Testing Strategies Testing Strategies □ Least Invasive First □ Pain never killed anyone □ Never release traction UNLESS you have an order from the physician to do so □ Polyuria—Think shock first □ If you have never heard of it…. Don’t pick it! □ Anytime you see fluid retention... Think heart problems first □ Stay away from restraints as long as you can… Remember the NCLEX® is a perfect world. □ Do not pick an answer that delays care or treatment. □ Never pick an answer that does not allow your patient to speak. □ Select a “patient focused” answer. □ With priority questions… Remember you can only send one message to the NCLEX lady… so you must pick the “killer” answer □ ADH—Think H2O □ Aldosterone—Think sodium AND water □ With SIADH—TOO many letters TOO much WATER □ More Volume—More Pressure □ Less Volume—Less Pressure 240 Hurst Review Services □ Anytime you see the words “assessment” or “evaluation” think pertinent signs and symptoms □ There will not be a test questions unless there is something to WORRY about… Testing Strategies □ Assume the WORST □ If there is something you can do about the problem first... do that before calling the doctor □ Hypoxia may be the first sign of respiratory acidosis □ With restless patient… think hypoxia first □ Limit protein in kidney patients EXCEPT with Nephrotic syndrome □ Like illness can be put in the same room together □ If there are any long term consequences to your patient with the answer you pick, you should not pick that answer. □ Assess before implementing □ If you have a fluid problem you have a Na problem too □ If you have a fluid problem… you will do I&O and daily weights □ “Always” and “whenever” are TOO definite □ Read the questions…. Then decide what you are WORRIED about… then pick an answer that you can do to SOLVE the problem □ If you see words like “assessment” or “evaluation” in the stem of the question…. Think pertinent signs and symptoms. The presence or absence of the signs or symptoms. □ You can’t use medical dx in a nursing diagnosis □ You will report something “new” or “different” or “possible” to the next shift nurse. Hurst Review Services 241 □ If you can narrow the answers down to 2 answers… pick the more life threatening answer. Testing Strategies □ Anytime you have a magnesium or calcium question… think muscles first. □ Digoxin + hypokalemia= toxicity □ You elevate veins and dangle arteries. □ Always worry if the rate decreased with a pacemaker □ Never pick an answer that puts your work off on anyone else □ Never pick an answer that ignores or brushes off the patient’s compliant. □ If the answer is not applicable to the situation… don’t pick it. □ I promise that I will be happy if you get more right than wrong… We are not trying to get a 100! □ When answering “select all that apply” alternative format questions…look at each option as a true and false question… if you answer true then you would select that option as one of your answer. 242 Hurst Review Services