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Test Taking Skills
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Test-taking skills.
Exams in the nursing program are very different from exams that you are used to taking. Most tests measure your ability to recall facts and data or to understand the information you have discussed in class. Nursing exams measure your ability to apply the information you have been taught in class to a potential health care scenario. Students will verbalize that nursing exams are “tricky” and that, while they understood the material, they do not feel that their grade reflects their understanding. Our tests are modeled after NCLEX exams (the nursing licensing exam) and your grade on our exams is very predictive of your ability to be successful on the NCLEX.
At our end, we have implemented several strategies to help students with exam taking. When you enter the program, you will learn about Learning System RN, a Web-based program to tutor students on test-taking that we have incorporated into the program. Throughout the entire program, you will take these practice exams which will give you feedback about rationale for the right and wrong answers. In the first nursing course, we have arranged a seminar for you on test-taking strategies. However, taking some time prior to entering the semester to review these test taking strategies is desirable. This may be when you have the most time to review the strategies.
Strategies for success:
· There are several books available that are easy reads and will help your test success. One of these is Test Success: Test taking techniques for beginning nursing students, (5th ed.), 2008 by Patricia Nugent and Barbara Vitale, published by F. A. Davis Co. It is available in the Brookdale bookstore. · The Bankier Library at Brookdale has an excellent videotape on test-taking success. It can be viewed in the library during regular library hours. The video is RC55.P762002, Professor Nightengale’s test-taking strategies for student nurses— taking the multiple guess out of multiple choice, Nightengale productions, Director Dan Peters, 2002.· Plan to purchase NCLEX review books and practice questions early in the program. This is a proven strategy for success, and should be implemented as soon as possible in NURS 161. Your instructors will review this information with you in class.
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