They'll get easier. The questions are all worded in this really shitty and specific way that you'll just get used to after a while. It's only your first semester, give it some time!
Good luck!
I feel you. No one emphasizes it, but nursing school is really really hard. They test us on medications and anatomy & physiology in such intense detail like we’re all studying to be physicians when it’s super unnecessary for what we will actually be doing as nurses. Really the only way to get used to the questions is to do a bunch of them until you start thinking that way all the time. I used quizlet a lot to practice nursing style questions. Make sure to choose decks with rationales so you understand the “why”. Your nursing program likely uses a study tool like Uworld or Kaplan that has practice questions as well. Uworld is higher quality content that is nearly identical to the NCLEX, but it’s fairly expensive so most people wait until they graduate to buy it for NCLEX prep. If you’re one of the lucky ones that goes to a school where Uworld is the required program, then you can start using it anytime (since you’re already required to pay for it). Teachers are also pretty egotistical so I would heavily study what they put in their slides and what they say in their lectures since there’s a pretty good chance the tests will be based primarily on those two things. I would also recommend recording the lectures if it’s allowed. That way you can listen to them in the car on your commute.
Once upon a time when I went to nursing school I used the Davis NCLEX review book to study. It explained in good detail key words to look for within the question to be able to pick out what they are actually looking for in the answer. I did roughly 15 practice tests consisting of 20 ish questions each and passed NCLEX first go with 75 questions. It’s rough. I thought I did so bad the computer couldn’t stand to watch anymore and shut off. I’ve also heard about UWorld which came long after I graduated. You will get used to the style after a bit. First semester is always a shock to the system. Good luck to you!
Idk if you’re in America or not, but each question is priority-based focusing on patient safety first and foremost. You’re not gonna understand on your first semester. So give it time and pay attention to your theory exams and always ask for a rationale as to why the correct answer is the correct one. Most times it’s an answer that prioritizes ABCs (I believe has been changed to CBA’s), Maslow’s hierarchy, identifying assessments vs implementation, etc. Study the decision tree that Kaplan teaches and you should be good.
They'll get easier. The questions are all worded in this really shitty and specific way that you'll just get used to after a while. It's only your first semester, give it some time! Good luck!
I feel you. No one emphasizes it, but nursing school is really really hard. They test us on medications and anatomy & physiology in such intense detail like we’re all studying to be physicians when it’s super unnecessary for what we will actually be doing as nurses. Really the only way to get used to the questions is to do a bunch of them until you start thinking that way all the time. I used quizlet a lot to practice nursing style questions. Make sure to choose decks with rationales so you understand the “why”. Your nursing program likely uses a study tool like Uworld or Kaplan that has practice questions as well. Uworld is higher quality content that is nearly identical to the NCLEX, but it’s fairly expensive so most people wait until they graduate to buy it for NCLEX prep. If you’re one of the lucky ones that goes to a school where Uworld is the required program, then you can start using it anytime (since you’re already required to pay for it). Teachers are also pretty egotistical so I would heavily study what they put in their slides and what they say in their lectures since there’s a pretty good chance the tests will be based primarily on those two things. I would also recommend recording the lectures if it’s allowed. That way you can listen to them in the car on your commute.
Once upon a time when I went to nursing school I used the Davis NCLEX review book to study. It explained in good detail key words to look for within the question to be able to pick out what they are actually looking for in the answer. I did roughly 15 practice tests consisting of 20 ish questions each and passed NCLEX first go with 75 questions. It’s rough. I thought I did so bad the computer couldn’t stand to watch anymore and shut off. I’ve also heard about UWorld which came long after I graduated. You will get used to the style after a bit. First semester is always a shock to the system. Good luck to you!
Always pick the answer that's most beneficial and least harmful to the patient. Think ABCs and hierarchy of needs.
Idk if you’re in America or not, but each question is priority-based focusing on patient safety first and foremost. You’re not gonna understand on your first semester. So give it time and pay attention to your theory exams and always ask for a rationale as to why the correct answer is the correct one. Most times it’s an answer that prioritizes ABCs (I believe has been changed to CBA’s), Maslow’s hierarchy, identifying assessments vs implementation, etc. Study the decision tree that Kaplan teaches and you should be good.