TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

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TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

• MARILYN EILERT, RN, CNN
• Holy Name Hospital
• Teaneck, NJ

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Preparation

• Before taking an exam, you must prepare yourself
  intellectually, emotionally, and physically.

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Intellectual Preparation

• Determine the contents of the exam
• Determine which content areas have the most
  questions most weight
• Review all material that will be included on the
  test
• Focus on areas that you are least familiar with

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Intellectual Preparation

• Take a practice test to become familiar with the
  format
• Listen to the directions given prior to the
  examination and follow them exactly

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Exam Content

• CCHT
• Dialysis Practice Area of Test
• a. Clinical 50
• b. Technical 23
• c. Environment 15
• d. Role 12

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Content Area Activities

• Clinical
• Aseptic technique
• Perform CPR
• Check vital signs
• Measure weight
• Evaluate pt. access
• Reinforce pt. education

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Content Area Activities

• Clinical
• Identify changes in patients condition
• Initiate and terminate patient treatment
• Follow protocol for treating hypotension
• Follow protocol for treating muscle cramps
• Monitor patient during treatment
• Perform post-dialysis access care

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Content Area Activities

• Technical
• Maintain safe usage of equipment
• Prepare dialysis solution
• Check conductivity, pH temperature of
• dialysis solution
• Verify effectiveness of the water treatment
• system
• Prepare equipment for dialysis

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Content Area Activities

• Environment
• Disinfect dialysis equipment
• Use standard precautions
• Follow infection control precautions
• Maintain safety of environment
• Disinfect the environmental surfaces
• Discard disposable supplies post-dialysis

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Content Area Activities

• Role
• Document findings
• Maintain appropriate caregiver/patient
• relationships
• Maintain patients privacy
• Maintain patients dignity
• Maintain patient confidentiality
• Communicate post-dialysis outcomes to
• appropriate personnel

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Knowledge Areas

• Renal anatomy and physiology
• Scientific principles of hemodialysis
• Bloodborne pathogens
• Water treatment
• Components of dialysis machine
• Dialyzer characteristics

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Knowledge areas

• Basic renal diet and fluid restrictions
• Types of vascular access
• Treatment modalities of ESRD
• Complications of dialysis (hypotension, etc)
• Major causes of renal failure (diabetes, HTN)
• Metric system
• Patients rights and responsibilities

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Learning Strategies

• Attend a certification review course
• Systematically review a nursing reference
  textbook
• Focus on areas youre least familiar with
• Spend a day with a colleague working in an area
  you need to learn about
• Take the Online Practice Exam

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Emotional Preparation

• Moderate anxiety is normal and may be helpful
• Use anxiety-reducing strategies,
• i.e. exercise, relaxation techniques
• Study and prepare so you feel confident
• Think positively the exam allows you to
  demonstrate your knowledge

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Emotional Prep

• Dont become too concerned if youre unsure of
  the answers to some of the questions
• Dont become impatient if other test-takers
  finish early use as much of the allotted time
  as you need

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Physical Preparation

• Get a good nights sleep
• Eat before the exam gray cells need glucose
• Gather all materials you need to take the night
  before
• Government-issued photo ID
• Examination permit
• Sweater or jacket if room is cool

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Physical Preparation

• Allow plenty of time to arrive early
• If you are distracted by others leaving the room
  during the test, sit at the front so youre less
  likely to notice them

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Answering Exam Questions

• Read questions carefully focus on the key words
  such as best, most important, most likely.
• Read each of the four choices carefully before
  choosing the answer.
• Answer the question based only on the
  information given dont read into it.

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Answering Exam Questions

• Dont be afraid to change an answer.
• Dont spend too much time on any one question
  return to them later.
• If youre unsure of a content area, complete the
  other areas first.

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• Thank you!
• Good luck on the exam!