Post by Brian G on Nov 16, 2014 0:44:48 GMT
In my past life I was a computer geek; I was often accused of speaking too technological. I think nurses, or at least the ones who write textbooks and test questions, have twisted themselves around the English language so much in an effort to be concise that they have lost focus on the most important part of conveying ideas-be simple and direct. Take this question for example:
A home care nurse is teaching a client and family about the importance of a balanced diet. The nurse determines that the education was successful when the client identifies which of the following as a rich source of potassium?
a) Bread products
b) Dairy products
c) Apricots
d) Processed meat
The answer is c-apricots, but you probably spent more time figuring out what was being asked, and it is easy to get tripped up. This is just plain bad grammar. Nobody talks like this, and nobody thinks like this. So when you run across a question like this, or the one that says "demonstrates further instruction is needed", turn it into a set of questions like this:
True or false? Bread products are a rich source of potassium.
True of false? Dairy products
True or false? Apricots are a rich source of potassium.
True of false? Processed meat is a rich source of potassium.
This is what the question is really asking. Even more, you can and should do this with any question. Instructors will write out a question with a correct answer, then they will think of several incorrect or irrelevant answers. I wrote out the whole thing four times cause it is important to think like the instructor. Play the same game and keep it simple.
A home care nurse is teaching a client and family about the importance of a balanced diet. The nurse determines that the education was successful when the client identifies which of the following as a rich source of potassium?
a) Bread products
b) Dairy products
c) Apricots
d) Processed meat
The answer is c-apricots, but you probably spent more time figuring out what was being asked, and it is easy to get tripped up. This is just plain bad grammar. Nobody talks like this, and nobody thinks like this. So when you run across a question like this, or the one that says "demonstrates further instruction is needed", turn it into a set of questions like this:
True or false? Bread products are a rich source of potassium.
True of false? Dairy products
True or false? Apricots are a rich source of potassium.
True of false? Processed meat is a rich source of potassium.
This is what the question is really asking. Even more, you can and should do this with any question. Instructors will write out a question with a correct answer, then they will think of several incorrect or irrelevant answers. I wrote out the whole thing four times cause it is important to think like the instructor. Play the same game and keep it simple.