Just a little 3 AM Rant

[blinnk]

Hello,

I've been reading this site for about a month now. I think it's a really great, helpul site. I am preparing to take my boards the end of this month. My friend just took his last week and came over my apartment directly after. This is a brilliant man who was first in my nursing class. His reaction to the test was shock, doubt and nausea. I took him out to lunch and have never seen my cool, laid back friend more anxious before. And since my test is quickly approaching, I had an epiphany.

The general consensus of people who took the exam (pass or fail) is that they feel completely spellbound by the test and feel as though they were not answering many questions correctly - feeling stupid and like they failed. We're told the NCLEX isn't designed to be tricky and is supposed to determine that you can function at minimal competency and overall as a safe nurse. When test takers feel as though they are unsure about an entire test, how is this truly judging competency (especially when there are entire courses on how to basically figure things out even when you don't know the answer)?? I understand that there isn't a perfect test in this world but accredited nursing schools should be graduating safe nurses already and the test should not be a literal nightmare. I feel as though preparing for this is such a horrible experience that even if I do pass, I'll feel like the past couple months is a waste of preparing for a HUGE exam that does not really reflect the kind of nurse/person I am. I worked really hard for four years in college for this and started to ask myself why I picked a career where a single test will dictate my immediate future (but then I realized because I love it). As a GN in an ICU I get nothing but praise from my colleagues and they keep reassuring me that I'll do fine; however, what if I don't? I've been taking care of critically ill patients for over a month and my preceptor has become a mentor who trusts many of my nursing judgments already. I know I have a TON to learn and I won't be able to function independently for months at my work.

Certain questions are totally appropriate that I've been reviewing and a new nurse should know these for the SAFETY of a patient. But when I just get a review question about the genetic trends of psoriasis I want to throw the book out the window. PLUS in the middle of this I have to worry about what happens if I don't pass... I lose my job, have student loans to pay back and my self confidence will go out the window.

Maybe I'm just burned out because I keep hearing so many negative things about this test. Because of this I decided to narrow down my studying materials to Saunders and Mosby's. I'm trusting the reviews. Bought the Kaplan book, read through it once and just found it frustrating. I know it's the Mecca of passing but I just don't think it's for me. Frankly, I can't afford the actual courses offered and I am so worried to spend any money right now in case I do lose my job. But I still just keep plugging away... It's a necessary evil that is becoming the bane of my existence!

Trust me, usually I'm a fun, happy, smiley person!

For those of you who passed - I am envious! For those of you who didn't, best of luck. I know several people who didn't pass the first time and they were already incredible nurses.

The moral of the story: My friend passed (75 questions). But he still said he didn't know how.

Make sense?? Me neither.

[ipassednclex]

I agree with you 100% about the test.

[CaneRN07]

This is right on the money and I'll be the first to say i want a nurse at my bedside that has compassion and integrity rather than the one who made straight A's. There is so much more to nursing than the test measures i just wish it had a clinical component to it...maybe in a few more years we will get there.