Having Trouble Passing NREMT-B - Suggestions?

Carby187inf said:
know of any good test practice sites other then emstesting.com? I failed my frist attempt at the registry exam and have came to conclusion that emstesting.com is garbage. each time I take a section I think I did really well then find out I bombed it. itd be nice if it actually told me what I got wrong. the only other thing I use is that emt review plus app for my phone. thanks
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I am going to include an older post of mine from Dec that may help you..Dec 2013, "I just took the NREMT-B and found it very interesting. I have a 20+ years of experience as a Paramedic (supervisor, trainer), Firefighter, and LEO. I let my certs drop. (Bad mistake)! I am looking to get back on the road a bit and had to retake my EMT training. I in the classroom I found I had to stop thinking like a paramedic and not treat the patient but memorize the book. It was tough, especially since things have changed a bit with time. I did it though and graduated will a 100% average (the college told me it was the highest average they had ever seen). I studied hard and enjoyed the journey again. Then I started to study for the NREMT exam. I took it within 2 weeks of graduating. When the first question came on screen I was taken back a bit.. I had to start treating patients again! I had trained myself to answer according to what the book had told me to do and now I was faced with real patient scenarios that were different from the book. I must agree with some of the other post that some of the answers I had to choose from were not (IMO) the best treatment, but I had to choose the best of the worst. It was challenging. I assume the test is getting us to think like an EMT in the field and not just sitting in front of a book. It does that! I thought on the way to take the exam I should be able to pass. I studied hard and was prepared. The examiner told me I may be cut off with only 70 questions answered. To be honest, I thought I would pass in 70-80. After my test cut off at 70 I was not really sure if I had passed. I knew many of the answers I had given were my "best, educated guess". I believe the exam is trying to find out how we react in the field with the knowledge we learned in class. I does a good job at that! It will truly pull out of you what is stored in there.. I passed."

Two weeks after my passing grade I received a phone call from a instructor, asking my opinion on the test. I was informed that most of the students were failing the NREMT and they could not understand why. Hindsight, and wanting to help future students, I did some further research. I found the Brady book looked a lot like the test. I was helping a classmate who was really struggling and suggested the Brady on line practice exams. At the time of their test, (Feb 2014) they were still shaky but had taken my advise. They passed at 70 questions. I suggest you study with the practice exams and the book. I think you will see some of the questions will look very familiar.
 
I passed EMT-B and EMT-P NR both on my first try.

For EMT-B, before I took the test: I read the whole textbook during class. Took all of the workbook during class and always went over any questions I missed. I made sure if I missed a lecture, I spoke to 2-3 students about what I missed and asked the teacher (I think we could only miss 2 classes). I also took free online quizzes. I did JB learning and Knightlife software. I did all of these things during class. If you missed some part here, fix it.

After I finished class, but before the test, I bought a few books and notecards on amazon about passing the national registry. From the notecards/flashcards, I saved any that I wasn't 100% about and put away the rest. I went back to the book about the subjects I missed and re-read those sections. I put in 4-6 hour days after work of studying for about 2 weeks before NREMT.

NREMTP exam was similar study habits along with meeting for study groups 1-2 nights a week and doing FISDAP as well.

I'm not sure if they have FISDAP for basic, but if they do, it's pretty similar to NREMT. If you can get a 90% on the FISDAP, you'll do fine.
 
Hey guys I'mean having a lot of trouble passing this nremt the first time I took it I studied this emt pass online thing up and down and failed then read this nremt for dummies felt that helped much more but still didn't pass I'm not sure what to do at this point
 
justjustin627 said:
Hey guys I'mean having a lot of trouble passing this nremt the first time I took it I studied this emt pass online thing up and down and failed then read this nremt for dummies felt that helped much more but still didn't pass I'm not sure what to do at this point
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1. What does your exact study strategy look like right now?
2. What is your strategy for solving a scenario question when you see it on a test?
 
