How many nurses already working.....

[Catma63]

...had a hard time through nursing school? I'm posting this because I need encouragement. That old self-doubt demon has been riding my coat-tails. I'm not worried about clinical skills but after failing the last two nursing exams, I've gotten where I doubt my test-taking ability....indeed, my very intellect. I failed by two points and four points, respectively. We have to have an 80 to pass an exam. Right now, after adding up my grades thus far for that class (and if I fail the final I'm out) I've got an 81. The last two exams dropped my score right bad. I've had the thought that, because of this, even if I do pass the final it'll be by the skin of my teeth. I study...study hard....I read, reread, etc. I thought I knew the material well on this last exam....Still do!....I just didn't do well in those situational questions. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

During final clinical evaluation, the instructor told me I have what it takes to be a nurse. She made me feel hope again. But the clinical score is not tied in with the nursing class score. You have to pass both to advance. You can be 100% in one but if you're below the 80 mark in the other, you're out of there. I know it sounds whiny to state this, but sometimes that seems so unfair.

I want to hear from nurses....nurses who have been there. Nurses who have had that thought, "Okay, that's it. I'm failing...My dream is over." but overcame it by passing.

[geekgolightly, BSN, RN]

so you are having a hard time with the tests because its harder for you to answer situational questions. if i were you, i would try and look at each disease process that you are learning about and picture someone having that disease process. imagine that person in the bed and what you might have to do to help that person. this is what i have always done when studiying for an exam. i read about the process and then picture myself going into the room and being responsible for this patient and what i need to do to help them and be their advocate and the doc's eyes and ears. memorizing rules or factoids is half the battle. now you have to go by ADPIE, and delegation, and organization and all of your senses to see what you should do first second third etc. etc.

a friend of mine in nursing school had a very difficult time with this. she made straight A's in course work like physics and organic chemistry but did have a hard time applying information with seemingly subjective questions, which are so popular in nursing school. don't think you can't do this because it is wholly within your grasp. my friend passed and each semester she got better at it until she was finally scoring higher than me in exams. she deserved it. she's tons smarter than i am. she's now working MICU in a level one trauma center.