The Second Week

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The first week of nursing school comes, and everyone is scrambling around. Going to class, ordering uniforms, reading your books for the first day of class.... It's exciting, new, and completely overwhelming!

But then the second week hits. Studying begins, exam start to creep up, and you have to figure out how you're going to make it through.

Today I failed my first nursing quiz by getting a 3/5. I did over 150 Evolve NCLEX questions, read the chapter twice, and watched all the videos. I missed both of the "select all that apply" on the quiz.

Am I cut out for this? If I can't pass a quiz, how will I pass an exam?

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm trying not to have a mental breakdown over this....

ETA: This is my first semester

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Don't have a mental breakdown, it is only your first quiz. I'm guessing tests are worth more and you'll have a chance to make up for this quiz grade. I say that because, for me, nursing tests were a different kind than other class tests and so I had to adjust how I studied and how I read the questions. Select all the apply were the hardest for me! If you can review the test, do so. This way you can look at the questions and see why you missed them and how to need to read the question for next time. The way I read those types of questions is to see if the answers are true or false in regards to what the question is asking you. If they're false, discard. If true, they are one of your answers. Hope this helps.

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You will have to adjust your way of thinking. Nursing quizes and tests are unlike anything else. They require you to not just remember facts and figures, but to understand why things happen, and what you should do. It'll get better.

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Short quizzes are rough like that! What I'd have done is read the chapter along with the notes or ppt with it, then take additional notes from the chapter and the important things from the class ppt/notes. I would also practice the chapter evolve questions (not the 150 nclex style for a short quiz, I would stay more focused) and you can also take tests on quizlet (search your book/author and the chapter and click test). Try not to be too discouraged or hard on yourself. Now you know how the teacher will ask questions. Try more focused studying.

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Specializes in Skilled Rehab Nurse.

When a quiz is only out of 5, you can fail with very few wrong. I got As in nursing classes where I had 3/5 on a quiz. You'll get better at the select all that apply questions. They take a while to get used to.

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You will have to adjust your way of thinking. Nursing quizes and tests are unlike anything else. They require you to not just remember facts and figures, but to understand why things happen, and what you should do. It'll get better.

I know that you're right. I have been doing a lot of NCLEX style questions off of the website that our school gives us. I did over 150 to prepare for the quiz, but I guess I need to do more! I always read the rationale and try to understand why something is happening.

Those dang SATA questions.... I need to improve on those. I hope I improve hah :)

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Thanks everyone for your kind responses :) Im trying to answer all of you but I have to wait a certain amount of time between each post.

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Specializes in ICU.

Ummm, it's a quiz. You did 150 NCLEX questions for a quiz?? You are overdoing it, big time.

You need to understand how your instructor tests. NCLEX questions are not going to help a whole lot the first semester as many questions are still knowledge based. Study the chapter, study your notes. You are first semester. They are introducing you to a new way of thinking.

In my opinion, you over analyzed and over did the amount of work needed for a quiz and that is why you failed. Dial it back and breathe.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I know that you're right. I have been doing a lot of NCLEX style questions off of the website that our school gives us. I did over 150 to prepare for the quiz, but I guess I need to do more! I always read the rationale and try to understand why something is happening.

Those dang SATA questions.... I need to improve on those. I hope I improve hah :)

I don't think you need to do MORE questions, you need to seek out questions that pertain to the info that is in front of you, and learn how to answer SATA questions more effectively.

Review WHAT the question is asking you...the approach the SATA question as a "true-false" question; what answers provided match up with what the question is asking? And go from there.

Best wishes.

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There's facebook groups with just SATA questions to practice..um I deactivated my account temporarily but I think one was called "SATA only"

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Thanks everyone for all the advice :) I had never considered over-studying as a thing. But I do struggle with anxiety & some OCD, so that probably has to do with it ;)

I'm going to focus a lot on content for the next quiz! I'm hoping that will help me.

I had never heard the approach of taking each SATA as a true/false option. I'm going to try that :)

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A lot of times, for me anyway, trying to use NCLEX answering strategies really messed with my head during the first semester. It made me think that my instructors were trying to be tricky when the answers were actually obvious. Cut back a bit on those NCLEX questions, don't over think this early on! And don't burn yourself out just a few weeks in. Self care is so important!

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