First Semester Students, How's it going so far?

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Hello! Where are all my pre nursing students that made it to this side? Yayyy us!:yeah:

Well the acceptance celebration is long over for me. Had my first nursing fundamentals test today. I woke up feeling so anxious. Only slept 4.5 hours last night. I felt like I read more in one week than I did all of last semester doing my last pre-req:eek:. ZOMG, I was sooo nervous. I managed to calm myself down though, and I did really well on the exam. However, I'm still a bundle of nerves for my first skills checkoff next week. Still having trouble with blood pressure, but I'm practicing every day to get the hang of it. I just feel like I hear so much better with my own steth in comparison to the ones at school that we have to use for checkoffs.

So anyone else start yet? How's it going?

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made a lot of dumb mistakes on my first fundamental test, but I think mainly because I over studied and many of what I studied were not even on the tests. A lot of the scenarios on the test is testing if you know how to apply the knowledge, and I am horrible with inference.

BP is a bit hard to hear during clinical time, when it gets quiet, I can hear better. Still practicing on that, we do have a VS exam next week too.

It's just been nerve wracking, I don't even know how far I can go. It's just so hard!!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

Been busy, but I'm hanging in there (I'm taking 5 classes). You talking about first test and I'm about to enter in midterms starting next week. I'm up by 5am and feels like there's still not enough time in the day.

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Ya'll are scaring me!!! LOL! Good luck to you all!

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wow!! I thought I had it hard we have yet to have one test and we are not having any, anytime soon until March our program is intense reading wise but our skills lab is cool we learned how to do a NG tube and feeding and I only have three classes that are going great now...that I read all of the other replies lol well just keep going :)

we are in the program for a reason:nurse:

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I'm not so great at critical thinking. I've got a long road ahead of me. Other than that, it's awesome! It's a lot at once but I'm gonna get there. :D

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So far it's going great. We've had 2 quizzes and I got perfect scores on both of them. We already checked off on our vital signs, bed making and baths, and other CNA skills. Tomorrow is our first clinical day at the actual site so I'm a little nervous about that, but I'm sure it will go fine. :)

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i am in my last semester of school and i can tell u with funds,knowing and understanding concepts are more important that knowing word for word in your book.also reading the whole question and not half of it is key.hope this help!

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
made a lot of dumb mistakes on my first fundamental test, but I think mainly because I over studied and many of what I studied were not even on the tests.

They are very good at testing according to the assigned reading and lectures. So good you've learned a good lesson to learn early on!!

It's just been nerve wracking, I don't even know how far I can go. It's just so hard!!

You can go all the way! Do you have a mentor?

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They are very good at testing according to the assigned reading and lectures. So good you've learned a good lesson to learn early on!!

You can go all the way! Do you have a mentor?

Hi Apgar

yes, I focused on the learning outcomes and there were many questions coming out from the clinical lab. We did not do all the lab in the packet. like for an example, the infection cycle, yeah it's easy, I got the concept and what each cycle meant. But there was a lab in the packet on infection cycle that we didn't do, had we do that, I would have understand more. The question on the test was what was the port of exit for MRSA on a patient with leg wound. Yeah, I put wound dressing when it's supposed to be the leg wound. LOL! I over analyzed, I was thinking, MRSA is the infectious agent, reservoire was the leg, port of exit was the wound dressing, means of transmission was contact, etc...

huh? I think I confused myself. I took an hr and half for the first test, went over 3 times, still made a lot of dumb mistakes, I think I second guessed myself. I studied so hard for this test, a lot of what I studied was not even on test, that really made me mad!! so I need to change my studying strategy. I am just lost! The scenarios we did in lab scared me, it's only been 3 weeks and we are expected to make a care plan. I am just terrified!

And Yes, I have a mentor. But she told me just to focus on lecture outcomes,and power points.

I think I was even being very careful on the test after taking the critical thinking test, since I scored low on inferences and analyzing. I guess I am just not used to the way of testing. I feel like I am not going to make it at all! =(

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
I think I confused myself. I took an hr and half for the first test, went over 3 times, still made a lot of dumb mistakes, I think I second guessed myself. I studied so hard for this test, a lot of what I studied was not even on test, that really made me mad!! so I need to change my studying strategy.

Take your time on the tests. Don't erase your answers and change them (unless when you look a second time you realize you completely read it wrong). Underline key words/phrases. Write all over your tests. Write your rationales next to the answer choices to deduct your answer.

I am just lost! The scenarios we did in lab scared me, it's only been 3 weeks and we are expected to make a care plan. I am just terrified!

Did you see there are lab scenarios happening on Fridays? Maybe you can go in and get extra practice. Relax on the care plan-- you won't be doing that until the next quarter in your Med-Surg class. Right now you're learning how to collect data for assessment.

And Yes, I have a mentor. But she told me just to focus on lecture outcomes,and power points.

I think I was even being very careful on the test after taking the critical thinking test, since I scored low on inferences and analyzing. I guess I am just not used to the way of testing. I feel like I am not going to make it at all! =(

These are VERY different tests than anything you've done before. It takes some students a few tests to get the hang of it. If you're passing you will improve. If you're not passing, talk to the instructors, ask who your advisor is so you can do some troubleshooting. Go to the skills lab and sign up for tutoring from one of the teachers or student workers. Nag your peers in semesters ahead of you if you see us in the lab, we like to help-- especially those of us in 3rd semester as we aren't doing any skills work now due to our psych rotation :) I will be in there tomorrow after we take our 9am test. Check the schedule on the skills lab office window for workshops on how to study and take the tests. I promise if you seek the help they offer you will have a hard time failing.

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The scenarios on Friday are not for first semester students, I asked my instructor Mrs.Cooke and she said it would be more appropriate for the second semester students. I actually took NRSG 5 in Fall and the teacher covered on reading techniques, test taking techniques and concept mapping. I did the concept map on Pressure Ulcers, it was on the test and I think I got it right. =)

I am more of a visual learner, reading the chapters don't help me retain the information. I also take practice tests on CD and back of each chapter. so I am really pushing myself hard.

Can I ask you how you focus on what to study for the exam? like for an example, in the lecture outcome, we are learning physical assessment, I know we would need to know what assessment we do for each body part and the orders in which we do them, but is she going to test us on anatomy stuff? like structure and what it does?

I am not quite sure what to focus on.

thanks for your help Apgar!

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