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Hesi Comprehensive Review for the Nclex-Pn Examination
DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS (DSM-5)
ANXIETY DISTURBANCES AND RESOURCES
AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
EATING DISORDERS
PERSONALITY DISORDERS
PHYSICALLY BASED MENTAL DISORDERS
DEATH AND DYING
GRIEVING
CRISIS INTERVENTION
CRISIS OF RAPE OR INCEST
SUICIDE PREVENTION
SUICIDE INTERVENTION
TREATMENT MODALITIES
LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN PATIENT CARE
PATIENTS’ RIGHTS
CARE AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS
REVIEW QUESTIONS
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
Chapter 7: Maternity Nursing
EVOLUTION OF MODERN OBSTETRICS
DEFINITIONS COMMONLY USED IN OBSTETRICS
TRENDS
PROCEDURES TO DIAGNOSE MATERNAL AND FETAL PROBLEMS
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FETUS
NORMAL ANTEPARTUM (PRENATAL)
ABNORMAL ANTEPARTUM
NORMAL INTRAPARTUM (LABOR AND DELIVERY)
ABNORMAL INTRAPARTUM
NORMAL POSTPARTUM
ABNORMAL POSTPARTUM
NORMAL NEWBORN
ABNORMAL NEWBORN
FAMILY PLANNING
REVIEW QUESTIONS
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
Chapter 8: Pediatric Nursing
ASSESSMENT OF CHILD AND FAMILY
INFANCY (AGES 4 WEEKS TO 1 YEAR)
TODDLERHOOD (AGES 1 TO 3 YEARS)
PRESCHOOL AGE (AGES 3 TO 5 YEARS)
SCHOOL AGE (AGES 6 TO 12 YEARS)
ADOLESCENCE (AGES 13 TO 19 YEARS)
BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME
POISONINGS
HOSPITALIZATION AND THE CHILD
REVIEW QUESTIONS
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
Chapter 9: Nursing Care of the Aging Adult
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES FOR THE OLDER ADULT
LEGISLATION AFFECTING THE OLDER ADULT
NURSING ROLES AND THE CARE OF THE OLDER ADULT
THEORIES OF AGING
ROLE CHANGES
ALTERATIONS IN LIFESTYLE
SOCIAL ISOLATION
HEALTHY OLDER ADULT
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
NEUROLOGICAL SYSTEM (SELECTED DISORDERS)
PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES (NORMAL AGING PROCESS)
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS (ABNORMAL)
REHABILITATION AND MAINTENANCE OF COGNITIVE FUNCTION
BLADDER RETRAINING: URINARY INCONTINENCE
BOWEL RETRAINING: FECAL INCONTINENCE
REVIEW QUESTIONS
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
Chapter 10: Emergency Preparedness
BASIC LIFE SUPPORT
HEMORRHAGE
ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION
SHOCK
HEAD INJURIES
EYE INJURIES
SPINAL CORD INJURIES (TABLE 10-1)
SOFT-TISSUE NECK INJURIES
CHEST INJURIES
INTRAABDOMINAL INJURIES
BURNS
WOUNDS
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES
HYPERTHERMIA
COLD INJURIES
POISONING
DIABETES MELLITUS AND HYPOGLYCEMIA
DROWNING
DRUG ABUSE
ACUTE ALCOHOLISM
SEXUAL ASSAULT
DISASTER
REVIEW QUESTIONS
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
Comprehensive Examinations
Standards of Practice and Educational Competencies of Graduates of Practical/Vocational Nursing Programs
Communicable Diseases and Infections of Childhood
Index
Inside Front Cover
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• Study Mode: Select questions by categories of your choice. The answer and rationale appear immediately after you answer each question for quick remediation.
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MOSBY’S COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF PRACTICAL NURSING FOR THE NCLEX-PN® EXAMINATION
NCLEX® and NCLEX-PN® are registered trademarks of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions.
This book and the individual contributions contained in it are
protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein).
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.
