Having Trouble Passing NREMT-B - Suggestions?

phunguy said:
Hopefully all the time I spent with the text will help then.

I guess I need to just rely on what a paramedic told me..

If its not breathing blow in it
If its bleeding put it out
And if its on fire put it out
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EXACTLY! Rely on your training!! You will do fine!
 
Basic BLS skills: Air goes in and out, Blood goes round and round... any variation on this is a bad thing and usually requires intervention.
 
Ok I don't know how to feel about it... I stopped at 70 questions.. I don't know if I felt good or bad about it.. It was just weird how the answers were worded on a lot of them... Well guess we will see next week..
 
phunguy said:
Ok I don't know how to feel about it... I stopped at 70 questions.. I don't know if I felt good or bad about it.. It was just weird how the answers were worded on a lot of them... Well guess we will see next week..
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good luck! I didnt have many more than that and left feeling completely defeated. I was SHOCKED when I got the "passed" message on nremt.org

From my class, there have been 2-mid-70's, 1 passed, 1 failed. 1 that passed in the 130 range. I passed and another guy failed in the upper 70-low 80 range and 1 other passed at 100 after failing at 150 something.
 
PASSED!!


"Congratulations on successfully earning your national EMS certification."
 
What is the passed message? Where is changes your status to "registered" and shows your score as passed?
 
Examination Scored
Congratulations on successfully earning your national EMS certification.

Certification documents will be mailed to the address provided in your account profile by first class US Postal service within three business days.


National certification is not a license to practice. You should contact your state EMS office for information on licensing requirements.
 
That's very strange...I didn't get that message. All of my scores are passed, and my status even says "registered." I can look up my name under nationally registered personnel. Do you think this is some kind of error?
 
For anyone taking the cognitive (written) exam

I hadn't realized how badly my hands were shaking until I looked down once I arrived at the testing location's parking lot to finally take my NREMT written exam. The knot in my stomach twisted and turned, I thought I might be sick. My head hurt, my throat was the sahari desert. Good ol' test anxiety. :wacko:

A little background: Of 24 in my class EMT-B, 5 passed, including myself. I sat down at the computer with the sticky mouse... not so pleasant..., my heart was racing. Then the first question.... scenario-trauma. Next question: scenario-trauma. Next question: scenario-trauma. My test abruptly ended at 72 question. I withdrew my hand from the sticky mouse thinking, "Oh great. I blew it." I tried to remember as many questions from the test that I could, all in all I was able to recall 28 that i was absolutely certain I had gotten correct and just to double check myself, I confirmed my answers with my books.

I would say that 70% of my test was scenario-trauma; only 2 childbirth questions, 2 allergic reaction questions, 1 legal question, NO anatomy, NO documentation, 1 pediatic, 1 environmental emergency question. I studied every night for hours since I passed the class in preparation and that was 8 months ago, yet this test made me think I had failed when I walked out.

When the computer stopped at 72 questions, I really didn't know if the computer determined that I had sufficient knowledge and ended my exam or said to itself, "Oh God, she's got no chance, let's put her out of her test-taking misery".

I checked the NR website for my score obsessively. When it wsn't up by 6 pm I knew I'd have to wait until morning. Checked it at 5 am.. nothing. 5:02 am... nothing.... 5:10 am...... Finally at 11. There it was.

Passed.

One thing was for certain; I knew that I had answered the last question of my test correctly (condensed and reworded): "Chemical burn, 1 pt, what do you do FIRST?"

A. brush the chemical off pt
B. establish airway
C. Don appropriate PPE
4. (I honestly can't remember the last choice as I immediately could "C" the answer :)

So add another experience to the "getting the last question right, you passed" theory. Well, it was true in my case.

My advise, as I know I read this and another EMT forum religiously, searching for any trick, any tip, any suggestion to pass this dreaded test.

Study. Don't just study your notes from class. Take any practice test you can get ahold of. Read the DOT EMT-B curriculum objectives front to back. The best free tests I could find were on
emtb.com (take the registry review test as well). I read every chapter in Prehospital Emergency Care, 7th Edition by Mistovich.

