HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO STUDY FOR THE NURSING BOARD EXAMS EFFECTIVELY:

1. Study when you are most alert. Some people study better at daytime while others prefer to study at night or even
during the wee hours of the morning. Whatever your preferred time is, it is important to study the most difficult
materials of the 2014 Nurse Licensure Examination when you are most alert to help you focus more on the topic at
hand.

2. Choose an appropriate study area. Your study area should be conducive for studying. An appropriate study area is
well-lighted, well-ventilated, and free of distractions. You should also have a sturdy desk where you have your
reference materials within your reach and a chair that supports good posture.

3. Create a Priority List. Barely a month before the 2014 Nurse Licensure Examination, you should have identified
nursing topics that you know very well and those topics you still need to improve on. Create a task list so you can
appropriate more time for in-depth review on nursing topics you find most difficult and keep track of the nursing
topics you have covered and those you still need to study on.

4. Take short breaks. After long, grueling hours of reviewing for the NLE, you need to take short breaks to recharge
yourself. You need to walk around the room, stretch your limbs, and take cleansing breaths to improve your
circulation and relax your mind and body.

5. Take time to nourish and hydrate yourself. Give particular attention to what you eat and drink during study
periods. It is best to eat small meals every 3 to 4 hours to maintain your
energy levels and avoid feeling drowsy and sluggish. Also remember to
consume lots of fluids to keep you hydrated and refreshed even after
hours of studying.

6. Have enough rest and sleep. While you need to spend long hours
studying for the Nurse Licensure Examination this November, your
body needs to rest in order to be in peak operating condition. When
you deprive your body of the much-need rest and sleep, you will feel
groggy and find it harder to concentrate on your review for the NLE.

7. Make use of study tools. When reviewing for the 2014 Nurse
Licensure Examination, you need all the help you need to maximize
your study time. For example, if you have a hard time remembering laboratory values and drug antidotes, why not
make cram sheets on these topics? Cram sheets are handy and you can go over them whenever you have the time.

8. Join a study group. When you think you have covered all the nursing topics included in the Scope of the Nurse
Licensure Examination, one way of supplementing self-study is by joining a study group where you can exchange
notes, nursing mnemonics, and tips with other group members. There may be nursing topics you have missed out on
and other group members may be able to explain them to you thoroughly.




Remember that in order to succeed in the 2014 Nurse Licensure Examination, you have to go beyond just
basic studying. It is very important to learn how to study effectively and use valuable study time to your best
advantage.








TEST TAKING STRATEGY I:

1. How to Avoid Reading into the Question
2. The parts of a question.

TEST TAKING STRATEGY II:
Look for Key Words

TEST TAKING STRATEGY III:
The issue of the question

TEST TAKING STRATEGY IV:
TRUE and FALSE Response Questions

TEST TAKING STRATEGY V:
Questions that Require Prioritizing

1. Questions in the examination may require you to use the skill of prioritizing nursing actions.
2. Look for the key words in the question that indicate the need to prioritize
3. Remember, when a question requires prioritization, all options may be correct,
and you need to determine the correct order of action.
4. Guidelines to use include the ABCs airway, breathing, and circulation;
Maslows hierarchy of needs theory, and the steps of the nursing process.
5. The CABs
6. Maslows Hierarchy of needs theory
7. Steps of the Nursing Process
Assessment
Analysis
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation

TEST TAKING STRATEGY VI: Client Needs

1. Safe, Effective Care Environment
2. Physiological Integrity
3. Psychological Integrity
4. Health Promotion and Maintenance

TEST TAKING STRATEGY VII:
Eliminating Similar Options

TEST TAKING STRATEGY VIII:
Eliminate Options that contain Absolute Words

TEST TAKING STRATEGY X:
Look for the Umbrella Options

TEST TAKING STRATEGY X:
Use the Guidelines for Delegating and Assignment Making

TEST TAKING STRATEGY XI:
Answering Pharmacology Questions


Sometimes pure hard work and mental preparedness is not enough. The ability to answers exams or any test faster is
a must specially if it is bounded by time. Usually the pressure sets in if the time is working against you and even if youve
prepared 100%, it can ruin entirely what you have poured in. We have outlined test taking tips and strategies applicable not
only in the Nursing Board Exam but also in any type of multiple choice exams including NCLEX.

The Parts of a Question

The question contains several parts:
the case (sometimes called scenario) the description of the client and what is happening to him/her
the stem the part of the question that asks the question
the correct response
distracters incorrect but feasible choices

Key Words
The most important skill for the test taker is the ability to read the question carefully and determine the key elements in each
question. Each question has key words. Key words relate to the client; to the problem; and to specific aspects of the problem.

Client
Factors such as age, sex, and marital status may be relevant. When a childs age is given it often is very relevant to the answer.
Vital signs vary with age. Preoperative teaching methods vary with age. Appropriate toys and diversional activities vary with
age. Always pay special attention to the age of a client when it is given. Also consider who is the client for this question. That is,
who is the focus of the question. The client may be the identified sick person, or it might be a relative of the identified sick
person, or even a staff member.