sjukrabilalfur said:
1. What does your exact study strategy look like right now?
2. What is your strategy for solving a scenario question when you see it on a test?
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Right now I'm not sure what to study I would study a certain category such as trauma airway etc then take an online test or the practice in my nremt for dummies book the nremt book taught me to try to answer the question yourself b4 even looking at the answers then see if your answer is there if not apply the answers to the question see what result you get and eliminate the two you think we're most wrong then make decision out of your best two
 
Cincy53 said:
it's not that the information was "unfamiliar." I probably just read the questions either too fast or not carefully enough. I remembered some of the questions and took a look around the forums for the right answers b/c those same questions were posted. Turned out, I wasn't picking the question apart correctly. I didn't think the test was way too difficult. It's just that with the adapative nature of the test itself, some of the questions are tricky and can throw you off. That's just how the test is designed in my opinion. There were at least two right answers in most of my questions, which sucks.

What I'm looking forward to now is the letter I'll be receiving which will highlight my strengths and weaknesses. Maybe then I'll have a better idea of what threw me off. I have two fresh weeks to gear up and go. Thanks for the input everyone.
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I have failed the test 3 times. I am from Chicago. I now have to take a refresher course. Does anyone know where to take this??
 
Cincy53 said:
Took NREMT-B on Wednesday the 19th

I went into the test feeling pretty good about the class I passed and everything else. I didn't freak myself out on studying so hard that I got aggrivated. Well, I noticed I had a lot of questions pertaining to patient scenarios with my answers being what would I do next in terms of using a BVM or 15 LPM via NRB. I got booted at number 123 I beleive. I didn't feel too good about the test.

So I get to work this morning and check the website, and there it is. FAILED. So Now I'm wondering, did I not study enough? I'm a pretty good test taker and I used the KAPLAN book a lot, but I noticed that the book was very very easy. I've been searching the forums for other study materials besides the tons of notes I have. I hear the BRADY books are good to use. But all in all I have been bummed the whole day b/c I was hoping to knock this one out of the park on the first try. Any advice? Thanks!
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Only advice I can give is the same I got from the forum, read the Orange J&B book if you have it, if not download the EMS test prep by them and take the practice tests. Read through your notes, powerpoints, whatever learning material you have. That's what got me through. I took it on the 27th and passed it. The computer stopped me at 70.
 
twinymg said:
Only advice I can give is the same I got from the forum, read the Orange J&B book if you have it, if not download the EMS test prep by them and take the practice tests. Read through your notes, powerpoints, whatever learning material you have. That's what got me through. I took it on the 27th and passed it. The computer stopped me at 70.
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My main problem is that I have to take a refresher class, 24 hours of school. Does anyone in the Chicago area know where to take an EMS refresher class before I can take another NREMT exam.
 
justjustin627 said:
Right now I'm not sure what to study I would study a certain category such as trauma airway etc then take an online test or the practice in my nremt for dummies book the nremt book taught me to try to answer the question yourself b4 even looking at the answers then see if your answer is there if not apply the answers to the question see what result you get and eliminate the two you think we're most wrong then make decision out of your best two
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One thing that I can suggest off the bat is, don't think of it the same way you would a traditional standardized test. The answer selection strategies we might apply to something like the SAT for example don't work quite as well. The elimination process that your book outlined might be a part of the issue.

My first recommendation would be to study the material by breaking it up into what you would do with a patient in a scenario. ABCs first, then interventions based on the clues the question might give you, like vitals, symptoms, overall presentation. Break up your studying into cardiac calls, pediatric care calls, obstetrics/gyno calls, etc. To sum it up, think, "What would I need to do to get this patient treated for immediate threats, stable, and to the E.D. in better shape than I found them."

I think you're heading down the right path, but think of each subject that you're studying as being a piece of the puzzle of how you would handle the call if you were teching it. 2/3rds of what you're doing on the exam will be scenario based, so if you take the knowledge and break it down into the step-by-step "recipe" of the call, that may help you to organize your knowledge a little better.
 
