ArkansasSN

I can relate to this. During my first year, we all nearly lost our minds fretting over these exams. Our school program requires that we make at least Level 1 proficiency on every ATI test, or else we fail the corresponding nursing class - regardless of what our current grade is. So, say, if we were to fail the Fundamentals ATI exam, we fail our nursing fundamentals class - even if we have an A. We all thought it was ridiculous, but the more ATIs we take, the easier they seem to get. Most of my class panicked at the beginning because nobody could seem to make higher than a 60% or so on the practice exams. But once we got to the real thing, along with a little studying, it was fairly easy to make Level II or even Level III proficiency on any particular exam - and we've yet to have a student removed from the program because of a failed ATI. So, chin up! Turns out, it's not nearly as daunting as it seems. Oh, and while I'm not sure which percentiles you need to get which level, I've managed a Level II score with a number as low as 70%. Good luck!

While I'm still just a second-year student nurse with a minimal amount of clinical experience (if you could call it that :icon_roll), Lord knows I spend some time on the floor. Which, of course, means I spend countless hours pouring over med/surg careplans. I suppose some of the most frequent nursing diagnoses I come across concerning safety are risk for aspiration (as with your elderly/CVA/N&V/PEG tube patients, some of whom may have poor dentition, difficulty swallowing, or reflux of stomach contents; or the respiratory patients who may aspirate secretions or have an inability to properly clear them); there's the fairly universal risk for infection. I see a lot of risk for (self) injury with some of the geriatric patients, whether it be R/T dementia/Alzheimer's or atypical reactions to medications - some of them quite often pick and pull at IV sites, dressings, etc. You're bound to have a few nutritional/fluid imbalances - lots of CHF, RF, chronic alcoholics. Oh! And the inevitable impaired skin integrity that can stem from incontinence, limited mobility (leading to those wicked little pressure ulcers), colostomies, ileostomies, and the like. During my long months on different med/surg floors, I did quite a bit of pooper-scoopin'. But there's a light at this end of this collegiate tunnel! It'll be worth it soon. There are a number of self-care deficits, but from what I've seen from my facility, the CNA/PCT is responsible for assistance with most ADLs. I often run across the same nursing diagnosis for multiple patients, but each CPOC is completely different from the next, despite the identical nursing diagnosis. It's like anywhere else, I suppose - every patient is different. I don't know how much of this might help to answer your questions, but you just never know what might come rolling up to the floor. Good luck!