Reminders: For the Nursing Licensure Exam takers

[~StormyWeather~]

uyyyyyyy lapit na ung nxt year na un
goodluck jaja mwahhhhhhhhhh

[-JaJa-]

wahaha! effective sakin tong techniques... the rule of elimination

[-JaJa-]

up ko lang toh

nakatulong sakin mga techniques na toh.

[-JaJa-]

RULE #1. Read the question carefully; determine the KEY ELEMENTS in the question.

Key Elements

TEST STEM- is a COMPLETE or INCOMPLETE sentence that introduces the test question

Characteristics of COMPLETE STEM:
1. It provides the information you need to answer the question
2. It is the central focus of the test item
3. It ends with a question mark
4. It can answer the question without looking at the options

Sample Question

When is a patient most likely to develop an allergic reaction?

        A. At bedtime
        B. During early morning hours
        C. After the second dose of medication
        D. Immediately after taking the first dose of medication



Correct Answer: C
-Allergic response to a medication generally will occur after the second dose as a result of antigen-antibody reaction; look at the stem it ends up with a question mark



Characteristic of INCOMPLETE STEM:
1. It fills up the blank or it completes the sentence

Sample Question

A patient with decreased serum platelets is considered to be:

        A. anemic
B. leukopenic
C. neutropenic
D. thrombocytopenic

Correct Answer: D
-Platelets are thrombocytes. Penia is a suffix meaning decreased



on TEST STEMS
Test stems that are POSITIVELY WORDED or NEGATIVELY WORDED

Characteristics of Positively Worded Stem:

1. Information is presented as a TRUTH; this can be in the form of nursing intervention, medication etc
2. Use to determine if you understand and apply accurate information.


Sample Question

A nurse instructs a volunteer about importance of infection control. The expected outcome of the teaching is that the volunteer will:

A. wash his hands between patients
B. understand the modes of disease transmission
C. not come to work if he has cold
D. cover himself  when filling water pitchers



Correct Answer: A
-The question is asked to determine the best outcome of the instruction, washing hands is the number one priority in preventing bacterial transmission


Characteristics of Negatively Worded Stem:
1. It is used to determine ability to detect incorrect information, recognize unacceptable practices.
2. It uses words like NEVER, AVOID, UNACCEPTABLE.
3. Sometimes negative words are in italics.

Sample Question

When teaching a patient about his two gram sodium diet, which food choice would the nurse instruct the patient to avoid?
A. pasta
B. oranges
C. milk
D. canned soup



Correct Answer: D
-Canned soups are very high in sodium and should be avoided with sodium restricted diet




Key Elements

Key Words - are important words or group of words that emphasizes the central focus of the question; a clue to the correct answer

Strategy: Underline key word/group of words

Negatively stated Key Words- spot words like NEVER, CONTRAINDICATED, AVOID, LEAST or NEEDS FURTHER. These are words that you DO NOT AVOID!

Sample Question

The nurse provides discharge teaching for a patient with CHF. Which of the following statements, if made by the patient, would indicate the need for further teaching?
a. I will keep my legs elevated when sitting up
b. I will use as much salt substitute as I like
c. I will continue to take my lasix in the morning
d. I will report any palpitations to my physician

Correct Answer: B
-The option being spotted is the negative or incorrect statement. Salt substitute from the choices may be harmful to patient.


Priority Key Words- include words like INITIALLY, FIRST, BEST and MOST

Characteristics:
-It asks to put value on each options
-It asks to rank options

Options - these are the choices given to answer the question

Characteristics:
- It uses distracters or incorrect answers
- Used to stimulate critical thinking

Options that are sentences- it can be in a form of statement, a question or a response in complete sentence
Caution:    1. Not all questions in psychosocial integrity requires a question as an answer
  2. Not all reflection or verbalization answer in the options is correct 

Sample Question

A new mother confides to the nurse that she feels unprepared to care for her baby. The nurse,s best response would be:
a. I will get you some materials to take home
b. Have you discussed this with your husband
c. Tell me more about your concerns
d. Most new mothers feel exactly the same way that you feel


Correct Answer: C
-The question is asking for the best response, the mother is unprepared to care for her baby, therefore you need to assess her needs and find out more information

Options that are one-word

Characteristics:
- Easy to read
- It tests lower level learning function but requires analysis

Sample Question

The nurse is caring for an immunocompromised patient, assesses all of the following symptoms. Which symptom requires immediate intervention by the nurse?
a. Confusion
b. Fever
c. Anorexia
d. Hyperglycemia


Correct Answer: A
-Confusion may indicate cerebral hemorrhaging that require immediate intervention by the nurse


RULE #2. When confronted with negatively worded stem, DO NOT OVERANALYZE

RULE #3. Look for CLUES in the Stem and in the Options

Clues in the STEM of the Question
-Spot word or group of words in the stem that is identical to the one of the answers (also known as CLANG ASSOCIATION)

Sample Question

A patient is admitted with a diagnosis of CHF: diminished cardiac reserve. Which of the following findings correlates to the patient,s diagnosis?
a. Low serum potassium levels
b. Elevated sodium levels
c. Elevated cardiac enzymes
d. Diminished cardiac output


