NCLEX Prep Part 1 of 4

NCLEX Preparation: A Comprehensive Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS (below)

I. NCLEX Preparation: Clinical Judgment and Test-Taking Strategies

A. Clinical Judgment: The Core of Nursing Practice

  1. Importance
  2. Frequency
  3. Outcomes

B. NCLEX Question Formats: Mastering the Test

  1. Multiple Choice
  2. Fill-in-the-Blank
  3. Multiple Response Select All That Apply (MRSA)
  4. Select N
  5. Matrix Multiple Choice
  6. Ordered Response
  7. Drag and Drop (Cloze)
  8. Rationale Tables
  9. Highlight Text and Tables
  10. Case Studies
  11. Bowtie Questions

C. The Clinical Judgment Measurement Model

  1. Recognizing Cues
  2. Analyzing Cues
  3. Prioritizing Hypotheses
  4. Generating Solutions
  5. Taking Action
  6. Evaluating Outcomes

D. Test-Taking Strategies: Maximizing Your Performance

  1. Read Carefully
  2. Click Through All Tabs
  3. Prioritize Safety
  4. Utilize the STOP Strategy
  5. True/False Method
  6. Positioning
  7. Assessment
  8. Time Management
  9. Trust Your Gut
  10. Don’t Panic

E. ATI Resources and the NCLEX Test Plan

  1. ATI Live Review Guarantee
  2. Virtual ATI
  3. NCLEX Test Plan

F. Addressing Common Concerns

  1. Pharmacology
  2. Test Anxiety
  3. Rescheduling

G. Key Considerations for Success

  1. Prioritize
  2. Practice
  3. Review
  4. Rest
  5. Believe in Yourself

II. NCLEX Test-Taking Strategies and Prioritization Techniques

A. Understanding the Question and Identifying Key Information

B. The STOP Strategy

  1. Story
  2. Think
  3. Options
  4. Pick

C. Prioritization Frameworks

  1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
  2. ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation)
  3. Nursing Process
  4. Safety and Risk Reduction
  5. Survival Potential
  6. Least Restrictive/Invasive
  7. Acute vs. Chronic
  8. Stable vs. Unstable

D. Application of Prioritization Strategies

E. Additional Test-Taking Tips

  1. Trust your initial instinct
  2. Imagine yourself in the scenario
  3. Remember “Utopia Regional Medical Center”

F. Specific Scenarios and Considerations

  1. Contrast Dye
  2. Heparin
  3. Warfarin
  4. Meningitis
  5. STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction)
  6. Tracheostomy
  7. Peripheral Arterial Disease
  8. Peripheral Venous Disease

G. Mnemonic Devices

  1. Heparin vs. Warfarin Monitoring

III. NCLEX Prioritization, Delegation, and Leadership Strategies

A. Prioritization Strategies

  1. ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation)
  2. STOP (Story, True/False, Options, Prioritize)
  3. Other prioritization principles a. Systemic before Local b. Acute over Chronic c. Actual before Potential d. Transient vs. Trending e. Complications vs. Expected

B. Delegation Principles

  1. EAT (Evaluate, Assess, Teach)
  2. LPNs/LVNs
  3. New, unstable, or assessment-requiring situations

C. Leadership Styles

  1. Authoritative
  2. Democratic
  3. Laissez-faire
  4. Nurse managers

D. Time Management

  1. Planning
  2. Re-evaluating
  3. Prioritizing
  4. Bedside reporting and rounding

E. Default Strategies

  1. Stay with the Client
  2. Use What You Know
  3. Prevent Harm
  4. Look for the Most Complete Answer

F. Medication Administration

  1. Atropine
  2. Anticholinergics
  3. Fentanyl

G. Recognizing Early Signs

  1. Hemorrhage
  2. Cardiac Output Formula

H. Post-Operative Care

  1. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  2. Time elapsed

I. Select All That Apply Questions

  1. Methotrexate

J. Additional Resources

  1. ATI Virtual Review
  2. NCLEX Review Books
  3. NCLEX Test Plan

IV. Prioritization, Delegation, and Chest Tube Management in Nursing Practice

A. Prioritization Strategies in Nursing

  1. Acute vs. Chronic Conditions
  2. Unstable vs. Stable Patients
  3. Assessment as a Priority
  4. Addressing Immediate Needs
  5. Trend Analysis
  6. Keyword Identification
  7. Safety Considerations

B. Delegation Principles in Nursing

  1. Five Rights of Delegation
  2. Scope of Practice
  3. LPN Responsibilities
  4. UAP Responsibilities
  5. RN Responsibilities
  6. Following Up

C. Chest Tube Management

  1. Chest Tube System Components
  2. Water Seal Chamber
  3. Bubbling in the Water Seal Chamber
  4. Tidaling in the Water Seal Chamber
  5. Suction Control Chamber
  6. Assessment and Monitoring
  7. Emergency Preparedness
  8. Troubleshooting

D. Time Management Strategies

  1. Planning and Organization
  2. Breaking Down Tasks
  3. Enlisting Aid
  4. Avoiding Delays
  5. Mental Imagery
  6. Proactive Care
  7. Crisis Management