With respect to any drug or pharmaceutical products identified, readers are advised to check the most current information provided (i) on procedures featured or (ii) by the manufacturer of each product to be administered, to verify the recommended dose or formula, the method and duration of administration, and contraindications. It is the responsibility of practitioners, relying on their own experience and knowledge of their patients, to make diagnoses, to determine dosages and the best treatment for each individual patient, and to take all appropriate safety precautions.
To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mosby’s comprehensive review of practical nursing for the NCLEXPN(R) examination. – 17th ed. / [edited by] Mary O. Eyles. p. ; cm.
Comprehensive review of practical nursing for the NCLEX-PN(R) examination
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-323-08858-9 (pbk.)
I. Eyles, Mary O. II. Title: Comprehensive review of practical nursing for the NCLEX-PN(R) examination.
This text is dedicated to the loving memory of my husband, Robert J. Eyles, Jr., whose love and support continue to give me strength and courage to meet the challenges of the future.
Additionally, I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of the Men and Women of the Armed Forces for their continuing efforts to protect the freedoms we are so privileged to enjoy.
May God Bless America!
Contributors and Reviewers
CONTRIBUTORS
G. Constance Butherus, MA, RN
Chair, Human Rights Committee, Hunterdon Developmental Center, Clinton, New Jersey
Chair, Council of Practical Nursing Education, National Association of Practical Nurse Education and Service, Alexandria, Virginia
Sally Flesch, PhD, RN, Professor Emerita, Black Hawk College, Moline, Illinois
Patricia M. Jacobson, MSN, BSN, Retired Nursing Instructor, Bullard Havens, Connecticut Technical High School, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Virginia Lester, MSN, RN, Assistant Professor, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas
Patricia B. Lisk, BSN, RN, Instructor, Practical Nursing (Ret), Department Chairperson of PCA (Ret), Augusta Technical College, Augusta, Georgia
Kelly Ann Pike, MS, BSN, RN, CHES, Program Coordinator, Practical Nurse and Health Occupations Program, Middlesex County Vocational Technical School, Piscataway, New Jersey
Sharon Powell-Laney, EdD, MSN, RN
Adjunct Professor, Liberty University Online, Lynchburg, Virginia Staff Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, Punxsutawney Area Hospital, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania REVIEWERS
Janis Baker, BSN, RN, Lead Instructor, Valley Baptist School of Vocational Nursing, Harlingen, Texas
Rebecca Michelle Barton, MSN, BSN, RN, Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash, Fairborn, Ohio
Terry Bichsel, BSN, RN, Practical Nursing Coordinator, Moberly Area Community College, Moberly, Missouri
Patricia L. Clowers, MSN, Director of Nursing and Allied Health, East Mississippi Community College, Mayhew, Mississippi
Mattie D. Davis, DNP, MSN, RN, Nursing Instructor, JF Drake State College, Huntsville,
Alabama
Kathy A. Dillard, BSN, RN, Child Care Health Consultant, School Nurse, Former Licensed Practical Nursing Instructor, Bossier Parish School Board, Benton, Louisiana
Kimberly Forst, MSN, RN, Instructor of BSN Nursing, Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania
Daneen Jeppson, FNP, MSN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, University of Montana, College of Technology, Missoula, Montana
Linda Johnson, DHA (c), MSN, PHN, RN, Los Medanos College, Pittsburg, California
Christina D. Keller, MSN, RN, Instructor, Radford University, Clinical Simulation Center, Radford, Virginia
T. Camille Lindsey Killough, BSN, RN, Pearl River Community College, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Cathy Sermon Maddry, MSN, RN, Health Occupations Department Head, Northwest Louisiana Technical College, Minden, Louisiana
Helena J. Moissant, MSN, PHN, RN, Providence Medical Center, Medford, Oregon
Martha Olson, MS, BSN, RN, BSN, Associate Professor of Nursing, Iowa Lakes Community College, Emmetsburg, Iowa
Roni Paul, BSN, RN, CEN, ER Nurse Practical Nursing Instructor, FTCC and Womack Army Medical Center, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Jennifer Ponto, BSN, RN, Faculty, Vocational Nursing Program, South Plains College, Levelland, Texas
Russlyn A. St. John, MSN, RN, Coordinator, Practical Nursing/ Professor, St. Charles Community College, Cottleville, Missouri
Claudia Stoffel, MSN, RN, CNE, Practical Nursing Program Coordinator, West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Paducah, Kentucky
Monna L. Walters, MSN, RN, Director of Vocational Nursing Program, Lassen Community College, Susanville, California
