Anxiety for tests!

Ortho_RN · Feb 10, 2003

As hard as this is to do.. Try to ignore the fact that the instructor is in the room.... They were a student once, so they SHOULD remember what the anxiety is like... Do you get to try the skills part again??

Keely-FutureRN · Feb 10, 2003

Yes, I just called a while ago to make an appointment to do it. If I don't pass, I need to retake the whole class. It wasen't a bad class, but I will have to pay and wake up early (on the weekends 8am-5pm sat. and sun.) all over again.

Keely

Jennerizer, ASN, RN · Feb 11, 2003

No, no, no.......THINK POSITIVE! You know this stuff, now you just need to gain the confidence. Pretend like the instructors are family members or friends. They expect you to be nervous & shaky.....so don't worry about that.

Practice, practice, practice & tell yourself you are going to do this. Pretend you're an actress playing a part if you have to or block the instructors out of your mind.....whatever it takes, but you can do this!

I have two skill evaluations over the next two days so I know what the nervousness feels like. Better to get it out of your system in front of the instructor instead of your future patients.

Come on Keely...............you can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

webbiedebbie · Feb 11, 2003

Keely...you could also pretend that the instructors are your students. This has helped me in the past. You'll do fine.

essarge · Feb 11, 2003

Explain to the mannequin what you are doing as you do it. You will be so busy concentrating on that you will forget about the instructor's in the room. It's helped me through many times.

silvermoon · Feb 11, 2003

Just remember Keely they do want you to pass the skills. Talk to the mannequin as essarge says. We have to give our mannequin a name. Ours is called Madonna! You feel a fool to start with but if you use the name of a friend it really helps too as it's like having them in there with you.

92% for your written proves you know your stuff so get out there and show them.

Keely-FutureRN · Feb 11, 2003

Thanks for all the great ideas! We have to give our mannequin's names also, ours is Mrs. Mary Lou. I will try all of these new strategies. I was in drama in high school so I should be able to handle this! :chuckle Thanks for all the support and I'll keep you updated on what happens. :kiss

Keely

Jenn_RN · Feb 11, 2003

:chuckle Ours is named "Pat", since the top half is male, but s/he has a lady parts.

Good luck with your retest, I always find it comforting to admit being terrified when I am, there is nothing wrong with being nervous and it helps me to calm down when I voice it for some reason. I also like talking aloud, last time I did a skill checkoff I "walked" the instructor through what I was doing, and that helped me to calm down and I think she liked that I was doing that (she was very receptive). Good luck!

Keely-FutureRN · Feb 11, 2003

Thanks RNwannabeJEN,

We are supposed to do that too (talk our way through) so I will need to work on it a little more. I'm kind of shy in the first place but I believe that with practice I'll get better. Thanks for you advice!

Keely

dianacs · Feb 11, 2003

Another thing I like to do on a skills checkoff is to ask the instructors a question related to the subject matter you are demonstrating while you're doing it (if you're at a point in the demo where you don't have to think about it too much). Sometimes I ask about their personal experiences with the particular situation you are being tested on. Like if you're demonstrating oral care, you could ask, "Did you ever have anyone bite you when you were cleaning their teeth?'' I personally enjoy the one-on-one time with the instructors, but I don't like the pressure of the checkoffs either (who does?), so I find that asking questions while I'm doing it deflects at least part of the laser beam off of me and I find out something interesting from the instructor.

renerian, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2003

Be positive and talk to the model just like it is a real person. Pretend the instructor is not there.

Good luck

renerian