2 CHAPTER 1 ■ Understanding Test Design and Theory
Work first on increasing and securing your clinical knowledge base prior to moving
to practice questions. When using this book, it is important to study the didactic
content and complete the practice questions.
Multiple-choice questions are made up of multiple parts:
■ Stem (scenario, context)
■ Interrogatory (essential question, action)
■ Answer choices
Multiple-choice tests do not lend themselves to plentiful extraneous detail. Stem sce-
nario or context is there to support, not confuse, you in your analysis. Typical answer
choices consist of one best answer, one (obviously) wrong answer, and two partially
correct answers. Note that partially correct answers can cause you to second-guess
yourself. Effective test takers will learn to differentiate between partially correct (the
“sometimes” or “yes
. . . but”) and the most common, best answer.
You will be asked to weigh options, interpret data, and arrive at the correct action
within the context or scenario of the test question. This allows you to demonstrate your critical-thinking skills, how robust your clinical knowledge base is, and that you know how to apply this knowledge base.
There could be many times when you feel that a question has more than one good
answer choice. In these cases, take another look at the question, and then choose the response most specific to the given situation. Sometimes questions that relate to presentation of disease have more than one applicable answer. The response with the most common presentation is likely to be correct. The following examples illustrate that although more than one answer is applicable, there is clearly one best answer.
■ An otherwise well 38-year-old adult with bacterial meningitis can present with nuchal
rigidity and papilledema. Because nuchal rigidity is seen in most adults with this diag- nosis, and papilledema is found far less often, nuchal rigidity is a better choice in the clinical presentation of the adult with bacterial meningitis. At the same time, menin- gitis is an uncommon disease but is a “can’t miss” diagnosis, with nuchal rigidity being a later, not earlier, finding.
■ Childhood development questions often have more than one correct response, but one best response. A 4-month-old is expected to roll stomach to back and smile. Smiling is a developmental milestone achieved by age 2 months, whereas rolling is typically not seen until an infant is 4 months old. Clearly, a 4-month-old will be smiling, but this is not a new development milestone, as the baby has been smiling for about 2 months. Rolling stomach to back is the best response, as this is most consistent with the developmental milestones of a 4-month-old infant.
■ A 56-year-old man with a 10-year history of hypertension (HTN) presents for a primary care visit, stating he has not taken his HTN medications, a calcium channel blocker, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and thiazide diuretic for the past 3
months due to “running out of the medication and not getting to the pharmacy.”
Today, his blood pressure (BP) is 170/105, without complaint, including no visual changes. On physical examination, the NP is likely to find an S4 heart sound, com- mon after months on poorly controlled HTN, consistent with the given history. This condition is known of asymptomatic elevated BP and is not an emergency, and simply restarting his medications should be the plan. The NP would not find grade 3 HTN retinopathy, neck vein distention, or S3 heart sound, findings more consis- tent with hypertensive emergency, usually found in a person with more elevated BP
and symptoms, including vision change or shortness of breath. Therefore, the
S4 heart sound would be the best answer, recognizing the other mentioned findings would be noted in hypertensive emergency but not asymptomatic elevated BP.
Although there are a handful of test items that assess factual knowledge, such as
identifying an anatomical landmark, cranial nerve, or the like, the majority of test questions seek to measure higher-order thinking and reasoning skills. These items test your clinical judgment and expertise. Most items test your ability to assess or develop a plan of intervention for a clinical situation. You should expect to apply clinical decision-making skills to the test question. Make sure you think through each
TEST TAKING TIP
Preparing for and taking
standardized tests like the
NP boards requires a shift
in approach and preparation
for the examination that
is different from the tests
that successfully saw you
through your graduate
program.
TEST TAKING TIP
Keep in mind that the purpose of the family nurse practitioner and adult- gerontology primary care NP boards is to determine whether you possess and can apply the knowledge base needed to be a safe, entry-level NP.
TEST TAKING TIP
Expect that your certification examination will emphasize questions that stress higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of concepts and
relationships.
TEST TAKING TIP
Keep in mind that practice questions are a helpful way to demonstrate—but not build—your practice knowledge base.
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