00Vital(p2)-FM 2/19/07 8:47 PM Page 2 Bonus CD-ROM Includes— • 1000⫹ plus NCLEX-style questions • Rationales for correct and incorrect responses • Alternate format questions • Strategic tips for successfully answering questions All questions coded for— • Client Need • Content Area • Cognitive Domain • Difficulty Level All combined to promote success on NCLEX examinations 00Vital(p2)-FM 2/19/07 8:47 PM Page i Minimum System Requirements PC CPU:Pentium III or higher 64 MB Ram; 128 MB Ram preferred 800 x 600 monitor with thousands of colors OS: Windows/2000/XP 8x CD-ROM drive 135 MB hard disk space LICENSE AGREEMENT ® 1. F. A. Davis (“FAD”) grants the recipient of the NCLEX-RN Notes: Core Review & Exam Prep, limited license for the program on the enclosed CD- ROM (“Software”). FAD retains complete copyright to the Software and associated content. 2. Licensee has nonexclusive right to use this copy of the Software on one computer on one screen at one location. 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Davis by shopping online at www.fadavis.com or by calling 800-323- 3555 (US) or 800-665-1148 (CAN) A Davis’s Notes Book 00Vital(p2)-FM 2/19/07 8:47 PM Page iv F. A. Davis Company 1915 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 www.fadavis.com Copyright © 2007 by F. A. Davis Company All rights reserved. This book is protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in China by Imago Last digit indicates print number: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Publisher, Nursing: Robert G. Martone Project Editor: Padraic Maroney Manager of Art and Design: Carolyn O’Brien Content Development Manager: Darlene Pedersen Contributing Author: Mary Ann Hellmer-Saul, RN, AAS, BS, MS, PhD, ANP Consultants: Paula A. Olesen, RN, MSN; Daryl Boucher, MSN, RN, CCEMTP; Golden Tradewell, PhD, RN; Kathy Whitley, RN, MSN, FNP; Leesa A. McBroom, MSN, APRN, FNP-C; Lindsey L. Carlson, MSN, RN; Eileen Kaslatas, MSN, RN; Joanne Vitale, RPA- C, BA; William Hendricks, RPh; Jean Prochilo, RN, BS; Nina Goldsztejn, RN, BC, BSN, MSN, NP As new scientific information becomes available through basic and clinical research, recommended treatments and drug therapies undergo changes. The author(s) and publisher have done everything possible to make this book accurate, up to date, and in accord with accepted standards at the time of publication. The authors, editors, and publisher are not responsible for errors or omissions or for consequences from application of the book, and make no warranty, expressed or implied, in regard to the contents of the book. Any practice described in this book should be applied by the reader in accordance with professional standards of care used in regard to the unique circumstances that may apply in each situation. 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The fee code for users of the Transactional Reporting Service is: 8036–1570/07 0 ⫹ $.10. 00Vital(p2)-FM 2/19/07 8:47 PM Page v Look for our other Davis’s Notes titles Available Now! ® RNotes : Nurse’s Clinical Pocket Guide ISBN: 0-8036-1335-0 LPN Notes: Nurse’s Clinical Pocket Guide ISBN: 0-8036-1132-3 MedNotes: Nurse’s Pharmacology Pocket Guide ISBN: 0-8036-1109-9 MedSurg Notes: Nurse’s Clinical Pocket Guide ISBN: 0-8036-1115-3 NutriNotes: Nutrition & Diet Therapy Pocket Guide ISBN: 0-8036-1114-5 IV Therapy Notes: Nurse’s Clinical Pocket Guide ISBN: 0-8036-1288-5 PsychNotes: Clinical Pocket Guide ISBN: 0-8036-1286-9 LabNotes: Pocket Guide to Lab & Diagnostic Tests ISBN: 0-8036-1265-6 00Vital(p2)-FM 2/19/07 8:47 PM Page vi Contacts • Phone/E-Mail Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: Name: Ph: e-mail: 01Vital(p2)-01 2/19/07 8:48 PM Page 1 1 ® NCLEX-RN ■ The National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN®) measures the knowledge and abilities necessary for entry- level nurses. ■ It is administered by Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT), which individualizes tests to match the unique competencies of each test taker. ■ Each exam adheres to the NCLEX-RN® Test Plan, which describes the content and scope of RN competencies. ■ Practices basic to nursing (e.g., nursing process, caring, teaching, learning, communication, documentation) are integrated throughout, and most questions require application and analysis of information. ® NCLEX-RN Test Plan—Distribution of Content Patient Needs and % of Items Safe and Effective Care Environment ■ Management of Care 13%–19% ■ Safety/Infection Control 8%–14% Health Promotion and Maintenance 6%–12% Psychosocial Integrity 6%–12% Physiological Integrity ■ Basic Care/Comfort 6%–12% ■ Pharmacological/Parenteral gfd Therapies 13%–19% ■ Reduction of Risk Potential 13%–19% ■ Physiological Adaptation 11%–17% Taking the NCLEX-RN® Test on a Computer ■ First: You will receive general information about the exam and the testing center. Your time spent on this will not count. ■ Second: You will take a tutorial on how to use the computer to answer the questions on NCLEX-RN®. Your answers will not count toward your score, but the time you take will be subtracted from the total 6 hours you have for the exam. ■ Third: You will then be presented with real NCLEX-RN® items; there will be between 75 and 265 items. The test ends when it is 95% certain your ability is ↑ or ↓ the passing standard. TIPS 01Vital(p2)-01 2/19/07 8:48 PM Page 2 TIPS ■ Answers may be selected or deleted several times if desired before confirming a final answer. You must answer every question. You cannot return to a previous question. ■ A time-remaining clock is in the screen’s upper right-hand corner. ■ A calculator on the computer is available for calculations. Go to www.NCSBN.org to access an NCLEX tutorial to practice multiple choice and alternate format items on the computer. Critical Thinking Definition, Influences, and Uses of Critical Thinking ■ Definition of critical thinking: Cognitive technique by which you reflect on and analyze your thoughts, actions, decisions ■ Intellectual standards that influence critical thinking: Focused, methodical, clear, deliberate, logical, relevant, accurate, precise ■ Processes that require critical thinking:Test taking, nursing process, problem solving, decision making, diagnostic reasoning Maximize Your Critical Thinking Abilities Action Benefit Be positive: Be optimistic ■ Maintain positive mental ■ ↑Positive thinking and ↓negative attitude: Replace negative thinking that can interfere with thoughts with positive ones learning Be calm: Control anxious feelings ■ Use relaxation techniques: ■ ↓Anxiety Practice breathing exercises and ■ ↑Control in relation to intellectual guided imagery tasks Be inquisitive: Question and investigate ■ Ask the questions how, why, ■ ↑Ability to determine significance what: e.g., How does Colace of information promote a bowel movement? Why ■ ↑Understanding/retention of does BP drop with hemorrhage? information ■ ↑Ability to apply information Be persistent: Follow a course of action ■ ↑Control over variables ■ Develop self-discipline: Be associated with thinking logical and organized 2