TEST TAKING STRATEGIES:

1. Don’t read into the question

2. Never assure anything that has not been specifically mentioned and don’t add extra meaning to the Question.
3. If you see an option, you have never heard of, do not choose it.
4. When choosing which patient to see first, choose the patient who is the MOST unstable.
- Pt’s who are most likely to perish, most critical, or will suffer further injury without immediate action should
be prioritize first.
5. Never choose an answer that leaves the patient.
- Always provide safety.
6. Don’t “DO NOTHING”
7. Never choose an answer that passes work off to anyone else.
8. Make educated guesses.
9. Rephrase the question
- Putting the question in your own words can pluck the necessary info to reveal the core of the stem.
10. Select an answer that is always focus on the client
11. If the question is about endorsement, always report anything new or different to the next shift.
12. If the question includes the words “severe” or “acute” when referring to something such as PAIN, choose the
answer that fixes that specific problem.
13. Find the commonality between the choices.
- If two (2) or more questions are ALIKE, choose the option that is different.
14. Assess the client first before implementing treatment.
15. RESTRAINTS are always the LAST Option and are almost always the wrong answer.
- restraints need Doctor’s Order.
16. Never choose an answer that delays treatment.
17. Identify keywords.
- Avoid selecting answers that include words such as ALWAYS, NEVER, ALL, EVERY, ONLY, NO, NONE.
Answers containing these keywords are rarely correct because they place special limitations and qualifications
on potentially correct answers.
18. Eliminate clearly WRONG or Incorrect answers.
19. Watch out for NEGATIVE MODIFIERS.
- e.g., “Which of these answers is NOT the best response”
20. Safety is always a priority
21. Don’t spend too much time.
22. Don’t overlook obviously correct answers.
- Sometimes, the correct answer is too easy.
23. Go with your Gut.
- You are SMART. You have all the knowledge that you need. Don’t change your answers unless you are
110% sure the answer that you have already selected is incorrect.
- Most of the time your first instinct is correct.

BEST OF LUCK, RN!