Problem/Behavior
The problem may be a disease, a symptom or a behavior.

Details of the Problem
Is the question asking for nursing actions or client symptoms or family responses?
Does the question ask about a specific aspect of nursing care assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation?
Does the question ask details relevant to a specific symptom or behavior the client exhibits?
Is there additional information about the client or the problem that is important?

Priority Setting
What action takes priority?
What should the nurse do first?
What should the nurse do initially?
What is essential for the nurse to do?
Physiologic needs are first, followed by safety needs, then love and belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization.
The first step of the nursing process is assessment! When the stem of a question asks for the initial nursing action always look
to see if there is a relevant assessment answer. The nurse will take an action only when there is enough data to act. Call the
physician only when there is not a nursing action that should be taken first. The stem of the question may ask for a nursing
action and the correct answer may be to assess.
When the stem of the question asks what is essential for the nurse to do, think safety. Remember many of the test questions
are safety questions.

What is the Time Frame?
Whenever a specific time frame is indicated in a question it is very important. Pay attention to it. Time related words may
be like early or late in relation in symptoms, pre operative or post operative, care on the day of surgery or later postoperative
care.

Repeated Words
Words from the question are repeated in the answer. Frequently the same word or a synonym will be in both the question
and the answer.

Opposites
When two answers are opposite such as high blood pressure and low blood pressure or increase the drip rate and stop the
IV, or turn on the right side and turn on the left side, the answer is usually one of the two.

Same Answer
If two or three answers say the same thing in different words none can be correct. If the answers are too alike, then neither
one is correct.

Odd Answer Wins
The answer that is different from the others is apt to be the correct answer. It may be the longest or the shortest or simply
very different in content or style.

Umbrella Answer
One answer includes the others. There may be more than one correct answer. One answer is better than all the others
because it includes them.

Test Item Check List
Use this handy list to check yourself every time you answer a test question.
Say to yourself, DID I CAREFULLY
Read the stem?
Read all of the options?
Read the stem again?
Look for key words?
Eliminate obviously incorrect options?

Absolutes
Answers containing universal or absolute words are very apt to be incorrect. Very little in life or nursing is always correct
or incorrect. Answers stated in absolute terms should be looked at with great caution.







Choosing between the two best options
After eliminating the incorrect options and you are having
difficulty choosing between two seemingly correct
responses, use the following strategies:

Eliminate Similar Distracters - If two options are
essentially saying the same thing or include the same
idea, then neither of them can be the answer. The
answer has to be the option that is different.

Reread two seemingly correct options If two
options seem equally correct, reread them carefully;
there must be some difference between them. Reread
the stem; you may notice something you missed
before.

Look for a global response A more general
statement may also include correct ideas from other
options.




Guidelines to follow during the exam:

Budget your time Although you may not know
exactly how many questions youll be asked to
answer, you can estimate a little over 1 minute per question. Keep moving at a steady pace.
Read each question thoroughly but quickly In general, your first reaction
to a question is the correct one. Remember that the examination is designed
to determine if youre minimally competent and safe.
Concentrate on one item at a time. Dont worry about how many questions
youll have to answer.
Answer questions as if the situation were ideal. Assume the nurse had all the
time and resources needed. Youre only concerned about one patient, the
one in the question.
Focus on the key words in the stem.
Identify whether the stem is seeking a true response or a false response.
Those stems asking for false responses are easily misread.
Reword a difficult stem.
Try answering the question before youve read the options provided.
Always read all options before selecting the best one.
Relate each option to the stem.
Use logic and common sense to figure out the correct response.
Remember that the correct option will tend to have greater applicability and flexibility.
Clueless? Look for clues in answer choices instead of in the stem of the question.


10 Things to Remember on the day of the examination:

1. Get up early.
2. Wear comfortable clothes.
3. Check your things. (pencils, pens, etc.)
4. Eat breakfast.
5. Leave early so you will arrive early.
6. Do NOT study while you wait for your examination.
7. Read, listen to music, relax.
8. Leave notes and books at home.
9. Listen carefully to the instructions given by the test administrators.
10. Say a little Prayer before you begin.

The best of luck to all Nursing Board Examinees!


We STRONGLY Believe In You! SEE YOU on the other side Batch Theta!...

NAHS Dept.
jbm,rn14


Deadly
ABSOLUTE WORDS

Dangerous


Safe
all
every
total
nothing
always
each
only
any
nobody
never
none
main
chief
avoid
primarily
major
shall
inevitable
eliminate
rarely
impossible
too
usually
almost
frequently
probably
potentially
may
sometimes
partial
some
might
should
few
essentially
generally
occasionally
nearly
maybe
could
commonly
average
seldom
often
normally