2024-2025 Saunders Clinical Judgment and Test-Taking Strategies

Passing Nursing School and the NCLEX® Exam

8th Edition - March 6, 2023

Authors: Linda Anne Silvestri, Angela Silvestri

Paperback ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 7 4 2 5 - 0

eBook ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 7 4 2 9 - 8

Learn proven strategies to prepare for nursing school tests and the NCLEX® exam! 2024-2025 Saunders Clinical Judgment and Test-Taking Strategies: Passing Nursing School and the… Read more

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Learn proven strategies to prepare for nursing school tests and the NCLEX® exam! 2024-2025 Saunders Clinical Judgment and Test-Taking Strategies: Passing Nursing School and the NCLEX® Exam, 8th Edition provides tools to help you overcome test anxiety, develop strong study skills, and improve test scores. You’ll gain insight into key nursing areas such as clinical judgment, prioritization, leading and managing, communication, and pharmacology. In the book and on the Evolve companion website, 1,200 practice questions represent all question types — including alternate item formats and new test items for the Next Generation NCLEX®. Written by leading NCLEX experts Linda and Angela Silvestri, this essential resource offers the practical tips and realistic practice you need to succeed on any exam!

Instructions for online access
Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Quick Reference Guide to Strategies
Copyright
Dedication
About the Authors
Contributors
Previous Reviewers
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I. Study and Test Preparation
Part I. Study and Test Preparation
Chapter 1. Clinical Judgment and Nursing Examinations
Clinical Judgment and Next Generation NCLEX® Items
Clinical Judgment Measurement Model and Cognitive Skills
NGN Item Types
Types of Case Studies
When and Why Are Nursing Exams Administered?
The Beginning Nursing Student: What Should You Think About?
What Can You Expect on Nursing Exams?
Your Course Syllabus: Why Is It Important?
What “Smart Study” Tips Can You Use for Your Nursing Courses and to Get Ready for a Nursing Exam?
Classroom Notes: How Can You Best Use Them?
Study Guides
Study Groups
Standardized Testing: Why Is It So Important?
Chapter 2. Developing Study Skills
What Are Good Study Skills?
How Do You Identify and Plan Your Study Times?
What Smart Study Habits Do You Need to Develop?
What Study Skills Are Important?
When Should You Start to Study for an Exam?
Will a Study Group Work for You?
Chapter 3. Reducing Test Anxiety
What Is Test Anxiety?
How Can You Know If You Have Test Anxiety?
What Causes Test Anxiety?
What Will Help Prevent Test Anxiety?
What Can You Do When You Are Experiencing Test Anxiety?
What Is Self-Care and Why Is It Important?
What Should You Do the Night Before the Exam?
How Can You Control Your Test Anxiety Before the Exam?
How Can You Control Your Test Anxiety During the Exam?
That Positive Attitude: How Can You Maintain It?
Chapter 4. NCLEX® Preparation
Where Does Preparation Begin?
The NCLEX Test Plan: Why Is It So Important?
What Are the Steps for Preparing?
Part II. Strategies for Success
PART II. Strategies for Success
Chapter 5. Alternate Item Formats and Next Generation NCLEX® Item Types
Introduction
Clinical Judgment and Cognitive Skills
What Is an Alternate Item Format?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering Fill-in-the-Blank Questions?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering Multiple Response Questions?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering Ordered Response Questions?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering Figure/Illustration Questions?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering Scenario/Exhibit Questions?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering Graphic Item Option Questions?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering Audio Questions?
What Test-Taking Strategies Are Helpful for Answering NGN Items?
Chapter 6. How to Avoid “Reading Into the Question”
Clinical Judgment and Clinical Decision-Making
Ingredients of a Question
Strategic Words or Strategic Phrases
The Subject of the Question
Using Nursing Knowledge and the Process of Elimination
Chapter 7. Positive and Negative Event Queries
Positive Event Queries
Negative Event Queries
Chapter 8. Questions Requiring Prioritization
Prioritizing
Priority Classification System
Strategic Words or Strategic Phrases
The ABCs
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
Nursing Process (Clinical Problem-Solving Process)
Chapter 9. Leading and Managing, Delegating, and Assignment-Making Questions
Delegation and Assignment-Making
Time Management
Chapter 10. Communication Questions
How Are Communication Concepts Tested in a Question?
What Guidelines Can Be Used to Answer Communication Questions?
Communication Techniques
Why Are Cultural Considerations Important?
Other Cultural Considerations
Sample Communication Questions
Chapter 11. Pharmacology, Medication, and Intravenous Calculation Questions
Pharmacology: General Guidelines to Follow
Pharmacology: Assessment/Data Collection Guidelines
Pharmacology: Assessment/Data Collection Guidelines to Follow
Medication Effects
Medication Names
Medication Classifications
Commonalities in Medication Names
What Strategies Will Help When Answering Medication and Intravenous Calculation Questions?
Chapter 12. Additional Pyramid Strategies
Eliminating Options That Contain Closed-Ended Words: How Will This Help?
Eliminating Options That Contain Medical Rather Than Nursing Interventions: How Will This Help?
Eliminating Comparable or Alike Options: How Will This Help?
Ensuring That All Parts of an Option Are Correct: How Will This Help?
Selecting the Umbrella Option: How Will This Help?
What Strategies Will Help When Answering Questions Related to Laboratory Results?
Visualizing the Information in the Case Event, Question Query, and Options: How Will This Help?
Looking for Concepts in the Question That Are Comparable or Alike to a Concept in One of the Options: How Will This Help?
What Strategies Will Help When Answering Questions Related to Client Positioning?
Guidelines Related to Positioning
What Strategies Will Help When Answering Questions Related to Therapeutic Diets?
Strategies for Answering Questions Related to Therapeutic Diets
What Strategies Will Help When Answering Questions Related to Disasters?
Part III. Practice Tests
Part iiI. Practice Tests
Chapter 13. Foundations of Care Questions
CHAPTER 14. Adult Health Questions
Chapter 15. Mental Health Questions
Chapter 16. Maternity Questions
Chapter 17. Pediatric Questions
Chapter 18. Pharmacology Questions
Chapter 19. Delegating/Prioritizing Questions
Chapter 20. Leadership/Management Questions
References and Bibliography
Index
Test-Taking Strategy Guide for Traditional Item Types
Test-Taking Strategy Guide

