exam advice please !

[kat57]

Hello fellow students...

It's been one month today since I began LPN and I really enjoy the program. It's unbelievable what we've covered as you already know. Lets see... bathing pts., i & o, foley insertion, urinary diversion, bed making, vitals, enemas, asepsis, nutrition, documentation and charting, starting head to toe assessments the list goes on. A test on handwashing my husband says ??

I did well on my first exam but my last two were low scores and needless to say I was devastated. I do plenty of studying and reading but I can't seem to pick out the fine detail that I need to remember. My last two tests I changed some answers A NO NO and read too much into the questions thus changing the outcome. My instructor says this is all normal for someone my age (47) going back to school and that I need to settle down and listen to the high points at lecture and not try to remember the whole chapter. Has anyone else expierienced this ? I'm losing confidence in myself.

[Dixen81]

To me, it sounds like you're trying too hard. When studying for exams, I would focus on the lecture/chapter objectives and the terminology. Then on test day, try to relax and take the test question "as is" without reading more into it than is presented. I understand where you're coming from, though. I am a 43 year old student who worries because my brain doesn't seem to absorb as easily as it used to.

Take it easy; I'm sure you will do fine in school.

Best wishes!