Monica N. Warburton, BSN, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Ellsworth Community College, Iowa Falls, Iowa
Elise Webb, MSN, RN, Nursing Instructor and CE Health Program Coordinator, Wilson Community College Wilson, North Carolina
Karen Winsor, MSN, ACNS-BC, Advanced Practice Nurse for Orthopedic Trauma,
University Medical Center at Brackenridge, Austin, Texas
Peggy Valentine, MSNc, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing, Skyline
College, Roanoke, Virginia
Preface
Mary O. Eyles, PhD, RN
Mosby’s Comprehensive Review of Practical Nursing for the NCLEXPN® Examination has been developed to provide individuals preparing for entry or reentry into nursing at the practical/vocational nurse level with a dependable source of information as they move toward their goal of becoming valued members of today’s health care team. The editor and contributors of this text have the utmost respect for and recognize the licensed practical nurse/licensed vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) as a valued and much-needed member of today’s health care team, providing high-quality nursing care to patients nationwide in a variety of health care settings. It is because of this respect and recognition that this text has been developed.
This seventeenth edition of Mosby’s Comprehensive Review of Practical Nursing for NCLEX-PN® Examination addresses the basic practical/vocational nursing curriculum from concepts basic to all levels of nursing to the complexities of specialty areas all while incorporating the nursing process throughout. This text also refers to the approved listing of NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses. Although the LPN/LVN is not solely responsible for formulating a nursing diagnosis, the LPN/LVN does assist the registered professional nurse by collecting data essential to the formulation of a nursing diagnosis.
The text contains 10 chapters, with Chapters 1 through 4 covering the basic content found in the NCLEX-PN® Examination: • Chapter 1 reviews important details of the latest NCLEX- PN® Test Plan, offers tips to improve study habits, reviews each of the testing formats that are used on the examination, and provides examples of
each format along with test-taking skills that will help the test-taker identify the correct response from the given options. This chapter also has a special section for foreign-educated nurses who are preparing to begin the certification process necessary to take the NCLEX-PN® Examination.
• Chapter 2 covers the basics and includes the history of practical/vocational nursing, the functions of its professional organizations, and the basic concepts of effective nursing care while focusing on professional obligations and patient rights. This chapter also discusses the changing trends in nursing and health care and how these trends affect the role of the practical/vocational nurse.
• Chapter 3 covers the administration of medications and the pharmacological aspects of nursing care and incorporates the nursing process as it relates to these specific areas. This chapter reviews the major classifications of drugs along with their actions and adverse effects, and it presents the role of the LPN/LVN in the administration of medications.
• Chapter 4 covers the importance of nutrition in the life cycle and the critical role the nurse plays in assisting patients to maintain adequate nutritional status, especially during stressful periods of illness.
Chapters 5 through 10 cover the more complex nursing concepts encountered in the various specialty areas, such as medical-surgical nursing, mental health nursing, obstetrics, pediatrics, nursing care of the aging adult, and disaster preparedness (emergency nursing):
• Chapter 5 covers the nursing assessment of medical-surgical conditions and is presented according to body systems. Selected groups of major diagnoses, medical management, and nursing care are presented in this chapter.
• Chapter 6 presents the basic mental health nursing principles necessary for nurses to understand patients’ physical and social responses to disease.
• Chapter 7 presents essential information necessary for planning the nursing assessment and analyzing the nursing needs of the childbearing family.
• Chapter 8 presents the care of both well and sick children from
infancy through adolescence and covers both preventive health care and restorative nursing measures.
• Chapter 9 focuses on aging as a normal process and strives to increase the practitioner’s knowledge and understanding of this stage of life. This chapter presents the reader with the physiological, psychological, economic, and role changes that occur and discusses how such changes affect nursing care.
• Chapter 10 emphasizes the nursing assessments and interventions that are critical to caring for victims in an emergency or during and after a disaster, such as a weather-related incident.
