New nursing student

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Hello everyone.:wink2: My name is Quinda and I'm a 1st year nursing student. This is the moment I've been waiting for. It took me two years to get to this place. I'm sooo excited! This is my third week of lectures, lab and clinicals. It is sooo much until it's not funny but in my heart I'm determined. I've learned that anything worth having is worth working for. I've done my vs check off and passed! Now I'm working on my head to toe assessment in the upcoming weeks. My only challenge is the test. I have a test on this Tuesday and my only challenge is how will they word it. I've heard of the many stories of how nursing tests are not like the norm. It basically involves a lot of critical thinking. Just wanted some good sound advice from anyone that will help me pass my test on this wee. Take care!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

I've moved this thread to the Nursing Student forum where it will get the most appropriate attention. First Year in Nursing threads relate to what it's like after graduation and reality is beginning to sink in.

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Hello everyone.:wink2: My name is Quinda and I'm a 1st year nursing student. This is the moment I've been waiting for. It took me two years to get to this place. I'm sooo excited! This is my third week of lectures, lab and clinicals. It is sooo much until it's not funny but in my heart I'm determined. I've learned that anything worth having is worth working for. I've done my vs check off and passed! Now I'm working on my head to toe assessment in the upcoming weeks. My only challenge is the test. I have a test on this Tuesday and my only challenge is how will they word it. I've heard of the many stories of how nursing tests are not like the norm. It basically involves a lot of critical thinking. Just wanted some good sound advice from anyone that will help me pass my test on this wee. Take care!

What information is your first test on? What is your main book you are using right now? I just had my first test last week....scared to death, you know the feeling I'm talking about. I thought I missed about 11 on it, got it back and only missed 5! I made a 90!! Don't be scared, just know the material and you will be able to relate it to the situations they give you. Don't let the critical thinking throw you. If you don't let yourself get worked up, you'll be fine!! Good luck to ya!!

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Hi, I'm a first semester nursing student and I am scared out of my mind! Today in clinical, I had a mean patient that wanted nothing to do with me since I am a student. For class, we have to do a complete physical assessment and diagnosis for this patient and I could not even lay one finger on this patient. Does anyone recommend any good strategies that can allow a student to actually try to get within 5 feet of a patient?

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

there is information on the head-to-toe nursing assessment on post #5, #11 and #13 of this sticky thread on the nursing student assistance forum

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RNnTranin, that you so much for the confidence.:)- My first test will be on VS, Physical Assessment, Communication, Medical Asepsis. My book is called Basic Nursing, Essentials for Practice by Potter and Perry. What was your test like and what made you think that you missed 11 instead of 5? Any help will work for me. God bless and thanks again?

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RNnTranin, that you so much for the confidence.:)- My first test will be on VS, Physical Assessment, Communication, Medical Asepsis. My book is called Basic Nursing, Essentials for Practice by Potter and Perry. What was your test like and what made you think that you missed 11 instead of 5? Any help will work for me. God bless and thanks again?

We are in different books right now. I thought I may could help quiz you a little, but I can't. Our test was mainly on all theory, nursing process, NC practice act, caring, ethics, assessment, diagnosing, planning, inmplementation, evaluation, documentation, reporting, charting, and we ahd to perform 5 chosen CNA skills. I second guess myself a lot, and when I went back over the test when I was done, I thought I may not have chosen the "best" answer. So, that's why I thought I got those wrong, but I wouldn't let my self change any answers....(a deal I made w/myself b4 test started...LOL) Just remember to take your time, and really make sure you understand WHAT the question is asking.....as long as you do that, and you know the basics, you'll be fine. Just apply what you know. I was scared to death, but after I got it, I realized..."I can do this". Stay focused on it! Let me know how you do!!