Jim Kelly said:
I have failed the test 3 times. I am from Chicago. I now have to take a refresher course. Does anyone know where to take this??
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Check the websites of local community colleges, and the websites of your county and state EMSA. I've found refresher courses under the "continuing education" sections of most school course catalogues.
 
Jim Kelly said:
My main problem is that I have to take a refresher class, 24 hours of school. Does anyone in the Chicago area know where to take an EMS refresher class before I can take another NREMT exam.
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Well, I'm from California, but I would suggest asking the program you initially did your training with and see if they know anything about it.
 
sorry to bring up an older thread.

My class used Brady Emergency Care 12e with the online part as well. Before taking my NR i used the online to take some true/false, multiple choice, and ran through many of the scenario questions (basically all NR is). So if your class used something similar then try that, if not then use the scenarios in the book and use EMT simulators online. Best of luck.
 
My class used the orange book. I studied using the test prep questions on the JB Learning site. That was all I used. I was the class geek, though. I read that book at least twice through. I studied at least a couple of hours a day and made sure I was secure on all the material. I took the test on Sept. 4 and passed first time. I just took my time (don't look at the clock). I didn't listen to people that bragged about finishing in a half hour or whatever. The key is to know the material as you're learning it in school. It's tough to study for scenarios. They are ever changing. Go over signs and symptoms, treatments. etc. And don't panic.
 
Hey sorry if this is a stupid question but I was wondering how you know when to use BVM Vs. NRB? I was taught to base it off the pulse ox but on the exam you are not always given a reading. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
 
If they are breathing ok on their own, but the 02 sats are a little low, nrb. If their breath rate is too slow, too fast, too shallow. ......basically if they are not breathing normally, bvm.
 
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Ridryder911 said:
Yes, read the other several hundred posts that discuss this same question. Seriously, there is a wealth of information posted here and multiple EMS Forums that have some good points.

What it appears to me more & more is EMT instructors are using too easy test questions and not preparing students for the examination.

Good luck,
R/r 911
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I absolutely agree with this last statement: EMT Instructors are using too easy test questions.

In a few words, the EMT Basic class didn't properly prepare students for the state test. The questions in the NREMT were foreign to me. While I took the test, my confidence wavered because I was not acclimated to the difficulty of the questions, even though I passed my first try and was given an A.

NREMT test examines a candidate's reaction to a situation in the real world.
 
I know everyone posts about this so I'm just going to apologize in advance! I've failed the NR twice already. I didn't really expect to pass the first time but before I took the second one I used the "EMT Prep" website and I thought it really prepared me. However, again I only passed one single section! I don't what I am doing wrong, all I did was practice questions and review. Any input, I have to pass the next time because I'm a volunteer EMT at school
 
Honestly the way I tested was to memorize the NR sheet. When I went into the test I imagined I was "in" the question. If the question was all about a 24-yo female patient and her ab pain, but it asks you what the first thing you'd do or be thinking is, It would more than likely be scene safety, maybe oxygen if ss wasn't an option.
I literally thought to the sheet for each answer SS, BSI, ABC, Oxygen, etc.

For mine there were not a lot of medication questions (other than O2) so I wouldn't study that in depth.
Also, ALL my OB questions were on the left lateral position....about the 3rd question I started to question it was the right answer or not, but I KNEW that was the right answer so I stuck with it. Stick to you gut and training!!
 
Take some time away from studying. I believe the rule of thumb is that after approx fifteen minutes of study ones stop retaining any new information.

The NREMT is not a test to see how well one knows the material, in my opinion. It is a test to see how well you test. I failed mine the first time. I know a paramedic that failed his three times, but his paramedic, passed the very first time.

Review briefly on a daily basis, not to much, not to little. Go over your
- respiration range
- bps
- Heart rates
- burn stages
- meds
- indications of croup
- labor procedures

Keep us posted on how you do.
Good luck,


Joseph
 
One more thing, read your questions very carefully. The wording is what will get you, I.e. Always, most of the time, most, et cetera

Joseph
 
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