My nursing program has a bunch of different instructors who lecture on different topics, then they all write their own test questions on their topics. We have required readings on each topic, powerpoints from the lecture of each topic, and required questions to answer on the topics in our required Davis NCLEX review book. I read every page in the book and take notes and make outlines merging info from the pp and text. I also do the Davis NCLEX questions.
My problem is: We had a test today (which went bad for the majority of students). I found out that about 15 questions (out of 50) came straight out of the Lipincott NCLEX review book. I really think this is unfair for 2 reasons: The few people who just happen to have bought the Lipincott book and use it to study got all of those answers right. The rest of us got most of those answers wrong because either a)the information in the question was not ANYTHING we focused on during our lectures and b) the answers we had to choose from seemed to use different rationals for the correct answer than I think the info from the text would suggest.
I don't usually complain, but come on. I think the practice of instructors taking questions DIRECTLY from a review book that we are not required to use is lazy. Even if it's not laziness, it's something I'm pretty sure isn't fair and I don't agree with. I am in a 2 year ASN program and the point is keeping my high GPA so I can get into a good BSN program. I will worry about NCLEX when it's time.
Please tell me if you agree/disagree, or if you are aware that this is common. If it is, I guess I should just suck it up:)
Thanks!
BTW, I graduate in 3 weeks and this is the first I've heard that instructors do this.
I think it is fine for them to get the questions anywhere they want, as long as the answers can be answered from your book. You can always challenge the question, and they can show you where in the book the answer can be found. Or they answer that you critically think to come to the correct answer. First look for the answers in you book before you stir up any trouble, you may wish you had never done it!
I've only attended 1 orientation meeting so far in my program (there are a total of 8 orientation meetings this Spring and then school officially starts this Fall). The Nursing Dean informed us we will have lecture tests and then we will have ATI tests. ATI tests take questions directly from the NCLEX. The reason they give you NCLEX questions is so you are already familiar with them when you sit for the official NCLEX and you're more likely to pass when it counts. Our program has a 95%+ pass rate every semester. We have to pay $500 for ATI access (for the 2 year program). There are pre-tests, review material, and then final tests in each area of study. The tests are set up in the same format as the NCLEX so we are essentially preparing for this for 2 years.
While you may have been ill-informed initially, adding NCLEX questions to your tests actually benefits you in the long run. Buy the Lipincott book and start studying. Perhaps speak with those who did well and ask them their study strategies so you can do the same.
you ar enot in competition so it does not matter about who has a book and who does not. The real truth here is that, given a sample NCLEX question, you did not do well. Concentrate on that and forget the rest. You are in this for YOUR license, not theirs.
It may seem unfair, but yup, life isn't fair. Actually, you should be happy the teachers are using questions from a good book because the questions and rationales are of sound knowledge and design. My teachers would try to make up their own or tweek questions from NCLEX books and the questions ended up
being screwed up. They wouldn't make sense, the sentence structure was bad making the question confusing, etc....
OMG wow. None of this has been helpful. Did I mention I'm about to graduate? Of course I do practice NCLEX questions, and I know they are helpful, I just happen to use other books that are not Lippincott.
Anyway, hopefully someone else can respond who doesn't feel the need to be condescending.
My question is not "should I suck it up?" It is actually "is this common practice?" because, like I said, I've always gotten the impression that my instructors make up their own questions.
I'm finishing up my intermediates and I've had questions on tests that have come verbatim from the Success books and the test banks from current and previous editions of our textbooks. Some of us use those resources and others don't.
vonnieb63
19 Posts
I think it is fine for them to get the questions anywhere they want, as long as the answers can be answered from your book. You can always challenge the question, and they can show you where in the book the answer can be found. Or they answer that you critically think to come to the correct answer. First look for the answers in you book before you stir up any trouble, you may wish you had never done it!