PBDS for ICU

Yes, I took it last year. It's just an assessment tool...what to do in this situation. They usually base your orientation on the results. You'll watch a video then assess the situation and what to do based on what you see.

It's a good tool. It presents true to life scenarios. No multiple choice. Sometimes the question asks to identify the situation and your actions based on the video scenario. I found the scenarios to be in keeping with what a grad nurse would have been exposed to through didactic or clinical experience.

It is not too bad, but of course as with everything you sign a confidentiallity aggreement so we cannot give out specific's....just remember to write everything that you think, even if it seems like "common sense"

Write out every step you would take in the scenarios , leave nothing to be assumed.

This is really a bogus test. You watch a video and then are supposed to write down what you are anticipating the medical treatment will be. We are not doctors and shouldn't really have to take something like this, officially coming up with medical tx is the responsibility of the ordering MD. You can't assume anything, you must write it all down. Some institutions use this as a pass/fail system for hiring travel nurses, if you don't "pass" the test, they don't hire you. Another reason I'm against it as a "test" is it is subjective when it's graded. Much is left up to the person grading that test.

I would inquire before I take it how the results are being used. I've turned down job offers before based upon this test being a condition of employment. I don't think the scenairos are as clear cut as some here have posted and I don't think the responsibility should be on the nurse to come up with that information. I guess you can figure out I'm very much against this test. I'm not saying you can't pass it, I did on first try. I'm saying I don't think it's a fair assessment of nursing knowledge, I'd be more in favor of the BKAT. Good luck to you, let me know if I can help.

I find it interesting that you say you signed a confidentiality agreement with taking this test. I never did and am happy to help other nurses who may need to take this horrendous test. There is much information out on the internet that can help. I really think this test should be banned.

http://www.clinicalone.com/c1/careercenter_clienttesting.asp

Comprehensive ICU Cognitive Assessment - TEST BLUEPRINT

The critical care cognitive exam will cover the following areas:

Cardioversion / Defibrillation - indications and procedure for each

Pulmonary Assessment - Cause and description of abnormal breath sounds, location of pleural versus mediastinal chest tubes

O2 Therapy and Airway Adjuncts - Differences b/t low flow and high flow systems (examples of each, room air entrainment), purpose of bronchodilators and mucolytics and patient responses

ABGs - Norms for pH, pCO2, HCO3, interpretation of a set of values, predict ABG problem for certain conditions, identify interventions for treating different acid-base disturbances

Airway Management - Methods to maintain a patent airway in an emergency, 3 types of airway devices, criteria for extubation

Ventilators & Weaning - Terminology, causes of high and low pressure alarms, how to know when your patient is improving through measuring FVC and MIP, considerations for weaning, anything and everything about PEEP, modes of ventilation

Central Venous Pressure Monitoring - Normal for mmHg, predicted values for CVP and hematocrit for different conditions, risk factors associated with a central line

Arterial Pressure Monitoring - Identify systole-dicrotic notch-diastole on the waveform, patient risks associated with an art line, assessments to be made of a patient with an art line, causes of dampened waveform

Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring - Waveform analysis RA vs. PA vs. PAW (recognize these), how to inflate / deflate the balloon, insertion risks, conditions which cause increased and decreased PA values, norms for RVS, RVD, PAS, PAW, where to measure PAW on the waveform based on the mode of ventilation

SvO2 - Conditions that would result in an increased or decreased SvO2

Cardiac Output - Predicted values (high, low, normal) for different conditions, formula for cardiac output, acceptable vs. not-acceptable curves, 3 key contributors to cardiac output

Hemodynamic Profile - SVR, LVSWI, RVSWI, PVR etc. what does each represent, how would you treat SVR or LVSWI if high or low, be able to apply to case studies

Blood Products - Description of various products, uses or indications, type of reactions, signs, and symptoms of various reactions (or how do you know when your patient is having a reaction!!)

Renal / Fluid and Electrolytes - Sources of excessive loss, signs & symptoms of hypo and hypervolemia, major functions of the renal system

Neuro - Define levels of consciousness, describe normal papillary responses, sign & symptoms of increased ICP, decerebrate and decorticate posturing

Neuromuscular Blocking Agents - Nursing implications for patients on NMBA, train of four process, percent block for appropriate treatment

Immunology and CBC Interpretation - Calculate the ANC with given formula

Ethics - Identify members of the Ethics Committee and their role

I did a quick google search. I found that if you think more like a doctor than a nurse then it's easier. Kind of ironic for a nursing test, huh? :icon_roll

I must take the PBDS next week and noticed that help was offered. How do I contact you (highlandlass1592) or anyone else (who is willing) to obtain assisstance? I have been out of nursing for ten years and now have to return for financial reasons. The information, I have found, relates to what the test is about and the forum of the test. So, any assistance is appreciated. Thanx!

You can go to pantravelers.org and register (it's free) and they have a link that talks about the pbds. Here's another link that talks about it: http://freedomhcs.com/PBDSTestandStudyGuideInfo.php, also if you go to the general nurse discussion site,(here) they have a forum listing for PBDS which gives you some info. Really, it's scenario testing, they give you a video to watch with the scenarios then you have to write down what you would do based upon what you saw. Very subjective and useless IMHO. That all being said, that doesn't help you with studying. And honestly, you really can't study for it, unless you review basic nursing assessment findings for illnesses. You just have to remember to write everything done, you can't assume anything...ie, dig toxicity: stop the dig, labs you'd order, etc. You can always Pm me here. Hope this helps.

Please do not post your personal email details on the public board,it has been removed as per the TOS of this site.Please use the PM function of the board.

Nightmare ......Moderator.

You can go to pantravelers.org and register (it's free) and they have a link that talks about the pbds. Here's another link that talks about it: http://freedomhcs.com/PBDSTestandStudyGuideInfo.php, also if you go to the general nurse discussion site,(here) they have a forum listing for PBDS which gives you some info. Really, it's scenario testing, they give you a video to watch with the scenarios then you have to write down what you would do based upon what you saw. Very subjective and useless IMHO. That all being said, that doesn't help you with studying. And honestly, you really can't study for it, unless you review basic nursing assessment findings for illnesses. You just have to remember to write everything done, you can't assume anything...ie, dig toxicity: stop the dig, labs you'd order, etc. You can always Pm me here. Hope this helps.

Please do not post your personal email details on the public board,it has been removed as per the TOS of this site.Please use the PM function of the board.

Nightmare ......Moderator.

Yes, this does help. Do you recall how the ICU PBDS differs from the one given for Med/Surg? I appreciate the time that has been taken to assist me. Thanks again.