For the sake of clarity and consistency, the word nurse is used to indicate a practical/vocational nurse. The recipient of care is termed the patient to provide consistency as well, although we acknowledge that the term client may be preferred and, in some cases, used within this text.
The most current, up-to-date developments in health care and in the field of practical/vocational nursing are incorporated in this text. This edition has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure the most current and accurate content is provided. The content of each chapter is organized in a concise outline format to enhance study. New Critical Thinking Challenges have been added to help students learn important decision-making skills. Review questions at the end of each chapter help the reader determine what he or she learned in a particular subject area and what areas need additional work. Answers and rationales for correct and incorrect answer options follow the review questions.
Two comprehensive examinations are included one at the end of the text, and one additional examination on the Evolve website (http://evolve.elsevier.com/Mosby/comprehensivePN/). Each examination contains 250 questions and follows the format of the NCLEX-PN® Examination. The correct answer and rationales for both correct and incorrect answer options are provided after each examination.
This edition of Mosby’s Comprehensive Review of Practical Nursing for the NCLEX-PN® Examination includes more questions than ever. The
Evolve website contains all the questions from the text as well as more than 2500 bonus test items that are not found in the text, bringing the total number of practice questions to more than 4000. All alternate item formats are found in the book or online, including the newest audio and graphic option types. The website provides review and test modes of content-specific or comprehensive examinations. To reinforce study and build confidence, it is highly recommended that students practice answering questions on a computer to simulate the NCLEX-PN computer adaptive test (CAT).
As coordinating editor, I would like to thank all of those individuals who have worked so diligently in preparing this text—all of the contributors and item writers, as well as those at Elsevier, especially Kristin Geen, Jamie Randall, and Megan Isenberg without whom this text would not have been possible. I would also like to acknowledge the memory of my loving husband, Robert, who lost his long-standing battle with cancer 6 years ago. Although he is no longer with me in a physical sense, he continues to provide that special support that serves to guide our efforts during the revision process.
To those who will use this text, we wish you the very best as you enter into a service that will offer you both challenge and satisfaction, the greater of which is the satisfaction of extending care and a helping hand—your hand—to those in need.
Welcome to the caring profession welcome to nursing.
CHAPTER 1
Preparing for the Licensure Examination
http://evolve.elsevier.com/Mosby/comprehensivePN
The practice of nursing is regulated by law in each state; the District of Columbia; and the U.S. possessions of Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands for the express purpose of protecting the public. The state board of nursing in each of these jurisdictions is charged with upholding the regulation of such law. To do so, each state board of nursing requires that qualified individuals take a licensing examination developed and prepared by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN or The National Council). The examination, known as the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (the NCLEX-PN® examination), is available in the previously named jurisdictions and only in English. Puerto Rico has developed its own licensing examination that is available in Spanish; however, the content covered in the examination closely parallels that of the NCLEX-PN examination. This text serves as a valuable review tool regardless of the licensure examination taken by an individual.
First and foremost, all candidates must register to take the NCLEXPN examination. Because the registration process may differ from state to state, you should contact the State Board of Nursing in the state in which you want to become licensed for detailed information on the process. There are several ways you can register (online, by telephone, or by mail). It is critical that you follow the registration instructions precisely because improperly completed forms or those not accompanied by the appropriate fees will be returned, thus delaying the overall registration process.
Once eligibility to test has been determined, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) form. You can now proceed to schedule an appointment to take the NCLEX-PN examination at a Pearson VUE
Professional Center (www.vue.com/nclex). The ATT form is an essential document; it contains your test authorization number, your candidate identification number, and an expiration date. It is important that you note the expiration date on the form because you must take the NCLEX-PN examination before the date listed on the form. Do not misplace this document; you will need it to be admitted to the examination.
If you must cancel or reschedule the date for your examination, you can do so up to 24 hours before your scheduled testing date. Although it is possible to cancel or reschedule, you will forfeit fees already paid, and your ATT form will become invalid.
A special section later in this chapter details issues that foreigneducated nurses face when preparing for licensure in the United States.
