Springhouse vs Kaplan

Selecting the best answer to NCLEX questions can be frustrating indeed. In the end you have to select the best answer based on what the question is asking. Simply put NCLEX is evaluating if you are a safe nurse. The questions are written to test your critical thinking in client care situations according to the framework of the NCLEX test plan.

The best answer is always the best answer according to the key data provided in the question. So if the question provides information/data that indicates the client is in pain, then you would select the response that best addresses this issue. Safety is always your first consideration. You need to select the response that is the safest and provides the nursing care required by the situation described in the question.

Using Maslow or other techniques suggested by Kaplan are helpful when you need to determine between two equally appealing answers.

Consider the following question, if you were to robotically apply the ABCs you would be wrong, because the question is evaluating if you can apply safe nursing care for the client that has had a spinal anesthetic.

A patient has had a spinal anesthetic. In the recovery room, it will be important that the nurse immediately position this patient:

1. On the side to prevent obstruction of airway by tongue.

2. Flat on the back.

3. On the back, with knees flexed 15 degrees.

4. Flat on the stomach, with head turned to side.

The best answer is #2 flat on the back, not 1. Answer #1 is incorrect because the client receiving a spinal anesthetic should have a patent airway and there is nothing in the question to indicate otherwise. #2 is the best answer because the client should be placed on their back to prevent leakage of CSF that could lead to a spinal headache.

So to answer the NCLEX questions you need to be sure you identify the key concept being asked (in the example question it was safe care for the client following spinal anesthesia), then apply the correct/safest answer.

The information in Kaplan is solid information and very useful to help you with NCLEX, but always apply the "tips" along with the correct underlying nursing principle.

Best of luck on the NCLEX.

Leda,

Thank you very much for taking your time to break it down for me. I think I already knew there was no "cookie-cutter" answer, I just needed someone to say it! :)

Sara

A little off the subject, but just wondering if you like the Springhouse cards that you purchased? Someone gave me a copy of the NCLEX 3000 CD by Springhouse. It seems like a good CD, but for some reason, I feel that I should to stick with the Saunders CD that I've been using. Maybe it's because the words on the Springhouse CD are so freakin' small that my eyes are all bugged out by the end of the questions.