Anxious: Must Get 100% on Math Competency

[AlmostANurse321]

I'm in an accelerated nursing program after having been in another career. Starting next term we must get 100% on the math competencies. You have 3 tries to pass, then you have to drop the course and wait a whole year for the accelerated program to get back to that course. It's 10 questions.

The math is pretty straightforward, but I always make mistakes because I'm anxious about failing. I make stupid mistakes that I don't see at the time. In the past, we've just had to get 90%. I always get 90% and see a stupid mistake. I had the same problem in check offs where you had to do them perfectly or drop the class. I almost failed there too. Here's the kicker, put me in a regular test and I do great. I have a 3.77 GPA, but tell me that I might have to drop the class and I freak out. Also, my previous career involved math and I never had a problem doing much more complicated math on a regular basis.

[oceanblue52]

There are a few different ways to set a problem up, maybe try a different way (e.g. Ratio vs. dimensional analysis). Double check your math, write everything out...and think about if the answer makes sense. Are you getting the same types of problems wrong? If so just keep practicing until its second nature. There are a finite set of problem types you will encounter so figure out what is tripping you up and keep at it.

[AlmostANurse321]

It's not any one type of problem that I get wrong. I know the math when I practice. I get anxious and make stupid mistakes in the test, because I'm afraid of failing, having to drop the class, and being out of the work force for another year.

[tiny_nurse]

Does your school have a tutoring center or and avisor that might be willing to look at your work and see what you're doing wrong in the testing environment?

Also, yes PRACTICE as much as you can. I'm terrible at math and we have these exams every semester. The more you do it, the more it'll be ingrained in your memory. Same goes for validations for skills, the more you do it in the same type of environment, the more the anxiety will go away.

I've been there, I know it's really hard! But use your resources, you don't have to do it alone.

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

There's nothing to worry about. I've never seen anyone fail it 3 times (my school has the same policy-100% 3 tries) even though some students are just downright horrendous in math. After the first semester nobody even talks about math tests anymore because they're so easy compared to actual nursing exams.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

The "perfection" expectations are not unusual in accelerated courses. That's only one of the factors that make them so stressful. It's an ironic situation that I have seen several times... students choose an accelerated programs, but then get caught in the 'do-over' cycle which results in a later completion date than they would have had with a generic program.

So sorry about your 'performance anxiety' issue. I wouldn't categorize it as test anxiety since you acknowledge that it only happens when the stakes are high. If relaxation techniques haven't worked, you may be able to get your physician to prescribe a beta blocker for you such as the ones used by performers ... this blunts the physical stress reaction without dulling cognition.

[Meeshie]

If the problem is that you're letting your nerves get the better of you then you need to allow for that possibility. Do the math two different ways. Dimentional Analysis and something else. If you get two different answers you know you need to re-read that question and figure it all out again. That should, hopefully, catch some of your errors.

You might also speak with your doctor about some help,as HouTx mentioned above.