The NCLEX-PN examination covers all areas of the practical/vocational nursing curriculum and has been designed to test “the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential for the entrylevel practical/vocational nurse to meet the needs of patients who require the promotion, maintenance, or restoration of health” (NCSBN, 2011). Periodic revision of the examination test plan can be expected because of the continually changing face of nursing. Nevertheless, such changes do not compromise use of this text when preparing for the licensing examination. This chapter is essential as you begin your preparation because it reviews any changes in the examination test plan and provides details and examples of the new testing formats that will be part of the examination.
WHY REVIEW?
The practical/vocational nurse uses “specialized knowledge and skills which meet the health needs of people in a variety of settings under the direction of qualified health professionals” (National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses [NFLPN], 2003). “Competency implies knowledge, understanding and skills that transcend specific tasks and is guided by a commitment to ethical/legal principles” (National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service [NAPNES], 2007). The licensure examination assesses entry-level competencies using a variety of testing formats that analyze an individual’s use of the clinical problem-solving process (the nursing process) to gather relevant health care data, assist in identifying patient needs at various periods during an individual’s life span from birth through the elder years, and contribute to team (interdisciplinary) efforts in a variety of settings.
The purpose of this text is threefold: (1) to assist you in identifying areas of specific strengths and weaknesses in your nursing knowledge and skills, (2) to increase your understanding of nursing knowledge through additional study, and (3) to increase your familiarity with and ability to respond to written test questions and corresponding clinical situations similar to those presented in the NCLEX-PN examination.
The National Council’s test plan for the NCLEX-PN examination consists of one essential content dimension or framework: client need. This framework provides a structure that is universal in defining the actions and competencies necessary to provide safe and effective nursing care to patients in various health care settings. Therefore the dimension of client need is critical to ensure the overall intent of the examination: to protect the public through safe practitioners. A more detailed description of the 2011 NCLEX-PN Test Plan and the distribution of content for the examination are provided in Box 1-1.
Box 1-1
Test Plan for the National Council
of State Boards of Nursing Licensure
Examination for Practical/Vocational Nurses
Major Client Need Categories, Related Concepts, and Distribution of Content
Modified from National Council of State Boards of Nursing: The NCLEX-PN® examination test plan for the national council licensure examination for practical nurses, Chicago, April 2011. Detailed information about the NCLEX-PN Test Plan and the NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin is available from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing on their website: www.ncsbn.org.
The 2011 revision encompassed minor changes to the four major client needs categories, and two of the four categories are further divided into subcategories as was done in the 2003 revision; however, two of the four categories became separate entities in 2005. The 2011 changes included revision of the percentage of test items in all
categories and subcategories, except for the category of Health Promotion and Maintenance, which remains at 7% to 13%. Possible changes in the 2014 revision of the NCLEX-PN Test Plan may include slight increases or decreases in the percentage of items from each category and subcategory, as well as minor changes in related content for each category and subcategory. These anticipated changes are based on a review of the changes that have occurred in the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan. Please note that although the test plan may undergo change every 3 years to remain current and reflect updated entry-level practice, all content and related concepts will remain critical components of the NCLEX-PN examination.
EFFECTIVE STUDY AND USE OF THIS TEXT
The key to effective study and use of this text can be determined only by you. This review is presented in a manner that is easily adaptable to various forms of study habits and familiarizes you with timed tests or examinations.
Each chapter outlines a specific content area within the practical/vocational nurse curriculum, followed by a set of questions relative to that particular content area. The answers and the rationales for both the correct and incorrect responses are found at the end of the chapter. Rationales for all four answer choices are provided for each question. The rationale for the correct answer is listed first, followed by rationales for the incorrect responses.
The questions in this text have been classified to reflect those of the NCLEX-PN examination cognitive level, nursing process (integrated process), client need, and level of difficulty. These classifications follow the question number in the Answers and Rationales portion of the chapter:
1. First classification or word—the cognitive level of the question
Knowledge, comprehension, application, or analysis
The practical/vocational nurse requires skill in all levels of cognitive ability; however, the majority of the test items for the NCLEX-PN examination are written at the application or analysis level of cognitive abilities.
