So yeah, last week...I just want to forget about. Just write it off, pass it by, never think about it again. First exam in TNI...didn't do so hot (damn NCLEX format questions). First SRAT in Health Assessment...didn't do as well as I would have liked. Snow Wednesday night canceled Community Health clinical Thursday...had to have a make-up rescheduled. Various issues with people...nothing major, just little things adding up. By Friday, I was ready to hide in a corner and rock back and forth while sucking my thumb. Or hide out in a cave for awhile while waving a white flag of surrender. Something like that.
But this week...mostly a different story. Not absolutely perfect, but turning out to be much, much better. Did well on both exams this week -- first Community Health exam (92%), first med dosage calc exam (93%). Got back first Nursing Notes assignment and she said I did very well (that coming from a very picky instructor!). Had a good TNI lab today, learned how to prep and admin oral, subQ, and IM meds -- including various role playing scenarios with our instructors (side note: I love working with both instructors in that lab. They are so cool and laidback, while being real and honest with us and making us think. Plus we have a bit of fun here and there. I hope we hang on to them the next 3 semesters!). Actually have Community Health clinical tomorrow...my assigned site for this week is the only free clinic here in town. Not sure what to expect, but I'm betting it will be an interesting day. And I'm keeping on top of my To-Do list...checking off reading, online quizzes, assignments, online modules, and any other stuff that needs to be done. I roughly know what's coming up next week, what I need to focus on, pay special attention to, remember. I'll be damned if I let something sneak up on me this semester!
Before I sign off and go write up this week's nurse's notes...any seasoned students or former students -- do you have any tips for learning to think the proper way to be successful at answering those stupid NCLEX format questions? Is this something that will come to me the more I practice, or because I'm struggling now, does that mean I'm doomed..? Please...give me some hope...
Two more days, kiddies, then it's the weekend...we can do two more days! :-)
Get a NCLEX study guide or download some practice tests and start doing 10 or 15 a night. It will help tremendously, especially if it's the format, not the content that's getting you.
ReplyDeleteIt was awhile ago but I just started doing practice tests on my computer. The last year of school I went to the library or borrowed NCLEX books and went over the subjects we were studying. If it was the neuro, cardiovascular, GI or whatever system I hit those NCLEX test questions.
ReplyDeleteBecause NCLEX is National and very generic that is what caught me. I worked mental health before nursing school and I always wanted to apply my experience to the questions. Wrong idea to over think them. NCLEX questions happen in a perfect world they may try to throw you off with a big scenario, but remember your basics first like ABC's, or my favorite call the doctor :)