I wanna be a board topnotcher. Help me pleeeeease

Thank you porkfat.

To answer your question, NO, even landing 5th did not increase my chances of being interviewed let alone being hired,hehehe. It is so sad. To date, I have "distributed" my resumes to almost ALL hospitals and still no response . I have my share of "Sorry, we don't accept applicants as of the moment and no we don't accept resumes even for manpower pooling" or "Sorry, we only accept resumes for manpower pooling from our own graduates".

The only door that is open for me at this time is teaching. It can be fun and the pay is great but I really wanted to be a nurse. You know what, before the results was out I already have a pending application to Saudi but when I learned that I was one of the top examinees I felt this overwhelming patriotism and canceled my application to stay here as a nurse. Now, reality is getting back at me and as much as I wanted to stay here and serve, I felt that I have no place here at home.

But I am still hoping for better days. Maybe it just bad timing with the global recession and all.

Yes, it is true that the more you know, the more you don't know. But then again, you cant know everything. Good luck!

Currently I'm brushing up on my poor foundation, since I have a lot of time on my hands. And it's true what another poster said; because the more I study, the more I realize that I don't know anything!

Hi porkfat! I noticed that too, now that I am reviewing for the boards, I realized how little I know and how much there is to learn...and I'm also bothered with the fact that there really is no way to know everything...

Goodluck! Hope we can make it!

Hi Messageinabox! I already sent you an email! thanks!

Thanks porkfat. I hope so too. I'm giving myself til September this year, if by then I am not still able to land myself a nursing job, I'll eat humble pie and go back to my agency and beg to accept me back.

Saunders is good but in my experience Mosby's better.

Hi Messageinabox! I already sent you an email! thanks!

Already sent you my lectures thru email. Good luck!

Re: I wanna be a board topnotcher. Help me pleeeeease Yes, it is VERY okay for you to read as many Q&As as possible. And it is doable, I graduated October 2008 and took my NLE Nov 2008. After graduation, I didn't read any books aside from the Q&A books I have.

I'm currently a review lecturer for Nursing Leadership and Management, I could send you my lectures if you like.

Another thing, posting (using manila paper) your hard-to-remember concepts on the walls, ceiling, behind the door, and even behind the bathroom door will help you memorize.

hi messageinabox..i just read this and if you would be please,,can i ask how i can get intouch with you so i can ask for your lectures...thanks in advance..

hearty_doll,

already sent you via PM my email address.

Thanks messageinabox. I havent been online for a while cuz i was very busy reviewing...i managed to finish the MS questions in nclex3500 and pedia/mcn/psych from saunders....i hope i will also manage to remember the rationales by heart. hehe! i know the hardest questions will be coming from CHN and LMR....thats a different story...i only read my notes and sample exams from carl balita (the notes you sent me, I'm saving them in my folder now! hope i'll have time to read them! :-)... For those taking the boards this June 6, best of luck!!

What I did was I brushed up on the basics in the early stages of my review.. I brushed up on anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and basic concepts in nursing.. after that I reviewed on the major nursing subjects.. I focused on topics that's not my forte.. I only self-studied on the first half of my review.. then I only went to a review center for final coaching.. I answered as many review questions as I can.. In order to memorize special infos I tried devising mnemonics.. mnemonics that I devised and mnemonics presented on different review materials (like the one presented on the ABCs of Gapuz and the book Carl Balita).. I did not buy the actual book, I only borrowed those books from friends..

you should have a time frame for reviewing and be strict about it.. for example, for week 1 you should have finished reviewing about MCN.. for week 2 you should have finished reviewing about psychotherapeutic drugs.. etc.. etc..

don't review if you're mind is not ready.. don't review if their are many distractions or if you're not interested.. remember that retention is increased if you have full attention on the review.. it's best to review just before or right after waking up.. there's a scientific study that you have better retention during these times..

try to have a table of important infos like the IMCI, immunization sched, pathognomonic signs of different diseases, crutch walking, nursing theories and the like..

focus on topics that aren't usually given on examinations.. like nursing management, jurisprudence etc..

and of course prayers could move mountains..

this worked out for me.. although I did not made it in the top 10 (Nursing Board exams-December 2006).. I have incurred 85.40% (number 14 unofficial).. I also placed top 1 in the midwifery board exams (I wouldn't tell you what year, because my real name will become a give away.. hehe..)

you have a good goal.. focus on that.. just as the commercial says, "great things start from small beginnings" although the board rating is not a guarantee that you would land a nursing job, I think this will really boost your self-confidence and this will be something that you'll be proud of for the rest of your life..

hi messageinabox..i sent you email already..hope to hear from you..God bless..and thanks..

hi messagenibox, if you don't mind could you also share to me your review notes? i wil be taking the NLE this november also. and i think it would be of great help. thanx

@hearty doll and plethoraldork,

I'm in the process of looking for copies my notes. I have reformatted my PC last May and still unable to find them. Will let you guys know. Good luck!