Correct Answer: D
-Diminished cardiac output will provide you the most diagnostic information about the patient,s diagnosis. The word diminished steer you to the correct answer

[-JaJa-]

Identify Patient Centered Options
Always bear in mind that the purpose of taking the Board is to validate that you can provide safe and competent, patient centered care
Strategy: Look for choices that move the patient to wellness; interventions that the patient can perform

Sample Question

A patient who had a MI is depressed. While the nurse is helping the patient with a bath, he says, “I know my wife will not be attracted to me now”. The nurse,s best response would be
a. Tell me more about your feelings
b. Have you talked to your wife about this?
c. You can continue to have a healthy sexual relationship with your wife
d. I can arrange a meeting with you and your wife and the psychologist


Identify Qualifying Words in the Options
Words like ALWAYS, NEVER, ALL, EVERY, NONE or JUST are false, therefore it guarantees that this answer would occur in all cases

Sample Question

When instructing an asthmatic patient about the use of his inhaler, the nurse should tell the patient to:
a. use inhaler as his doctor instructed
b. never use inhaler before exercises
c. always use inhaler when he feels stressed
d. store inhaler in a warm, dark place

Correct Answer: A
-Choices B and C contain qualifiers, then it is wrong, Inhaler should be stored in a cool place, then Choice A is the correct answer using elimination


Identify Opposites in the Choices
Opposite choices requires deeper analysis or digging. One of the choice is the correct answer, therefore you need to note of the two opposites and identify the one that distracts.

Once you have identified the opposites, you have increased your chance of answering the question correctly by 50%

Sample Question

A patient is admitted to the medical intensive care unit with left sided CHF. Which of the following nursing interventions is indicated?
a. Elevate the patient,s leg at all times
b. Elevate the head of the bed not more than 15 degrees
c. Place the patient in semi-fowler,s position
d. Make sure there is no pressure on the abdomen


Correct Answer: C
-Examine the options A and B, it is contradicting with regards to positioning. If you look at C and D, they are interventions for right sided failure. In left sided failure there is pulmonary congestion, therefore semi fowlers is indicated




Identify equally plausible and unique options

Strategy:
-Identify first options that are the same
-The two options are then considered not correct
-The option that is not similar is the correct answer

Sample Question

Which of the following recreational activities would be most appropriate for a 14 year old, second day, post operative male patient who had abdominal surgery?

a. Viewing the hospital,s closed circuit health education programs
b. Joining other adolescents in table games on the unit
c. Riding the stationary bicycle in the unit,s activity room
d. Listening to his/her music or watching sports on television

Correct Answer: D
-Options B and D are plausible options, Choice A is not recreational activity, C is too strenuous therefore D is the most appropriate answer


RULE #4. When the STEM of the question asks what is essential for the nurse to do, THINK of SAFETY. Many of the test questions are safety questions!

Rule #5-10.
Remember to MAINTAIN a Positive Attitude!
Practice affirmations and imagery daily
Remain in CONTROL! You are the Architect of your DESTINY
Remember to budget your time- ONE MINUTE per QUESTION!
Skip questions that you find yourself spending too much time on. Mark it in your booklet! NEVER on your ANSWER SHEET!

[-JaJa-]

LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST... PRAY! before and after the test

[dred10]

ate jaja and stormy.. pacopy nito ha..

thank you

[-JaJa-]

(08-07-2008 08:59 PM)dred10 Wrote:  ate jaja and stormy.. pacopy nito ha..

thank you

sure sure

[-JaJa-]

reviewhin nyo ung tungkol sa H1N1 tska leukemia. kasi baka lumabas. current events madalas sinasama ng BON

[infernochick]

>best advise ko sa magtake ngaun ng board....CHN aralin nyo. lalo na COPAR huhuhu ta3ng COPAR yan muntik na ako! i think isasama parin nila ang mga colostomy stuff...lahat ng ostomy...saka some questions are being repeated....halibawa sa test 1 lumabas cia...pede ulit cia lumabas sa test 3 or 4....kaloka noh?
>PLEASE avoid ERASURES! kahit ano pang ingat mo mas maganda ng walang erasure. super sensitive ang machines nila. what i did was...yung questionnare ang sinagutan ko then everytime may i-skip akong question...sinusulat ko yung number na yun sa cover..pag nakaabot nako sa 100th Question...babalikan ko lahat ng ini-skip ko. taz pag lahat may sagot na saka ko i-transfer sa answer sheet. always TRIPLE CHECK the numbers.
>DON'T FORGET TO BRING CALCULATOR and WRIST WATCH and set it advance ng 15 minutes
>DO NOT PANIC....isipin mo lang parang dry run lang yan....kse ang pressure paglabasan na ng test results hehehehe pramiz para kang matata3 na ewan!
>DURING BREAKS DO NOT DISCUSS YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR CLASSMATES / FRIENDS kse pag iba iba sagot nyo mas magpapanic kayo >.< just talk about the view ehehehe

saka the best talaga mag pray.... hehehe ako kse nadaan sa swerteh at awa ni Lord

goodluck sa mga magte-take.

**nov 2008 ako 1st time nagtake ng board kaya so far ang main topic talaga dun sa exam was COPAR and colostomy care and diets