Kaplan NCLEX-RN: Passing Score Guaranteed

Chapter Ten

How to Study for the NCLEX

The authors of this book work for Kaplan, the oldest test prep company in the nation. We have been preparing graduate nurses and international nurses for the NCLEX for more than 15 years. We know what works to prepare for the NCLEX and what doesn't work. Here is some of the wisdom we've acquired.

Ineffective Ways to Prepare

Relying on False Hopes

Some students use what is knows as the "hope" method of study. "I hope that I don't have questions about chest tubes on the test." "I hope that I don't have questions about medication on my test." "I hope that I have questions about ABGs because I did great on that test in schooL." The "hope" method usually doesn't work very well. The test pool contains thousands of questions. How many topics do you "hope" won't be on your test?

Lacking Respect for the Exam

Many candidates for the NCLEX are good students in school. Because of their school success, they expect to pass the NCLEX with minimal preparation. After all, it's just a test of minimum competency. These students do some studying, but they really believe there is no chance they might fail this exam. You might think that you can't possibly fail, but if you do not respect this exam and prepare for it correctly, you run the risk of failure!

All students know why they take the NCLEX. But after interviewing hundreds of students, we have discovered that many graduate nurses have no idea what the exam content is. How can you effectively study for a test if you don't know what content the exam tests? Learn what is on the NCLEX and then you will realize that preparation with a review course or a planned method of study at home is essential.

Cramming

Some students completed nursing school with a minimal understanding of nursing content. These students studied long and hard on the night before a nursing school test, cramming as many facts into their heads as they could remember. Since the test questions primarily involved recognition and recall, cramming worked for tests in nursing school. But as we said earlier, the NCLEX is not an exam about facts. It tests your ability to apply the knowledge that you have learned and to think critically. Recognition and recall will not work!

Poor Planning

As with all standardized exams, you must work on your areas of weaknesses. This is hard to do because there's usually a reason you're weak in an area. Some graduate nurses, for example, profess a weakness in or dislike for obstetrical nursing. Some students didn't understand the theory, while other students had a poor clinical experience or didn't get to see many deliveries; still other students simply didn't like this rotation. Whatever the reason, it causes you to have a weakness in a particular area. In order to pass a standardized test, you must work on your areas of weakness.

Some students don't establish a plan of study. Other students establish a plan of study, but don't follow it. You can enroll in a review course or buy review books, but if you don't apply yourself, they will do you no good.

To pass the NCLEX you need to:

(1) Know nursing content.
(2) Be able to apply critical thinking skills.
(3) Cope with the CAT testing experience.

Effective Methods of Study

Become Knowledgeable About the NCLEX.

Find out:

* The content of the exam
* What topics are usually included on the NCLEX
* What kind of questions are asked
* How the content is organized

Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses.

* Take as many diagnostic exams as you can.
* Identify your weaknesses in nursing content.
* Identify your weaknesses in test taking skills.

Decide If You Need to Take a Review Course.

If you decide that this is the best way for you to prepare, ask yourself these questions:

* Is the content integrated? The material should be organized according to the "Meeting the Client Needs" concept. Some review programs are still organized according to the "old" medical model of medical, surgical, psychiatric, obstetric, and pediatric nursing. This type of review won't help you put it all together for Test Day.
* Are testing strategies included? You can know everything about congestive heart failure (CHF), but if you don't know how to use this information to answer a question about CHF correctly on the NCLEX, you will have difficulty on the exam. Are the strategies useful for taking a computer adaptive test? Are the strategies specific for the NCLEX?
* Are there plenty of opportunities for practice testing? You need to prove your competence by answering NCLEX-style test questions, so you should practice answering these questions. If the exam were about opening a sterile pack, what you spend your time doing to prepare for the exam? Reading about opening a sterile pack or practicing opening a sterile pack? Are there NCLEX-style questions included in the course? Do the questions require recall and recognition of facts or application of nursing care principles? Remember, your NCLEX exam will consist mainly of application-level questions.
* What do students who have taken the course have to say about how it helped them prepare for the exam? If a review course boasts of a particularly high pass rate, ask to see their statistics. Be an informed consumer.
* Is there a guarantee? There are guarantees and there are empty promises. Make sure the course you are considering puts the guarantee in writing. Study the small print. Is your total tuition refunded? Do you have to fail the exam more than once?
* How much does it cost? This sounds easy, but "extras" can add up. Are there additional charges for books? Software? Registration fees?
* Is this course right for me?

