Test Taking Skills

1
Test Taking Skills

• Apply Critical Thinking to Multiple-choice
  Questions.
• Although we want you to know as much as possible,
  there is no way you can know or experience
  everything.
• You can learn how to critically approach exam
  questions to maximize your test-taking success.
• KnowledgeUnderstandingAbility to Approach
  Questions

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Strategy 1 Examine, reframe, critique and
evaluate the stem of each question.

• Question
• Leg exercises after surgery are encouraged
  primarily to
• First, examine, critique, evaluate the stem
• What are the key words in the question?
• What do you need to know to answer this question?
• Second, construct the correct answer before
  looking at the options.
• What are the possibilities for correct answer?

3
Leg exercises after surgery are encouraged
primarily to

• 1. Promote venous return
• 2. Limit joint contractures
• 3. Prevent muscle atrophy
• 4. Increase muscle strength

4
The correct answer is 1. promote venous return
5
Strategy 2 Pay careful attention to the
context or focus of the question.

• Question 1 Which is associated with a
  physiological need of a patient with a colostomy?
• 1. Disturbance in body image
• 2. Inadequate nutrition
• 3. Lack of knowledge
• 4. Skin breakdown

• Question 2 Which is associated with a
  psychological need of a patient with a colostomy?
• 1. Disturbance in body image
• 2. Inadequate nutrition
• 3. Lack of knowledge
• 4. Skin breakdown

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Answer to Question 1 is 2. Skin
breakdown.Answer to Question 2 is 1.
Disturbance in body image.
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Strategy 3 Avoid reading into the question.
(This is also known as Dont make the patient
any sicker!)

• You can avoid reading into the question by
• Underline or note the important words in the
  question.
• Do not add information from your mind.
• Do not read between the lines about the
  information presented.

• Read all the options before choosing the correct
  answer.
• Do not add information to an option.
• Do not focus only on your experiences (they my be
  too narrow for a point of reference.
• Pretend you are are in the perfect, NCLEX
  hospital

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Strategy 3 question A bronchoscopy was
performed on a client at 7 AM. He returns to his
room and the nurse plans to assist the client
with his AM care. What is the best nursing action?

• 1. Encourage the client to take a shower
• 2. Perform all his AM care
• 3. Postpone the AM care until the client is more
  comfortable and can participate
• 4. Cancel all of the AM care since it is not
  necessary to perform after a bronchoscopy

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The correct answer is 3. Postpone the AM care
until the client is more comfortable and can
participate.
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Strategy 4 Identify key words in the question
that set a priority.

• most important
• first
• best
• safest
• most
• priority

• This type of question is asking you to put a
  value on each option and then place them in rank
  order.
• Rank the options in your mind from 1-most
  desirable option to 4-least desirable option. The
  correct answer will be the option you ranked as
  1.

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Strategy 4 Question A patient adaptation that
may first indicate internal abdominal bleeding
postoperatively would be

• 1. Pain in the area of bleeding and a decreased
  heart rate.
• 2. Cool, clammy skin and a decreased heart rate.
  
• 3. Restlessness and an increased heart rate.
• 4. Apathy and a decreased heart rate.

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The correct answer is 3 Restlessness and an
increased heart rate.
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Strategy 4 continued

• If you are having trouble doing this, eliminate
  the option you believe to be most wrong.
• Reread the question to identify a key word(s).

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Strategy 4 Question

• A patient has significant short-term memory loss
  and does not remember the primary nurse from day
  to day. When the patient asks, Who are you?
  what would be the most appropriate response?
• 1. You know me, I take care of you every day.
• 2. Dont worry. Im the same nurse you had
  yesterday.
• 3. My name is Sue Clark. I am the nurse caring
  for you.
• 4. Say nothing, because it would probably upset
  the patient.

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The correct answer is 3. My name is Sue Clark.
I am the nurse caring for you.
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Strategy 4a second question.

• A patient has just returned from surgery with an
  IV and does not have a gag reflex. Which planned
  intervention takes priority?
• 1. Ensure adequacy of air exchange
• 2. Observe the dressing for drainage
• 3. Check for IV infiltration
• 4. Monitor vital signs

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The correct answer is 1. Ensure adequacy of air
exchange.
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Strategy 4 continued

• Other tips for prioritization questions
• Think ABCs airway comes before breathing which
  comes before circulation.
• Think of Maslows hierarchy of needs physiologic
  comes before psychological.
• Think of the nursing process assessment comes
  before diagnosis, planning, intervention and
  evaluation. Look before you touch.

• Think of safety issues a first issue often is
  meeting basic needs of survivaloxygen,
  nutrition, elimination, environmental hazards.
• Hand washing is nearly always the correct option.
  

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Strategy 5 Select the most comprehensive
answer.

• All options may be correct but one option
  includes the other three or needs to be
  considered first.
• The nurse is planning to teach a diabetic client
  about his condition. Prior to the teaching, what
  is important for the nurse to evaluate?
• 1. Required dietary modifications
• 2. Understanding of the exchange list
• 3. Ability to administer insulin
• 4. Present understanding of diabetes

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The correct answer is 4. Present understanding
of diabetes.
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Strategy 6 Read the stem slowly and carefully
to identify words that indicate negative
polarity. The question being asked is probably
concerned with what is false.

• Except
• Never
• Not
• Further teaching is needed when
• Violate
• Avoid
• Contraindicated

• Which intervention is unrelated to the prevention
  of postoperative thrombophlebitis?
• 1. Massaging the legs
• 2. Ambulating regularly
• 3. Increasing fluid intake
• 4. Applying antiembolism stockings

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The correct answer is 1 Massaging the legs.