Hi. The name is AlabasterShadow. The game is... well waiting.
I (being a night person) woke at the super early hour of 8am on Saturday, August 16th. I then travelled two hours by car to get to the Little Rock, Arkansas pearson center.
After I got to the building, I walked to the door. The same door I'd watch my sister go in only a week and a half before to take her test. It was LOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!
I promptly felt faint, and wanted to go home. I mean they were closed, I just didn't check the date correctly and apparently I wasn't meant to take the test.
did I mention I was already freaking out a bit?
I calmed down enough to light a cigarette (yes i know filthy horrible *YOUR A NURSE..almost.. HOW COULD YOU!* habit) and walk around to the 'other' side of the building. Where a note was taped to the door.
"IF you are here to take a test today, please press the button at the right."
I pressed the button and a sweet serene voice asked "Are you here to take a test?"
I replied to the affirmative, and they buzzed me in. I bid my sister adieu and walked to the elevator.
After pulling a "monk" and checking the room number three or four times (fully getting on and off the elevator each time) I climbed inside and felt as if I would die. The walls were caving in. i was going to... oh I'd made it to the second floor.
I walked to the room where my entire future would be decided and nearly ralphed on my shoes. I bit it back, and opened the door.
By this time I was shaking so badly i was afraid I'd vibrate out of the room and back to the car by the time the woman had handed me the information sheet to read.
I sat down, and honestly I can't tell you now if I read anything on the laminated sheet, but I handed it back, gave the silver/blonde haired older woman my license and my ATT, signed my name on some little blank input device, and had my photo taken.
I was then escorted to the 'proctor's room'.
The proctor was also silver or blonde haired older lady, who had me put my finger on a probe again and take my indext fingerprint. I tried to do it backwards, and they laughed. I think that helped minutely.
After being asked if I was taking the proper test, if the picture they'd taken 2.4 minutes before was still me. I was given my own personal ear plugs, a dry erase board AND marker.
I was taken to a computer #3 I think. All I could think at that moment, was at least the chair looked comfortable. I was afraid if i thought of anything else, i'd ralph.
the first question, the very first question I'm almost sure I got wrong. In fact when I read it, I wanted to raise my hand and inform that they'd given me the RN test. But I continued.
The test took me around 45 minutes, and the majority of my questions was based on prioritizing, delegation, medications. I had around 10-30 select all that apply, they seemed to come in endless swarms. Sometime 5 at a time.
I felt like a bumbling, blithering idiot as I answered question after question, and then when I got to 84 I thought to myself. "After the 85th question, I'll take a break. I have to have a break. I need a cigarette. I feel like I've been violated." Yes this thought honestly went through my head.
I answered the 85th question and my computer seemed to stall, it's shimmered twice, and went blue! I though "Oh crap I broke it!" I raised my hand, and the exit survey came up.
I have no idea if I answered them or not, other than it said I had completed the test.
After being led out by the proctor, asking again if I were the woman in the photo, I was allowed to leave. I walked to the car and sat numb.
Little was I to know that this was the least of my worries. It is now Monday the 18th and I've still no word if I passed or failed. I'm sitting on pins and needles, the edge of my seat, the pinnacle of a huge freaking MOUNTAIN, and I have no idea if I will climb back down into a new life, or crash HARD into the one I was in before.
But as the song line goes "Waiting... is the hardest part."
I'll keep you updated. Hopefully I passed.
