DHA Nursing Exam study plan

Map the 10 highest-yield medical-surgical content areas (cardiac, respiratory, endocrine, renal, GI, neuro, hematology, musculoskeletal, oncology, fluid/electrolyte) and rate personal confidence 1-5 for each

Explain the pathophysiology-to-assessment-to-intervention chain for the five most common cardiac and respiratory conditions without notes

Interpret 20 arterial blood gas and electrolyte values, classifying each as respiratory or metabolic and compensated or uncompensated

Build a one-page comparison table of fluid volume deficit versus fluid volume excess with assessment findings and nursing actions

Prioritize nursing actions for 15 medical-surgical scenarios using ABC plus Maslow frameworks, writing the rationale for each first action

Differentiate pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative nursing priorities, listing three assessment parameters unique to each phase

Calculate safe medication doses, IV flow rates, and intake-output totals across 25 practice items with at least 90 percent accuracy

Demonstrate perioperative and wound-care sequence knowledge by writing the correct order of steps for a dressing change and a surgical site assessment

Sequence the complete head-to-toe assessment in correct order and recite normal versus abnormal findings for each body system

Apply the nursing process to six patient vignettes, generating a three-part nursing diagnosis, two goals, and three interventions per vignette

Explain the correct technique and rationale for 12 core psychomotor skills including sterile technique, catheterization, NG insertion, and tracheostomy care

State fall, pressure injury, and restraint safety protocols along with the documentation required for each

Classify 40 high-alert medications by drug class, mechanism of action, key adverse effect, and required monitoring parameter

Apply the rights of medication administration and the steps of the medication reconciliation process to 10 error scenarios, identifying where the breakdown occurred

Identify antidotes and reversal agents for the 10 most commonly tested drug toxicities

Distinguish nursing considerations for enteral, parenteral, topical, and inhaled routes, including absorption and timing differences

Trace the stages of labor with expected cervical change, fetal descent, and maternal assessment findings at each stage

Interpret 15 fetal heart rate tracings by category and select the corresponding nursing intervention for each

Sequence postpartum and newborn assessment priorities, including hemorrhage risk factors and the first-hour newborn adaptations

Convert pediatric weight-based dosing and compare developmental milestones across the infant, toddler, school-age, and adolescent stages

Order the interventions in a rapid response or code situation starting from recognition through handoff, for five emergency presentations

Differentiate shock states by hemodynamic profile and match each to its priority intervention

Apply standard and transmission-based precautions plus correct donning and doffing sequence to eight infection scenarios

Identify chain-of-infection break points and the isolation, disinfection, and reporting requirements for reportable organisms

Apply an ethical decision-making framework to 10 scenarios covering consent, confidentiality, capacity, advocacy, and end-of-life issues

Distinguish the nurse's role in incident reporting, near-miss disclosure, and root cause analysis, and identify the appropriate reporting action in each of six cases

Recognize screening criteria, prioritization, and referral pathways for common mental health conditions including depression, suicidality, and substance withdrawal

Explain levels of prevention and identify the community health nursing role in immunization, screening, and home-visit scenarios

Complete three timed 100-question mixed-domain practice exams simulating exam conditions and log every incorrect item by domain and error type

Review all missed items and rewrite the underlying concept for each in one sentence without referring back to the answer explanation

Re-test the three lowest-scoring content areas from the confidence audit until each reaches the target threshold

Consolidate one high-yield summary sheet per domain for a final 48-hour review