Prenhill chapter tests, there are 38 practice tests: http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_limmer_emergencycare_10/19/5005/1281453.cw/index.html

http://smartmedic.com/quiz/index.asp was good as well for brushing up.

http://www.umsnyc.net/edu/olpe_aemtp/quiz_emtb.html esp. the trauma section

Remember, the test doesn't care what you've memorized, it wants to find out how well you know HOW and WHEN to provide correct care in a given situation.
 
Amber, I too had a similar experience with the NREMT computer based exam. More and more often I see the "last question" theory theory working out. As stated, the only "magical formula" to passing the NREMT exam is to know the why, when and how of the nationally established DOT objectives.

To those EMT-B students currently enrolled in class: pay attention and ask questions! The entire point of you being there is to learn, don't feel upset if you don't understand something. Your NREMT examination isn't the right time to realize you should have asked more questions related to whatever question you may have.
 
cincy, i found some good resources that may help you along. they are really good sources but i suck at test taking and yet to pass the basic registry out of three tries. but anyhoo, click the link below and find me on the thread and my post will have the sources. hope it helps.

http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=7564
 
thanks for the response! I'll see if those threads/quizes help me out.

to let everyone know, my results later came in from the NREMT. it said i acutally did WORSE, on my second attempt.

hmmm...:angry:
 
same thing, finished at 72 questions, knew the last question was right, and i passed!
I took mine on May 10th.

My last question:
Women's perineum tears during pregnancy, what do u do?
A ) Pack the vagina
B ) Apply direct pressure
C ) Elevate Legs
D ) Apply AED (joking, can't remember)

obviously reworded, but i got it right, Apply direct pressure.
 
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As I understand it, the "getting the last question right, you passed" theory is often correct. I read on the NREMT website that the test is adaptive to your knowledge. If you get a question wrong, it gives you an easier question. A series of X amount of correct questions indicates you are competent enough to be an EMT. Getting the last question correct is kind of like the "top of the chain". It's the last question in the series of correct questions, therefore you pass.

I don't even remember my NREMT but I remember looking at the website like 5 times just to make sure I really passed and I wasn't seeing things :p
 
Duh! Of course you have to get the "last" question right, or otherwise you would get another question or fail due to many questions administered.

C'mon guys, this is NOT rocket science.

R/r 911
 
Ridryder911 said:
Duh! Of course you have to get the "last" question right, or otherwise you would get another question or fail due to many questions administered.

C'mon guys, this is NOT rocket science.

R/r 911
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WTF is your problem??
 
The problem is it has over an 80% pass rate. Considered one of the easiest medical certification tests in the health profession.

Apparently very few read their web site on how the tests is performed or their instructors lack the knowledge to inform on how the tests are graded and performed. Anyone look at the Pearson Vue web site before taking it.. or just immediately post here? This should be "old news" by now; it has been out for over three years and everyone acts like it is a new invention. If instructors are still using paper tests, then they are setting you up for failure. I have not used paper type tests for nearly a decade.

Good thing it is not like it was a few years ago, where it was hand graded and it took at least 8 weeks for a grade to be sent, then 6 months provision before your received any patch, card, etc.; it would appear people would now stroke out.

It's just a certification exam, read, study, prepare for it, and take it. I don't know if I would inform others my failure?...

It's simple enough, if you know the material, been taught and coached upon the styles of questions, then you will pass. Remember, it is only testing one upon the minimal amount of knowledge....

R/r 911
 
Gosh, it must be nice being so intelligent. I suppose we can only hope that one day we reach Ridryder911's level of competency and self-assuredness... I only hope we avoid manifesting it in such a rude and unkind way.
 
Amber_S said:
Gosh, it must be nice being so intelligent. I suppose we can only hope that one day we reach Ridryder911's level of competency and self-assuredness... I only hope we avoid manifesting it in such a rude and unkind way.
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Sorry, you don't even understand. I have taken all the NREMT levels, in fact authored some of the questions. So yes, I can speak from experience. I have taken and passed several "board" exams, so yes, I consider it "no big deal". It's called read, study, and quit whining when you fail. Take it as a learning experience.

You will definitely have a lot harder exam if you proceed further in medicine.

R/r 911
 
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