Asked • 06/11/23

How to approach NCLEX or any other nursing questions?

Apply the following:


ABCs (Airway, breathing, & circulation)

Safety (Patient safety; I.e. risk for injury, self-harm, medication risks, etc.)

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs (Learn the 5-tier to Maslow's, focus on physiological needs).

Nursing process (ADPIE)

Medical terminology (Understanding prefixes, suffixes, etc. will assist you in being able to decipher terminology that you do not understand)

Pay attention to important words such as but not limited to (best, most likely, first, last, etc).

Connect commonalities, familiarities that link subjects (I.e., medications ending in "lol" betablockers")


Rebecca F.

tutor
To expand on my initial answer. How to approach NCLEX or any other nursing questions: Yes always complete the basic concepts 1. Read each question, and case study, and provided answers in full and carefully; identify keywords. A. "crushing" chest pain, (descriptive/adjectives/subjective and objective data) B. first, most, best, initial, primary, ultimate, never (prioritization) C. further teaching is needed (The best answer will obtain incorrect information). D. no further teaching or patient/client understanding (The best answer will be "accurate" information). 2. Make sure that you can answer the following: What, when, why, who, how A. What is the question asking? B. Who or what type of patient?; I.e., COPD, Cardiac C. Age group (newborn to end-of-life) D. What information is important vs what can be eliminated or is irrelevant? E. Try rewording the question. Simplify it to a yes or no. Tap into the provided answer options. 3. Prioritization, apply the following A. ABCs (This is always the most important. It may not apply to all questions or case studies. If it does not then move on). This is the 1st tier of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. B. Safety (2nd level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs) If the environment is unsafe, if the patient is at risk, ect... safety is always going to be the 2nd most important priority). Why did I pull safety from Maslow's hierarchy of needs? You have already determined the client's airway is not obstructive, breathing is not compromised and is normal, and circulation (normal skin color). C. Maslow's hierarchy of needs (Look at the pyramid holistically: the first level is addressing physiological needs which includes your #1 priority ABCs, then food, water, shelter, sleep, clothing, & reproduction). However, the most important elements of the 1st tier are ABCs, water, and food. Be able to recognize and understand every tier in Maslow's pyramid. This is important based upon the 1. type of patient, 2. age of the patient, 3. patient's support system or the lack of it, 4. patient's self-image, etc... How is this helpful: pay attention to the type of patient: Mental health, Hospice, OB, Peds. Based on your patient's demographics (age, gender, beliefs, diagnosis and so much more utilizing Maslow's hierarchy of needs will help you to come to the best answer by process of elimination. 4. Nursing Process. Everyone needs a piece of the pie in their life. ADPIE Assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation Why does this matter? Read the entire question, and case study from a nurse's perspective. Any information that is beyond your scope of practice or level of education does not apply. So get rid of that information. Forget about it!!!! 1. Assess: Patient Diagnosis Vital signs Diagnostics Imaging, ect Symptoms 2. Diagnosis: nursing diagnosis (remember care planning) What is your role as the nurse to help the client to reach his/her best outcome. 3. Planning (This is all about prioritizing) These are your interventions: Apply )2 at 2 LPM/NC, Start an IV, Initial IVFs 0.9% NS at 125ml/hr., etc). 4. Implementation (Select all that apply/SATA). At this point, you have determined what is unnecessary by addressing each of the aforementioned items. 5. Evaluation (Case study: You have reviewed nurse's notes, diagnostics, vitals signs, orders, follow-up entries, ect... now what). 5. Medical terminology (prefix, body, suffix) Why medical terminology? Being familiar with medical terminology helps you understand terminology by breaking it down. All prefixes and suffixes indicate medical specialty, types of procedures/surgeries or treatments, sensory sensation/experience/subjective feelings, action or movement, diseases/disorders/conditions, and instruments (tools). If you can identify this, you can. You will find comfort in knowing that even if you do not know the correct answer, you can try eliminating what is incorrect. 6. Pay attention!!!!!!!!! Do not skip, omit, or add information to a question or your selection options. Also, do not include your "real-world experience" 7. Connect commonalities and familiarities that link subjects. Why? because it is improbable for you to "remember" everything. If you are able to identify the drug classification, you may be able to recognize potential side effects, adverse reactions, potential symptoms, contraindications, ect... So yes, please always apply ABCs Safety Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Nursing process Medical terminology Pay attention: read, identify, analyze, process, eliminate, prioritize, and ask yourself before reviewing the answer options to see if maybe what you know is there. You are always going to have to select the best answer or answers and prioritize. Most importantly Do not unnecessarily share your testing date. (This will help decrease your anxiety and stress levels). Be well rested Be on time with time to spare Be organized (Have everything you may need: your glasses, a sweatshirt, etc) Be confident (You have got this) Also, know that as well as there is a probability of passing the NCLEX there is also a probability of not passing NCLEX. However, this still is not the end for you. You can try, try, and try again. You will get there!!!!! Best wishes to all of you soon-to-be-nurses!!!
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06/13/23

