© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 1

2 18 C H A P T E R TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 3 Importance of Testing  Occurs at multiple points (Table 18-1)  Protects patient safety

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 4 Types of Tests  Multiple forms (Table 18-2)  Difficulty levels increase as student progresses

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 5 The NCLEX-RN ®  Computer adaptive examination  Must pass to be licensed (Table 18-3)  Pass rates for schools are scrutinized.

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 6 Key Testing Concepts  Benchmarking and outcomes  Competency (Table 18-4)  Remediation (Figure 18-3)

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 7 Test Remediation Strategies Key Testing Concepts (cont.)

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 8 Tester Characteristics  Higher GPAs and previous scores  Family and personal stress levels  Reading ability  Amount of preparation  Health factors  Test anxiety (Figure 18-4)

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 9 Test Preparation  Study class notes regularly  Develop a plan  Utilize practice books/software  Take predictor/practice exams  Consider a review course  Manage nonacademic factors

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 10 Test-Taking Strategies  Read questions carefully  Focus on yourself, relax  Match strategies to the type of test  Figures 18-6 and 18-7

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 11 Testing Resources for Nurses  Testing centers  National Council of State Boards of Nursing

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 12 Managing the Testing Environment  Dress comfortably, in layers  Use ear plugs if necessary  Notify the proctor if there is a problem

© 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 13 Failing a Test  Be prepared with a plan  Grieve, acknowledge the disappointment  Then, move on in a positive way  Seek help if necessary