Decide What the Question is Dealing
With:
- Which part of the Nursing Process:
Assessment; Analysis; Planning; Implementation or Evaluation?
- Next, Decide the Order of Priority
First you must decide what part of the
nursing process the question is connected with:
ANALYSIS--is the process of identifying
potential and actual health problems. Most identify pertinent
assessment information and assimilate it into the nursing diagnosis.
Prioritize the needs that have been identified during analysis.
Some common words that are associated with
ANALYSIS questions:
diagnose; contrast; compare; analyze;
order; prioritize; define; classify; catagorize; synthesize; sort;
arrange;
ASSESSMENT--consists of a
collection of data. Baseline information for pre and post procedures is
included. Also included the recognition of pertinent signs and symptoms
of health problems both present and potential. Verification of data and
confirmation of findings are also included. Assess a situation before
doing an intervention.
Some common words that are associated with
ASSESSMENT questions:
observe; gather; collect; differentiate;
assess; recognize; detect; distinguish; identify; display; indicate;
describe;
PLANNING--Involves formulating
goals and outcomes. It also involves various members of the health care
team and the patient's family. All outcome criteria must be able to be
evaluated with a specific time frame. Be sure to establish priorities
and modify according to question.
Some common words that are associated with
PLANNING questions:
rearrange; reconstruct; determine;
outcomes; formulate; include; expected; designate; plan; generate;
short/long term goal; develop;
IMPLEMENTATION--Addresses the
actual/direct care of a patient. Direct care entails pre, intra and
postoperative management, preforming procedures, treatments, activities
of daily living. Also includes the coordination of care and referral on
discharge. It involves documentation and therapeutic response to
intervention and patient teaching for health promotion and helping the
patient maintain proper health.
Some common words that are associated with
IMPLEMENTATION questions:
document; explain; give; inform;
administer; implement; encourage; advise; provide; perform;
EVALUATION--Determines if the
interventions were effective. Were goals met? Was the care delivered
properly? Are modification plans needed. Addresses the effectiveness of
patient teaching and understands and determines in proper care was
offered. Evaluation can involve documentation, reporting issues,
evaluates care given and determine the appropriateness of delegating to
others. Most significantly, it finds out the response of the patient to
care and the extent to which the goals we met.
Some common words that are associated with
EVALUATION questions:
monitor; expand; evaluate; synthesize;
determine; consider;
question; repeat; outcomes; demonstrate; reestablish;
After determining what part of the
nursing process the question is concerned with, next focus your
attention on determining the category of priority:
Safe and effective care
environment is always first. Patient safety is related to the
proper preparation and delivery of nursing techniques and procedures as
part of the nursing practice. It relates to every aspect of the
delivery of care.
Physiologic integrity
is the ability to provide competent care Information that may be
described as traditionally medical- surgical and pediatric nursing
falls into this category. Specific questions in this area can be
related to many direct-care aspects of nursing practice. The importance
of this area is highlighted because it is one in which planning,
implementation and evaluation of care needs can easily be identified
and tested. Physiologic integrity is always a slight lower priority
than safety unless it involves airway, breathing and circulation.
"ABC's" always comes first!
Psychosocial integrity
tests the knowledge about a patients response to a disease or disorder.
An understanding of stress, anxiety and ways to cope are essential.
This is a lower priority the physiological integrity.
Health maintenance
deals with health promotion, health teaching, disease prevention and
assessment of risk factors for health problems. Normal growth and
development is a major theme in this category. This however, is a low
priority.
In Summary, when choosing the right answer
for you NCLEX exam question 1) ask yourself, "what part of the nursing
process is this question dealing with: analysis, assessment, planning,
implantation or evaluation? and 2) Remember to prioritize your choices:
safety always being first, 2)physiological integrity, 3)psychosocial
integrity and health maintenance always has the lowest priority when
choosing an answer.
Other tidbits:
avoid choices with the answers
"all" "always" "never" or "none". Nothing is ever a definite in Science.
look for answers that are different. If
three answers say the same thing but in different words, choose the
answer that is different.
when given choices that are
pharmacologically based or non pharmacologically based, choose the non
pharmacological intervention. It is more often then not, the correct
answer.
|