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Ariane M. answered • 10/21/23

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The NCLEX and many exams in related fields commonly provide you with more than 1 “correct” answer. They expect the student to use their critical thinking skills along with their knowledge to pick the “MOST correct” answer. Many of the questions on the NCLEX are done in this way. For example, a question may present a case study and provide a patient’s abnormal vitals, out of range lab values and the patient’s subjective complaints. Then, they will ask you what would be your first priority with this patient, given all of this data. All of the options may be correct, but you need to review all of the data and come to a decision on which intervention is the most important and should be done first before any other interventions. Critical thinking is highly valuable in the nursing field and for taking exams.

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Ian L. answered • 06/13/23

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Nursing, Anatomy/Physiology, PHAM, DNP projects and essay writing.

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When approaching NCLEX or any other nursing questions, it's important to have a systematic and organized approach. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you tackle nursing questions effectively:

1.      Read the question carefully: Take your time to understand what the question is asking. Pay attention to keywords or phrases that can give you clues about the topic or what is being asked.

2.      Identify the type of question: Nursing questions can be in various formats, such as multiple-choice, select-all-that-apply, prioritization, or fill-in-the-blank. Understanding the question type will help you determine the appropriate approach.

3.      Analyze the information: Break down the question and identify the relevant information provided. Consider the patient's condition, symptoms, medical history, and any other pertinent details. Organize this information in your mind or jot it down on scratch paper if needed.

4.      Determine the underlying concept: Figure out the key concept being tested in the question. Is it related to a specific disease, medication, nursing intervention, assessment technique, or priority setting? Identifying the concept will guide your thinking process and help you choose the most appropriate answer.

5.      Eliminate obvious incorrect options: Review each option carefully and eliminate any obviously incorrect choices. Sometimes, this can be done by using your prior knowledge or recognizing factual errors in the options.

6.      Consider the options individually: Assess each remaining option individually and evaluate its relevance to the question. Compare the options to the information you gathered from the question and your nursing knowledge. Remember that there may be more than one correct option in some questions.

7.      Prioritize options: If the question asks you to prioritize interventions or actions, consider the principles of nursing care and prioritize based on the urgency of the situation, safety concerns, or the patient's immediate needs.

8.      Use the process of elimination: If you are unsure about an option, try to eliminate it by identifying any contradictions, irrelevant information, or potential risks associated with that choice.

9.      Select the best answer: After considering all the options, choose the answer that you believe is the best or most appropriate based on the information provided in the question and your nursing knowledge. Trust your critical thinking skills and avoid second-guessing yourself.

10.  Review your answer: Before finalizing your choice, quickly review the question and your chosen answer to ensure they align. Make sure you haven't missed any important details or made any careless errors.

Remember, practicing with a variety of nursing questions and using reputable NCLEX review resources can help you become familiar with the question format and enhance your critical thinking skills. Developing a systematic approach and maintaining a calm mindset will contribute to your success when approaching nursing questions.

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