A Guide to Acing Nursing School Tests and Exams
Tests and exams in nursing programs are unique and quite different from the ones you encountered in prerequisite courses. These assessments present distinct challenges that go beyond mere memorization. To excel in these tests, you need to sift through potential answers and apply your acquired knowledge to arrive at the correct solution.
How I Improved My HESI Exam Scores and Succeeded in NCLEX-RN
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Adapting to the demands of “nursing school life” was one of the greatest challenges I faced in college. Adjusting to this novel approach of answering questions affected me mentally. Consequently, I faced failure in my initial three tests. This was a disheartening experience, especially since I had never struggled academically before.
Determined to rebound, I sought advice from fellow nursing peers and delved into numerous YouTube videos about effective test-taking techniques. I realized there was an entire toolbox of strategies to apply to my study routine and test approach. As I incorporated these new methods, I saw a noticeable improvement in my grades. After completing five quarters of nursing school, I now feel more self-assured in my test-taking skills. There’s a method to this apparent madness, and anyone can learn it.
Complete Guide on Good Nursing Essay Examples
Here are the five strategies that have proven most valuable for me:
- Employing ABCs, nursing process, and Maslow’s hierarchy – These are indispensable for prioritization questions. Airway, breathing, and circulation constitute the priority order for nursing actions in most cases, ensuring patient stability. The nursing process (ADPIE: assessment, diagnosis, plan, intervention/implementation, and evaluation) systematically guides patient care. Maslow’s hierarchy defines the order of human needs essential for effective patient care.
- Identifying strategic keywords in questions like “best,” “priority,” “initial,” and “most appropriate” – This tip is vital for prioritization questions. Though several answers might seem correct, these keywords dictate the order of priority. Combining this with tip #1 assists in selecting the most appropriate priority answer.
For instance, consider the question: The nurse is assessing the client’s condition after cardioversion. Which observation would be the highest priority?
a) Blood pressure
b) Status of airway
c) Oxygen flow rate
d) Level of consciousness
Correct Answer: b – Focus on airway from the ABCs. Maintaining the patient’s airway holds utmost priority when a cardioversion is performed.
- Handling delegation/assignment questions by understanding nurse scopes versus other care team roles – Grasping the care team’s distinct roles informs you which tasks can be delegated and which require specific team members.
- Using process of elimination – When unsure of the answer, work backwards. Narrow down the choices to the last two. Picking between two options is more promising than guessing from four. I resort to this strategy only when I’ve exhausted other techniques and remain clueless about the correct answer.
- Avoid changing your answer unless absolutely certain it’s incorrect – Trust your initial choice unless you’re convinced it’s wrong. Your initial selection was made for a reason; don’t second-guess yourself!
These strategies represent only a fraction of what I’ve learned in the past year and a half. I strongly recommend reading “Saunders Strategies for Test Success” for more test-taking skills and insights. This book adeptly dissects nursing school tests and their specific strategies. I’ve decided to incorporate this resource into my NCLEX review as well. After all, the NCLEX is essentially the ultimate nursing school test. Nursing school may be challenging, and its tests demanding, but remember—you’ve come this far for a reason! You’ve got this!
Written by Mary Olayon-Yaw
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