull out your nursing history and theory papers again. Yes, there was a good reason why you studied that. Here it is.

It takes knowledge and art to practice nursing. Looking at the rationale for SATA questions and reflecting in this way make you appreciate that in nursing, it's almost all "select all that apply." We're glad you're here.

I wish you well!

NiftyGirl2014 · Feb 3, 2015

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Truly, put everything into perspective for me.

dorkypanda · Feb 3, 2015

Nifty gal,You'll do great keep studying :)

im not in NS cause it starts in August sooooo nervous,

i have a huge question, did you buy an NCLEX comprehensive review book to do questions from for funds? Which one did you get if you had one?

NiftyGirl2014 · Feb 3, 2015

I bought the Saunder's Comprehensive NCLEX Review that every one recommended. Truthfully, my first exam didn't have any topics relating to my NCLEX book so I didn't use it. But now for exam 2... That's another story. I look forward to really getting to use it this time. I think some people also recommend Fundamentals Success? It's like a white/light blue book I believe. I don't personally have it, but I hear good things about it. Good luck!