. Welcome to Week #2~We are moving full-steam ahead in preparation for the upcoming Summer exam window. It is energizing to see how many school nurses have joined the group and are contributing to the on-going conversation. Thank you for those who have shared your experiences. Special shout out to @Janice Selekman, DNSc, RN, NCSN, FNASN<g class="gr_ gr_1902 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear Style multiReplace" id="1902" data-gr-id="1902"> ,</g>
@Pat Krin, MSN, M.S., RN, NCSN-E, FNP-BC-Retired, FNASN <g class="gr_ gr_1903 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="1903" data-gr-id="1903">and</g> @Shirley Gordon, PhD, RN, NCSN, AHN-BC, HWNC-BC for adding their expertise and guidance to our discussions. Suggested Reading for Week #2:
Chapter 4 - Health Appraisal comprises 27% of the exam. Physical Assessment and Health Screenings are covered in this chapter of the Selekman/Wolfe School Nursing Certification Review book. The recommended approach to cover this information is to take the assessment at the end of the chapter, review the material and pay special attention to the areas where you missed the mark. Utilize the resources on NASN that we have noted in prior posts and pull out your Selekman, School Nursing: A Comprehensive Text.Recommended contribution to the group for Week #2: Doesn't that sound better than assignment ;).Share your outcomes with the group this week. Comment on what surprised you about the process, what you learned and what resources you chose to reinforce areas that needed more focused attention. How are you staying motivated this week? Look for the Week # 2 thread to post your commentsAs promised in earlier posts, here are some test-taking tips specifically geared towards multiple-choice Nursing exam questions! (11 Test Taking Tips & Strategies For Nurses * Nurseslabs)
1. Read Questions Carefully
Scores on tests are greatly affected by reading ability. In answering a test item, you should begin by carefully reading the stem and then asking yourself the following questions:
- What is the question really asking?
- Are there any keywords?
- What is information relevant to answering this question included in the stem?
- How would I ask this question in my own words?
- How would I answer this question in my own words?
After you have answered these questions, carefully read the options and then ask yourself the following questions:
- Is there an option that is similar to my answer?
- Is this option the best, most complete answer to the question?
Deal with the question as it is stated, without reading anything into it, or making assumptions about it. Answer the question asked, not the one you would like to answer. For simple recall items, the self-questioning process usually will be completed quickly. For more complex items the self-questioning process may take longer, but it should assist you in clarifying the item and selecting the best response.
2. Identify Keywords
Certain keywords in the stem, the options, or both should alert you to the need for caution in choosing your answer. Because few things are absolute without exception, avoid selecting answers that include words such as always, never, all, every, only, must, no, except, and none. Answers containing these keywords are rarely correct because they place special limitations and qualifications on potentially correct answers. For <g class="gr_ gr_1895 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="1895" data-gr-id="1895">example</g>
<g class="gr_ gr_1895 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="1895" data-gr-id="1895">All</g> of the following are services of the National Kidney Foundation except:
- Public education programs
- Research about kidney disease
- Fund-raising affairs for research activities
- Identification of potential transplant <g class="gr_ gr_1896 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="1896" data-gr-id="1896">recipients</g>
<g class="gr_ gr_1896 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="1896" data-gr-id="1896">This</g> stem contains two keywords: all and except. They limit the correct answer choice to the one option that does not represent a service of the National Kidney Foundation. When except, not, or a phrase such as all but one of the following appears in the stem, the inappropriate option is the correct answer in this instance, option 4.
If the options in an item do not seem to make sense because more than one option is correct, reread the question; you may have missed one of the keywords in the stem. Also be on guard when you see one of the keywords in an option; it may limit the context in which such an option would be correct.
Happy digging in and learning! Keep us posted on your progress!
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Robin Cogan MEd, RN, NCSN
School Nurse
Rutgers University - Camden
Cherry Hill, NJ
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