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RNnTrainin, how are you today? Well I took my first test, and it wasn't bad at all. Everything that she lectured on, was on the test. Unfortunately I want know my grade until next Wednesday. I have to be on edged until then. I wanted to see what you would put for this question, it was on our test: Out of 4 things that was listed, a nurse had to put down the abnormal one. This is for a 79 year old man. The abnormal one was either: yellow jaundice, decrease skin turgor, hair loss or hearing loss. Which one would you have picked? I choose the yellow jaundice because with age some people will likely have hair loss and some hearing loss. I got stuck between skin turgor and yellow jaundice. I really took a guess on this one. Let me know what you would have done. Take care and thanks for the encouragement!

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Hi!!! Like you, I am in my third week of nursing school. Talk about taxing! My class is using the same book as your. (With supplemental material from other texts.)

My first test was on the history of nursing, nursing diagnosis vs. med diagnosis, the nursing process, etc. We are still waiting to receive our tests back so I'm not sure of the grade yet!

Yes, nursing tests are very much different from any other test you are going to take. Most tests in the medical field are. The only advice I can give to you is know your core concepts well. What the nursing test asks you to do is apply those concepts! (It's all about critical thinking- "Thinking about your thinking while you're thinking in order to make your thinking better.") It really helps to read the material and look for examples.

Congratulations on making it in! I'm excited as I know you are, but I'm also really emotionally spent today. It was the first time trying to perform skills in the lab today and I just don't feel like I get it! Then I have to remind myself that it's only the FIRST DAY!

We are all so hard on ourselves. Good luck. And, one more piece of advice.. My grandmother graduated nursing school in 1981. She is EXTREMELY intelligent. She didn't get an A until her last year of school. Don't get down on yourself for not getting an A. I tend to do that to myself and I'm trying now to. Good luck!!!

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RNnTrainin, how are you today? Well I took my first test, and it wasn't bad at all. Everything that she lectured on, was on the test. Unfortunately I want know my grade until next Wednesday. I have to be on edged until then. I wanted to see what you would put for this question, it was on our test: Out of 4 things that was listed, a nurse had to put down the abnormal one. This is for a 79 year old man. The abnormal one was either: yellow jaundice, decrease skin turgor, hair loss or hearing loss. Which one would you have picked? I choose the yellow jaundice because with age some people will likely have hair loss and some hearing loss. I got stuck between skin turgor and yellow jaundice. I really took a guess on this one. Let me know what you would have done. Take care and thanks for the encouragement!

I would've put yellow jaundice also! But then again, I'm not an RN yet!!! :bugeyes:

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Excellent advice. That's why I love this website.:)- We can all help encourage one another. You are so right, we tend to be down on ourselves real hard but with the help and grace of God, we can do this. Thanks for your input.:)-

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
RNnTrainin, how are you today? Well I took my first test, and it wasn't bad at all. Everything that she lectured on, was on the test. Unfortunately I want know my grade until next Wednesday. I have to be on edged until then. I wanted to see what you would put for this question, it was on our test: Out of 4 things that was listed, a nurse had to put down the abnormal one. This is for a 79 year old man. The abnormal one was either: yellow jaundice, decrease skin turgor, hair loss or hearing loss. Which one would you have picked? I choose the yellow jaundice because with age some people will likely have hair loss and some hearing loss. I got stuck between skin turgor and yellow jaundice. I really took a guess on this one. Let me know what you would have done. Take care and thanks for the encouragement!

I wouldn't have said that. Jaundice is quite obvious in the sclerae, and that wasn't mentioned in your question. Also, hair loss and hearing loss aren't necessarily a given for all elderly people. But the majority of elderly people are dehydrated. They lose their thirst mechanism that the body uses to alert them to the fact that they aren't drinking enough fluids and their mbility is starting to decline so they aren't as likely to just go to the sink for a glass of water. They need to be reminded to drink. They and infants are always at high risk in hot weather due to insensible fluid losses and their poorly functioning thirst mechanisms as well as mobility.

A tip for the future: If it isn't stated in the question, it won't be in the answer.

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