DHCA Nursing Exam study plan

Map Domain 3 into cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, renal, GI, musculoskeletal, and neuro sub-areas and rank each by your baseline confidence

Write a one-page comparison of the top five medical-surgical conditions by prevalence (e.g., heart failure, COPD, diabetes, CKD, post-op complications) covering pathophysiology, assessment findings, and priority nursing interventions

Build a 20-item medication-to-monitoring table for high-alert med-surgical drugs (anticoagulants, insulin, digoxin, opioids) linking each to the lab or vital sign that must be checked

Define the chain of infection and list one evidence-based nursing action that breaks each link, including hand hygiene indications per WHO's five moments

Practice 40 mixed medical-surgical questions and write a rationale for every missed item in your own words

Differentiate isolation precautions (standard, contact, droplet, airborne) by applying them to five clinical scenarios you write yourself

Explain the nurse's role in preventing CAUTI, CLABSI, and VAP using bundle elements and identify which bundle step is most often missed

Create a one-page algorithm for responding to a suspected transfusion reaction and a suspected sepsis presentation

Apply the rights of medication administration to ten error-prone scenarios (look-alike/sound-alike names, weight-based dosing, high-alert infusions) and identify the failure point in each

Calculate 25 dosage problems covering mg/kg, unit conversion, IV drip rate, and safe-dose range checks with 90% or better accuracy

Describe the antidote or reversal agent and monitoring plan for five common toxicities (opioid, acetaminophen, warfarin, heparin, benzodiazepine)

Sequence the steps of the medication administration process from order verification through documentation and identify where a second nurse check is required

Prioritize interventions in five deteriorating-patient scenarios using ABCDE and early-warning concepts, stating the first three actions for each

Interpret basic rhythm strips (sinus, atrial fibrillation, PVCs, ventricular tachycardia, asystole) and match each to an immediate intervention

Explain the safe administration and monitoring parameters for vasoactive infusions, including titration limits and extravasation response

Distinguish shock states (hypovolemic, cardiogenic, distributive, obstructive) by hemodynamic pattern and initial fluid or drug strategy

Compare the stages of labor and identify one priority nursing assessment and one safety action for each stage

List the key postpartum complications (hemorrhage, infection, preeclampsia worsening, thromboembolism) with early warning signs and first-line responses

Summarize newborn transition and assessment priorities, including APGAR components, thermoregulation, and feeding safety

Apply pediatric weight-based dosing and fluid maintenance calculations to five cases, and describe age-specific assessment differences for infants versus adolescents

Identify pediatric red flags (respiratory distress, dehydration, altered mental status) and state escalation criteria for each

Differentiate therapeutic communication techniques from blocking behaviors using ten nurse-patient dialogue examples you write

Outline safety planning and risk assessment steps for a patient expressing suicidal ideation, including documentation and escalation

Describe the nurse's role in managing acute agitation, withdrawal, and medication adherence in mental health settings while preserving patient rights

Explain informed consent, competency, confidentiality, and mandatory reporting by applying each to a written case vignette

Distinguish negligence from malpractice by identifying the four legal elements in three scenarios

Apply an ethical decision-making framework (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice) to two conflicting-obligation cases

Describe scope of practice, delegation, and chain-of-command steps for a nurse who receives an unsafe assignment or order

Complete two timed 75-question mixed-domain practice exams and record accuracy by domain

Re-review only the two lowest-scoring domains and rewrite rationales for every missed item

Recreate from memory the high-alert medication, isolation precaution, and dosage calculation reference sheets

Build a one-page exam-day strategy sheet covering question deconstruction, prioritization, and time allocation