Nurse Anesthesia Board Exam Advice

I'm graduating at the end of August! YIPPEE! Can't believe this past 2 years have gone by quickly. Eventhough I am still a couple of months away from taking the board exam, I'm already stressing out about it. I attended the Valley review in March and have since read the sweat book 3 times and had just finished reading the entire memory master book once. I intend to read it again 2 more times.

Yet, I still feel like I won't be ready. Paranoia? Maybe. I tend to read into questions too deeply. I did the same thing when I took my NP board exam. I thought I failed it, since I went over the minimum questions asked but I passed it thankfully.

I guess what I am looking for is for input from those who have taken boards recently, on whether or not you felt you were prepared to take the exam after going over the sweatbook and memory master alone, or did you read beyond these two study aides?

Thanks.

Take this for what it's worth. Ask around and see if the same thing is being reported. I guy in the class above me said there wasn't much of anything from Valley on the test when he took it last August. A friend of mine took the certification test this spring and same thing. Their sum opinion was that Valley didn't help much. Like I said, take it with a grain of salt, but I have no reason to lie about this. I am just passing on information here.

The test changes every couple of years. Perhaps this is one of those times.

Back to reading textbooks for the exam....

Assuming you are a good student with the usual godd to excellent grades, then the test shoukd be what you have been preparing for these past 2 years. So, don't sweat it too much. I found a lot of the questions were in Valley but the answerrs weren't. So my reccomendation is to sit down with the big Miller or Barash and as you review each question, see what 1 other authority has to say about it. Personally, I studied w/ Barash, but since then I aquired Miller and find it much easier to read. Just pick 1 reference as you'll soon be gererating more questions if you use > than 1.

Took boards in January and found that not too many of my questions came from the Valley Review. I did use both the sweat book and memory master and I supplemented that information with Morgan and Mikhail. I don't think you will ever feel totally prepared for boards. Just prepare like you have been and I think you will be fine!

SproutRN

1. do not count on getting your results back in the 4 week time frame

2. the CCNA must have known we were studying Valley, because I did not see anything that looked Valleyesque on the exam. If anyone from Valley is reading this, start screening for moles in your classes!!!!

3. keep the pages turning begining the day after graduation, I dont know why people recommend a vacation from studying before boards, once boards are done and you passed you can take a vacation you can enjoy, without the last 28 months looming over your head.

4. tell everyone you know it will be 4 weeks or more until you get the results, and instruct them to not talk to you about the test until you initiate the topic...otherwise you will be irritated 5 times a day with "did you find out yet?"

5. Upon receiving notification from the CCNA that you passed, devote at least one hour a day to something dumb and simple, like watching some rerun of Seinfeld....just cause you can now.

Good luck, push it hard these last few weeks, you are almost there.

I was not under the impression that taking the Valley Review was going to provide you with the questions to the exams. I think Valley Review is exactly what it is - a review of anesthesia principles, concepts, physiology, etc, to adequately prepare you with a knowledge base to answer the questions. Of course, I have not taken boards yet, so I may be singing a different tune come December, but I have found it to be an excellent review of the things I have learned over the past few years. Not an all-encompassing review, but definitely helpful and a step in the right direction.

Valley Anesthesia Review is just that...a review of material that is important to passing boards. Took it many years ago, and what it did was cement alot of what I already had in school...plus it gives you a "blueprint" for studying for the exam. It is the best review course out there...but, it is not necessary/required for passing your boards...you can do it without taking the course...unless...you need the "blueprint".

I'm not on Valley's pay roll.....

If Valley was telling what was on the exam, the AANA would shut them down faster than a speeding bullet. It is a focused review of Anesthesia topics. They do try to keep you informed of en voque hot topics that you may want to focus on. You should be able to take and pass boards without valley, but I am glad I didn't take the chance.

Like most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it.

Well, I'll be taking boards tomorrow afternoon! I've taken the day off all day today to just RELAX and not think about the exam. Funny, I don't really feel all that nervous about tomorrow. Actually, I've been feeling rather excited. Weird? Yea. Kinda. But, a friend of mine told me that if I wasn't feeling nervous at all, then that means that I must be ready for it (especially since I've been studying my bottom off since March). WISH ME LUCK!

Best of luck to you......the nerves start when you sit down at the computer!

You will be fine though, keep us posted on how things go.

Sprout