ATI Testing

[GOOD LUCK

Thank you for your encouragement!

I am in my 50's, and have no education in nursing. I have been working as a certified nursing assistant for the past 10+ years. This was the first break from working I could take to go back to school. With grown kids that still have needs, an adorable grandkid, and Mom and inlaws in failing health and old age, whew! We just couldn't swing the cost, and by the time I got my prerequisites and on a waiting list for the community college, I'd be too old! (That is why ECPI seemed to be a great choice. )

My advice: get your education NOW when you are young. There is a point when your family concerns and age will catch up with your plans....

I honestly love working in healthcare, even though it has just been as a CNA. It is definitely a people person's niche, and you frankly just get obsessed with making people feel a little better, a little less anxious...what ever it is you can do within your scope...it is a joy to do. It is always about the patient. And it is very hard work.

God's speed to you and get all the help from your family you can. Sounds like you have a number of options on how you get your education, so keep moving forward.

You mentioned you are from Chicago. I lived in Wheaton when my oldest was a baby (27 years ago) and I LOVE Chicago! My sister and her family live in Zion.

Wow, small world. I lived in Naperville prior to moving here. I was there for 6 years and worked in Downers Grove. I went to College of Dupage in Glen Ellyn. I loved it and must go back to Illinois. My family and I will be going back as soon as I finish school. You sound like a lovely lady, it is great that you are in health care giving yourself to those that need the care and attention from a dedicated professional. It is too bad though that you are not able to pursue your LPN. I am 28 now and put off getting my degree becuz I started making really good money in telecommunications in Chicago. Well, when the industry crashed in 2000, I realized that I didnt have anything to fall back on, and I had put off my dream of becoming a nurse for money. It just wasnt worth it, so I am back on track now. My mom is 55 and she has 3 more courses before receiving her associates degree. I encourage young grandparents to continue with their education. No matter how long it takes- and she has been going off and on for about 7 years. :) Good luck to your family-mom and in-laws, and I hope the best for you.

Wow, small world. I lived in Naperville prior to moving here. (end of quote)

It sure is! I worked at Bell Labs (in Naperville) back in the early 70's (so did my husband) and I went to Dupage college for a drafting course.

Don't blame you for going back. I did love that area. It is a great place to raise kids...

I am so glad I got to hear a little of your story. I will pray for you and your family...

I appeared for the test today and did not pass. I am going for it in the coming week. Will the questions be totally different in that?

We have to take them at the end of every semester for each class we take. I do not think they are that bad. I got in the 97th percentile for the Ob nursing one (level 3), a 95th percentile for fundamentals (level 3) and a level 2 for peds; but I did study a lot. There were a few people in my class that did not pass it the first time or the second time around. They do it by levels. Level 1 means you have a reasonable chance of passing the NCLEX; level 2 means you will pass the NCLEX and level 3 means not to even worry. You get a level for each subject so they levels correspond to what area in the NCLEX you will do well in. Read the book for each subject ( they have I think like 8-10) and watch the CDs. If your teachers do not supply you with practice tests you can buy they on-line thought ATI.

Would the re-taken test be somewhat similar to the first one then?

I am sure they are different questions. A guy in my class took it a second time and did worse, probably because he was nervous from failing the first time. I recommend doing all the questions in the book at the end of each chapter, if there are any questions you get wrong then go back and study that chapter. Also watch the CDs and take notes. If you can, take the practice exams on-line. Remember, you are scored according to the national average......I got an 81% in the OB but get a level 3 and was in the 97th percentile because the national average was 69%!!! You can do better than that right? and you only have to get the national average to get a level 1 (unless your school is making you get a certain %) My school only requires a level 1 to pass

My school did the whole ATI thing. It is my opinion it is nothing like the n-clex but it does prepare you to start to study. My best advice is to read the book frequently in your spare time.

Jennifer

Yes I've heard of ATI testing. ATI testing is not touhg( from what I've heard), but it requires a lot of critical thinking. First of all, I'm 17 and still in high school. It is my last year there. For a whole year (until we graduate) the LPN program is free. After we gradaute, we attend there for 6 more months. For the second part we have to pay. As far as ATI testing is concerned, we take ATI pratcice test every week or so and then review the questions we got wrong. I have not taken the NCLEX-PN yet. But from others, I heard that preparing for the NCLEX-PN with the ATI is well worth the effort. IT is NOT a substitution for nursing textbooks, but the ATI serves as more of a refresher. What is great about the ATI books is that it has the questions on one page and the answers on the other. The books (you get 4 books and 4 DVD's) costs $104. Plus, the chapters are only 2-5 pages long. All in all, ATI is a good testing resouce and you should invest in it. hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck in your nursing career and in life. May God Bless you.

Took ATIs at Burlington County Vocational in 2005. I thought they weren't bad. I think they are to see how you measure against other schools and students. The last ATI we took was good. They printed out a sheet that told us about our weak areas so we could prepare for the NCLEX.

don't sweat it. worry about your classwork, if you can pass that, you will pass the ATI

the ati was very helpful for me success passing the nclex

We had to do ATI's and take the exit exam. I don't remember my score except I did really poorly on it. Then we had a ATI prep course to prepare us for the boards and after I was finished they said I should not take my boards yet and continue to do the course. I think it gave me a 76% chance of passing the boards. I took them anyway and passed with 85 questions. I think the ATI questions were harder than the boards which helped REALLY prepare me for the NYCLEX. But I would not put to much stock in your ATI scores.

Jean