Establish a Study Plan.

* Create a realistic study schedule that works for you.
* Make a vow to stick to that plan and reward yourself when you do.
* Prepare for at least three weeks before your exam date. Don't cram!
* Your content focus should be in understanding the principles of nursing care, not memorizing facts.
* Answer as many NCLEX-style test questions as possible.

Seek Help if Necessary.

If you are having difficulty, don't continue studying alone. Seek out help: a review course, a faculty advisor, or someone that is knowledgeable about the exam. They can help you identify your weaknesses, and establish a study plan to eliminate those weaknesses.

Prepare Mentally.

Stay away from people who are "prophets of doom." You know the type. With the proper preparation you can and will pass the NCLEX. Keep a positive attitude.

You may need to consider some techniques for battling stress and managing the test-day experience. Do any of these statements apply to you?

"I always freeze up on tests."
"I need to pass to get my new job, promotion, commission, etcetera."
"My best friend/girlfriend/sister/brother did really well, but I won't."
"My hospital/family/parents paid for my test prep course. They won't like it if I fail."
"I'm afraid of losing concentration."
"I'm afraid I'm not spending enough time preparing."

If these sound familiar, you may want to mentally prepare yourself by understanding ways to manage test stress. Forcing yourself to identify and face fears may make you edgy at first, but will significantly alleviate test stress in the long run by adding another dimension to your preparation.

Mental Preparation

1. Visualize

You have probably learned how to do this with patients; now it's your turn. Close your eyes, sit back, and let your shoulders and arms relax. Imagine yourself escaping from the stressful world using the following steps:

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a relaxing situation — it can be fictional, but a real-life memory is best. Make it as detailed as possible. Think about the sights, the sounds, the smells, even the tastes that you associate with the relaxing situation. Keep your eyes shut; keep sinking back into your chair. Now that you're in that situation, start bringing your test in — think about the experience of taking the test while in that relaxing situation. Imagine how much easier it would be if you could take your test in that situation. Notice how much easier your test seems in that situation.

Here's another variation. Close your eyes and start remembering a situation in which you did well on a test. If you can't come up with one, pick a situation in which you did some good academic work that you were really proud of, or some other kind of genuine accomplishment. Not a fiction, mind you: it has to be from real life. Make it as detailed as possible. Think about the sights, the sounds, the smells, even the tastes, that you associate with this experience of academic success. Now start thinking about your test in line with that experience. Don't make comparisons between them. Just start imagining taking your test with that same feeling of relaxed control.

2. Exercise

Whether it be jogging, walking, mild aerobics, pushups, or a pickup basketball game, physical exercise is a great way to stimulate the mind and body and improve one's ability to think and concentrate. A surprising number of those who prepare for standardized tests don't exercise regularly because they spend so much time preparing. Sedentary people — this is a medical fact — get less oxygen in the blood, and therefore to the brain, than active people.

3. Do the Following on Exam Day:

* Keep moving forward. By test day, do enough preparation with a review course or practice questions so that it becomes an instinct to keep moving forward instead of getting bogged down in a difficult question. You don't need to get everything right to pass, so don't linger on a question that is going nowhere. The best test takers don't get bothered by difficult questions because they accept that everyone encounters them on the NCLEX.

* Don't listen to negative words or behavior. Don't be distracted by the ignorant babble or the behavior of other, less prepared, less skilled candidates around you. Negative thoughts lead to negative feelings and may interfere with you performing your best on test day.

* Don't be anxious if other test takers seem to be working harder or answering questions more quickly. Continue to spend your time patiently but doggedly thinking through your answers; it's going to lead to higher-quality test taking and better results. Set your own pace and stick to it.

* Keep breathing! Weak standardized test takers tend to share one major trait — forgetting to breathe steadily as the test proceeds. They do not to know the value of proper breathing. They start holding their breath without realizing it, or begin breathing erratically or arrhythmically. This can hurt confidence and accuracy. Do what you can to instill an awareness of proper breathing before and during each study or testing section.

* Do some quick isometrics during the test. This is helpful especially if your concentration is wandering or energy is waning. For example, put your palms together and press intensely for a few seconds.