Linda Anne Silvestri

Linda Anne Silvestri has provided decades of nursing education and leadership that has directly impacted the growing and needed nursing workforce. Her research focused on a holistic investigation of predictors leading to success on the licensure examination. Her findings, published in the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, led to significant contributions, filling a critical need in NCLEX® preparation. Linda’s vision was to provide a holistic educational approach to ensure overall well-being in test anxiety and self-efficacy, and success on the NCLEX®. As a leader in providing global NCLEX® preparation resources published by Elsevier, she strives for excellence in publication quality, based on the discovery of new knowledge in nursing, standards of care, and research-based studies. Her published resources ensure nursing graduates’ ability to make sound clinical judgments as they serve the public and the nursing profession. Linda is also a Next Generation NCLEX® Subject Matter Expert and Consultant for Elsevier.

Affiliations and expertise

Nursing Instructor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las, Nevada; President, Nursing Reviews, Inc. and Professional Nursing Seminars, Inc. Henderson, Nevada; Elsevier Next Generation NCLEX® (NGN) Thought Leader

Angela Silvestri

Angela Silvestri is a well-known nurse educator, researcher, and author. She has been teaching and working in university administrative roles for the past 10 years at all levels of nursing education. She has experience teaching across the program and in classroom and clinical settings in the areas of Nutrition and Human Development Across the Lifespan, Foundations of Care in Nursing, Gerontological Nursing, Complex Care in Nursing, and Leadership and Transition to Practice in pre-nursing and undergraduate nursing programs. She is currently serving as the Program Director for the undergraduate BSN program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is a sought-out speaker at national conferences on the topic of nursing school success. Her passion for college student success comes through in her work at the School of Nursing teaching Leadership and licensure exam preparation and in publishing research and best-selling licensure exam review resources on national and international levels.

Affiliations and expertise

Assistant Professor Touro University Nevada-School of Nursing