Tips for Answering ATI Capstone Content: Review of ATI Fundamentals

Understanding the difference between ATI Assessments and your Unit Exams: In nursing school you have been given tests to “examine” how much you had learned from the specific material that was theoretically presented to you in lecture, reading,

skills labs, clinical, etc. Your score was based on the 100% scale and you were probably expected to score anywhere from around 75% to 100% over that material in order to pass.

Now, there is NO WAY that any nursing program can teach everything there is to know about nursing in a 2 to 4 year period. Each program has a bit different focus and uses different textbooks and materials based on their focus.

This is where ATI assessments come in - these assessments are broad and are used to “assess” what you know in comparison to the exit exam and ultimately the NCLEX blueprint. Therefore your score — while still based on the 100% scale — is not looked

at in the same way it is a typical exam. It would be totally unreasonable to expect you to score 75-100% over material that you may have never even seen before!!

So, when you take the ATI assessments—think of them as a means to identify areas that you might see on your exit exam and ultimately NCLEX. Through review and remediation that you complete, you will be prepared.

Use the tips and strategies (see below) each week in the modules to help you prepare the content review and assessment.

Laboratory Values

While lab values vary slightly according to the source, knowing an average range for the following common lab tests will be very helpful to you when answering questions.

Sodium 136-145 mEq/L Potassium 3.5-5.0 mEq/L Total Calcium 9.0-10.5 mg/dL

Magnesium 1.3-2.1 mg/dL Phosphorus 3.0 –4.5 mg/dL BUN 10-20 mg/dL

Creatinine 0.6 – 1.2mg/dL males, 0.5 – 1.1 mg/dL females

Glucose 70 -105 mg/dL HgbA1c <6.5%

WBC 5,000-10,000/mm3

RBC Men 4.7-6.1 million/mm3, Women 4.2-5.4 million/mm3

Hemoglobin Men 14-18g/100 mL, Women 12-16 g/100 mL Hematocrit Men 42-52%,Women 37-47%

Platelet 150,000-400,000/mm3

pH 7.35-7.45

pC02 35 to45 mm Hg p02 80-100 mmHg HCO3 21-26mmol/L

Normal PT = 11-12.5 sec, Normal INR = 0.7-1.8 (Therapeutic INR 2-3)

Normal PTT = 30-40 sec (Therapeutic PTT 1.5 – 2 x normal or control values)

Digoxin 0.5 to 2.0ng/mL Lithium 0.8 to 1.4 mEq/L Dilantin 10-20 mcg/mL Theophylline 10 to 20mcg/mL Latex Allergies:

Note that clients allergic to bananas, apricots, cherries, grapes, kiwis, passion fruit, avocados, chestnuts, tomatoes, and/or peaches may experience latex allergies as well.

Order of assessment:

I-inspection

P-palpation

P-percussion

A-auscultation

Except with abdomen it is IAPP-inspect, auscultate, percuss and palpate.

Cane walking:

C-cane

O-opposite A-affected L-leg

Crutch walking:

Remember the phase “step up” when picturing a person going up stairs with crutches. The good leg goes up first followed by the crutches and the bad leg. The opposite happens going down the stairs….OR “up to heaven…down to hell”

Delegation:

RNs DO NOT delegate what they can EAT - evaluate, assess, teach

Helpful tool to remember Isolation Precautions: AIRBORNE:  "My Chicken Hez TB"

-Measles

-Chicken pox

-Herpes zoster

-TB

Management: neg. pressure room, private room, mask, n-95 for TB. DROPLET: "SPIDERMAn"

-Sepsis

-Scarlet Fever

-Strep

-Pertussis

-Pneumonia

-Parvovirus

-Influenza

-Diphtheria

-Epiglottitis

-Rubella

-Mumps

-Adenovirus

Management: Private room/mask

CONTACT: "MRS WEE"

-MRSA

-VRSA

-RSV

-Skin infections (herpes zoster, cutaneous diphtheria, impetigo, pediculosis, scabies, and staphylococcus)

-Wound infections

-Enteric infections (Clostridium difficile)

-Eye infections (conjunctivitis)

Management: gown, gloves, goggles, private room

Test taking tip: Slow Down!

Reading questions too quickly can lead to errors. When you are testing, try to slow down a bit so that you do not miss any key words. Before each and every question try this:

Take a deep breath in then out. Read the stem of the question, read the choices. REREAD the stem of the question to make sure to understand what is really being asked. Then make your selection. Start the process all over with a deep breath in and out.