Academic Success Tips Series Test Anxiety Adapted from

Academic Success Tips Series

Test Anxiety Adapted from Beth Tidball, Director of Academic Advising 2

Test Anxiety • Anxiety during testing situations is normal and can be beneficial • Test anxiety becomes a problem when a student is so anxious performance suffers • Test anxiety must be associated with a DSM diagnosis in order to receive academic accommodations • Often caused by fear of failure, lack of confidence, and inadequate study skills • Improving study skills may build confidence and lessen anxiety in testing situations 3

Common Symptoms • Physical • Headaches, nausea, sweating, dry mouth • Emotional • Fear, anger, depression • Behavioral • Fidgeting, pacing, avoidance • Cognitive • Going blank, difficulty concentrating 4

Coping with Test Anxiety: Before the Exam • Develop good study habits • Visualize yourself doing well • Get plenty of rest the night before • Don’t consume caffeine before the exam • Get to testing room on time • Remember finishing first doesn’t equal mastery • See a counselor • Request ADA accommodations with appropriate diagnosis/documentation 5

Coping with Test Anxiety: During the Exam • Sit in the front row • Don’t talk to other students immediately before the test • Read the questions twice • Do a data dump on the back of the exam/scrap piece of paper before you start the exam (once proctor begins exam) • Ask the proctor if you have a question during the exam • Do the questions/problems you know first • Go back over exam before you turn in—did you skip anything? • Don’t change an answer unless you are 100% certain it is wrong 6

Questions & Comments 7

Test Taking Skills Adapted from Rutgers University School of Nursing Tips 8

Fundamentals of Test Taking • DO NOT CRAM • Be well rested • Be confident • Read each question carefully • Answer ONLY what is being asked; do not read into the question • Pace yourself • Make sure you answer all the questions • Don’t change your answer UNLESS you are 100% the answer is correct 9

Five Cognitive Levels & Preparing for Nursing Exams 1. Remembering 2. Understanding 3. Applying 4. Analyzing 5. Evaluating Ex Example: Studying Medication- Furosemide 1. Memorize the classification 2. Develop an understanding of the action 3. Identify specific patient situations where drug would be used/patient situations requiring care when receiving medication 4. Differentiate among side effects of this and other drugs, Determine priorities and relationships with other data 5. Make decisions based on reflection/what is the expected outcome of this drug? 10

Understanding MC questions • Case (Scenario)-Description of the patient and what is happening • Stem- That part of the question that asks the question • Distractors-Incorrect but feasible choices • Correct Response-The answer to the question 11

Reading the Question • Paraphrase the question: What is the question asking in your own words? • What are the key words in this question? • What is the time frame? • What are the answering options? 12

Nursing Exams • Exams not only test how much you remember or understand about a subject • They are designed to test your ability to think at the five higher cognitive levels and think critically • Thinking like a nurse is essential to safe and competent nursing practice at entry level 13

RACE Technique • R – Recognize information • A – What is the question asking • C – Critically Analyze options • E – Eliminate wrong answers 14

Summary • Understand the question • Identify keywords & time frame • Eliminate options • Apply knowledge successfully • Conduct your own independent research about nursing test taking skills for more information/tools to add to your tool belt • Utilize your Kaplan Resource once you are a student • Get assistance from: Didactic Instructors, Clinical Leads, Academic Success Coach, and peers. 15

Questions & Comments 16

In need of more assistance? • Contact your Academic Success Coach: • Nashville: Brittany Clapp, 615 -913 -8725, bclapp@marian. edu • Indianapolis: Robbin Sally, rsally@marian. edu • Utilize Peer Tutoring • Reach out to Counseling & Consultation Services at: 317. 955. 6150, Mon-Fri, 8: 30 a. m. -4: 30 p. m. Eastern 17