E. Medication Administration

  1. Prioritizing Antibiotics
  2. Timing Considerations
  3. Insulin Types
  4. Blood Products

F. Recognizing Complications

  1. Post-Laparoscopic Surgery
  2. Changes in Pulse
  3. Antibiotic-Associated Rash
  4. Decreased Urine Output

V. Nursing Practice and Ethical Considerations: A Comprehensive Overview

A. Ethical Principles in Nursing

  1. Autonomy
  2. Fidelity
  3. Beneficence
  4. Justice
  5. Non-maleficence
  6. Veracity

B. Legal Considerations in Nursing

  1. Informed Consent
  2. Professional Liability

C. Information Technology in Nursing

  1. Security
  2. Communication
  3. Client portals

D. Communication in Nursing

  1. Shift report
  2. SBAR

E. Community Health Nursing

  1. Vulnerable Populations
  2. Health Indicators
  3. Role of Community Health Nurse

F. Disaster Planning and Response

  1. Evacuation Priorities

VI. Fundamentals of Nursing: Safety, Disaster Preparedness, and Cultural Competence

A. Patient Safety and Fall Prevention

  1. Factors contributing to falls
  2. Interventions to prevent falls
  3. Restraints
  4. Alternatives to restraints

B. Seizure Management

  1. Pre-seizure interventions
  2. During a seizure
  3. Post-seizure care

C. Fire Safety

  1. RACE
  2. PASS

D. Disaster Preparedness

  1. Types of disasters
  2. Disaster preparedness plans

E. Cultural Competence

  1. Key aspects of cultural competence
  2. Strategies for providing culturally competent care

F. Assistive Devices

  1. Common assistive devices a. Walkers b. Canes c. Wheelchairs d. Transfer Boards e. Hoyer Lifts

G. Ergonomics and Positioning

  1. Key principles of ergonomics
  2. Proper positioning

VII. Essential Guidelines for Healthcare Professionals: Safety, Infection Control, and Delegation

A. Assistive Devices: Crutches, Walkers, and Canes

  1. Crutches
  2. Walkers and Canes
  3. Walker Safety

B. Infection Control: Principles and Practices

  1. Spill Management
  2. Room Assignments
  3. Private Room Requirements
  4. Airborne Precautions
  5. Standard Precautions
  6. Tier 2 Infection Precautions
  7. Patient Transport
  8. Post-Laryngectomy Care
  9. PPE Donning and Doffing

C. Delegation: RN vs. LPN/UAP

  1. RN Responsibilities
  2. LPN Responsibilities
  3. UAP Responsibilities
  4. Do Not Delegate

D. Medication Administration and Pharmacology

  1. Penicillin Allergies
  2. Urinary Incontinence
  3. Menopausal Manifestations
  4. GERD and Allergic Reactions
  5. Erectile Dysfunction
  6. Vitamin D Deficiency
  7. Bipolar Disorder and Depression
  8. Herpes Zoster
  9. Seasonal Allergies
  10. Beta Blockers

E. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

  1. Meningococcal Vaccine

VIII. Comprehensive Overview of Medication Administration, Cardiovascular Pharmacology, and IV Therapy

A. Medication Administration: Core Principles

  1. Dosage Calculation
  2. Rounding
  3. Medication Orders
  4. Vancomycin Therapy
  5. Furosemide Administration

B. IV Therapy: Complications and Interventions

  1. Infiltration
  2. Catheter Embolism
  3. Extravasation
  4. Hematoma
  5. Phlebitis

C. Central Lines: Management and Complications

  1. Advantages
  2. Insertion Complications
  3. Maintenance
  4. Removal
  5. Long-Term Complications

D. Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)

  1. Administration
  2. Composition
  3. Monitoring
  4. Administration Guidelines

E. Medication Suffixes and Classifications

  1. ACE Inhibitors
  2. Antivirals
  3. Antifungals
  4. Antilipidemics (Statins)
  5. Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
  6. Beta Blockers
  7. Calcium Channel Blockers
  8. Erectile Dysfunction Drugs
  9. Bisphosphonates
  10. Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)

IX. Pharmacology Review: Key Concepts and Clinical Applications

A. Cardiovascular Pharmacology

  1. Antihypertensives
     a. Calcium Channel Blockers
     b. Beta Blockers
     c. Vasodilators
     d. Alpha 2 Agonists
     e. Alpha Adrenergic Blockers

B. Anti-Dysrhythmics

  1. Class I
  2. Class II (Propranolol – Beta Blocker)
  3. Cardiac Glycosides (Digoxin)
  4. Class III (Amiodarone, Sotalol)
  5. Class IV (Verapamil, Diltiazem – Calcium Channel Blockers)
  6. Adenosine

C. Digoxin: A Closer Look

  1. Mechanism
  2. Uses
  3. Heart Rate Parameters
  4. Monitoring

D. Nitroglycerin: Management of Angina

  1. Mechanism
  2. Administration
  3. Routes
  4. IV Administration
  5. Complications

E. Cholesterol-Lowering Medications (Statins)

  1. Rhabdomyolysis
  2. Blood Tests
  3. Administration Time

F. Respiratory Pharmacology

  1. Inhaler Technique
  2. Beta 2 Adrenergic Agonists (Albuterol)
  3. Methylxanthines (Theophylline, Aminophylline)
  4. Inhaled Anticholinergics (Ipratropium)
  5. Glucocorticoids (Prednisone)
  6. Leukotriene Modifiers (Montelukast)

G. Additional Key Points

  1. Prioritization Strategies
  2. Staying with the Patient
  3. Avoiding Overthinking
  4. Helicobacter Pylori

H. General Nursing Considerations

  1. Medication Administration
  2. Patient Education
  3. Safety
  4. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)