2. Second classification or word phase of the nursing process (integrated process)
Assessment, planning, implementation, or evaluation
3. Third classification or word(s) one of the four client need categories
Safe and effective care environment
Health promotion and maintenance
Psychosocial integrity
Physiological integrity
(See Box 1-1 for a more detailed outline of client need categories and related concepts.)
4. Letters in parentheses the difficulty of the question
The letter (a) signifies that more than 75% of students should answer the question correctly.
The letter (b) signifies that 50% to 75% of students should answer the question correctly.
The letter (c) signifies that 25% to 50% of students should answer the question correctly.
You may want to start your study process with the chapter questions first to determine areas in which you need more study time and then return to review the outline of that particular chapter in its entirety. Once you have completed review of the chapter, return to the questions and review a second time. Concentrate study efforts on those areas in which you scored low during your first assessment of the chapter questions. Should you need more in-depth study, you may refer to texts from the Bibliography found at the end of each chapter, your own nursing texts, or current nursing journals. Once you have completed the content review and corresponding chapter questions, you are ready to take the comprehensive examination found in the text, which consists of two parts, each containing 125 questions and taking approximately 2 hours to complete. An additional comprehensive examination, also consisting of two parts, each containing 125 questions and taking approximately 2 hours to complete, is found on the accompanying CD. Time yourself or have someone else monitor your time. Although you are given 5 hours to complete the NCLEX-PN examination, practicing time management skills during your review sessions promotes selfconfidence and should decrease extreme anxiety during the actual examination.
In April 1994 the National Council began administering the NCLEX-PN examination by means of computerized adaptive testing (CAT), a definite change from the traditional paper-and-pencil method of testing. CAT allows candidates to take the examination at
their own pace. No set minimum amount of time has been established for the examination; however, a maximum time period of 5 hours is available to all candidates. Each candidate’s examination is essentially unique to him or her because it is created interactively as the candidate progresses through the examination.
To effectively use this text in preparation for CAT, we suggest that, using a pencil or pen with erasable ink, you darken your answer choice on the chapter review questions and the comprehensive examination questions. Marking your answers in this manner allows you to concentrate on answering the questions much as you would during the actual examination.
Even though time may no longer be a major concern, becoming more proficient in time management will be to your advantage during the actual examination. The review process, which includes proper use of this text, increases not only your nursing knowledge, but also your self-confidence in that knowledge and in your test-taking abilities.
The Evolve website (http://evolve.elsevier.com/Mosby/comprehensivePN/) offers the student three modes from which to choose: Study, Exam, and Comprehensive Examination. In the study and exam modes, categorized questions help the student identify areas of strength and weakness by classification. To achieve this, the questions are divided into the following 9 categories:
• Nursing Concepts, the Nursing Process, and Trends in Nursing
• Pharmacology
• Nutrition
• Medical-Surgical Nursing
• Mental Health Nursing
• Maternity Nursing
• Pediatric Nursing
• Nursing Care of the Aging Adult
• Emergency Preparedness
The Comprehensive Examination mode consists of two 250question comprehensive examinations; students can choose to take
Comprehensive Examination 1, Comprehensive Examination 2, or a random selection with questions from each of the comprehensive examinations.
Remember that intelligence plays a vital role in your ability to learn. However, being smart involves more than just intelligence. Being practical and applying common sense are also part of the learning experience.
Regardless of how you choose to study, you may find the tips to improve study habits in Box 1-2 helpful as you develop your study plan.
Box 1-2 Tips to Improve Study Habits
1. Establish your study priorities and the goals by which to achieve these priorities. Write them out and review the goals during each of your study periods to ensure focused preparation efforts.
2. Enhance your organizational skills by developing a checklist and creating ways to improve your ability to retain information, such as using index cards with essential data, which are easy to carry and review whenever you have a spare moment.
3. Enhance your time-management abilities by designing a study program that best suits your needs and current daily routines by considering issues such as the following:
a. Amount of time needed
b. Amount of time available
c. “Best” time to study
d. Time for emergencies and relaxation
4. Prepare for study by reflecting on the following:
a. An environment that is conducive to learning
b. The appropriate study material
c. Planned study sessions alone, with a friend, or with a group
