PNS

Don't give up hope. I was sure I failed and found out today that I passed!!! :) Words can't describe the relief. My advice: keep your nerves in check, absolutely do not take any quizzes or tests the night before. you can review labs or look over stuff slightly, but no cramming and panicking, do whatever it takes to keep nerves in check. Remember airway, breathing, circulation, pain and safety. Restless is also another key word to watch for. Good luck and know there is an end to this stress in the near future. You can do it.

It can be very easy to throw in the towel and want to give up, get depressed. LOL I used to be an administrative assistant. The last time I failed, I was installing a sink for the neighbors and I joked, yeah I could be doing this for probably more money and much less risk! Heck, I'm an LPN right now risking my butt for under $13 an hour, and I left a job that paid alittle more than that. However, I don't regret my decision. I love helping people rather than counting dots on the ceiling tiles at my old job. Stress? Yes, three kids at home, debt up to my ears and student loans of about 34k for about 3 years. I have three two year degrees. Somewhere down the line I should've gotten smart and gotten one four year degree! For the second time around, I did the entire box of mosby's flashcards, did all the end of chapter quizzes from the Suzanne's plan and read the chapters I didn't know. She told me she didn't think I was ready, I jumped anyways. I will find out today. Stomach is in knots, keep thinking of all those questions and realizing I got a bit wrong. Sigh...

Oh I can relate to this. I just finished round two today also. My first Nclex RN: took me no more than 1 hour and 75 questions (minimum). I was way too nervous and going too fast. Felt questions were easy, panicked every minute waiting for results, found out I failed it and failed it miserably. Today: All 264 questions, took me 4 hours. I have no clue what to think. Some of the questions seemed easy, others were like "are you kidding me?", I prayed after 75 it would not shut off, I prayed at 160, 200 and 240 please shut off! You go through that doubt and look up answers finding out you answered them wrong and think you failed miserably, then I think of other questions that I think I got right. Inside the mind of an nclex torture session: 1) checking the pearson site to see if the test was uploaded successfully 2) checking the BON site compulsively even after hours when you know its closed and its not even possible for anything to be there 3) bargaining: If this happens, it means I passed the boards. If I can make this basket (or whatever you choose) I passed. If I didn't it means I failed 4) looking for signs: the pop machine ate my 1.50. bad sign, bad luck= bad news coming tommorrow. Or... the neighbor brought over wedding cake left over from his sons wedding... cake=celebration, good luck- sign that I passed? 5) pleading with god: oh please don't make me go through this again. I know its in your hands, but please let me have passed, please, please.. 6) I won't cry because I failed, I will cry because I went through 4 hours and 264 questions of sheer torture and I may have to go through this again and where do I even start as its impossible to study for this thing 7) having the feeling of life being sucked out of you. Not letting yourself to do anything fun as you may have to pick up that nclex study book AGAIN 8) the dread of people at work asking "Did you pass? did you pass? how come? your smart" 9) the defense mechanism: oh you probably failed (no sense of getting hopes up to be smothered down). It just means I wasn't ready and I have to try again, its only a test. It doesn't define who I am. Get up, brush yourself off and jump back on the wagon. 10) Giving your husband instructions on how to check the BON site while you are at work as you don't want to check it at work just in case you didn't make it. Honey- don't even think of calling me unless you have good news :)

Well, I officially rescheduled for September 10th. Another month out. There is always that wonder, could I have done it? But I'm at peace that the decision has been made and I'm not torturing myself with panic for Monday. I see someone else snagged that appointment date already so there is no turning back :) Now I read that people scoring in in the 60-65% are passing. Sigh.. oh well. It's better this way.

The 56-58 up to 61 to 67 is about 3 weeks review for an hour or two a day? It's not a huge increase. I can almost always narrow down to the two right answers, but often select the second best. I think I'm going to have to suck it up and reschedule. I don't want to drag this out, but I have myself so distraught and my scores aren't that high so its better to be safe than sorry. My plan of action is to reschedule (as much as I dont want to), take the weekend off, do something fun and destress and then go back at it. I don't know if I will ever be ready, but I will be more confident if my scores are above 70. I think I was in the 70's when I took my LPN boards and passed the first time. Last I looked, my new date will be Sept 10. I'll keep you posted. You do the same. Chin up!

So the question is, do I take it on the 20th and hope for the best? My quiz scores are between 60-67% it seems. I have myself in such a tizzy, I don't know what to do. One minute I think I want to reschedule it as I'm deathly afraid I'm going to fail it again as I don't feel like I have the base knowledge I need. I have done 100 practice questions per night and my scores have raised from 56-58%. The bridge program I took was awful. It was taught by one teacher who never lectured, and never taught. It consisted of reading and when test time came around, we got a pretest with a majority of the answers on them that were on her test! If you could memorize, you could pass the test. With three kids, and working opposite hours, I couldn't keep up with reading 200 pages or more pages per week so I read here and there, always did my other assignments, but felt like I learned nothing. Any advise? Should I keep plugging away until my scores are in the 70's or do you think the extra studying won't matter and I should just try?

I can so relate to you... Took the nclex about 40 days ago, got 75 questions and failed. I am now studying again and have my test scheduled for Monday, August 20th. I have Kaplans, Saunders, Mosby Flashcards and the Que Exam Cram. I've been doing 100 questions a night, trying to read Saunders, do a few flashcards at my lunch breaks. I do the quizzes/exams and average between 61 to 67%. I get so frustrated with these exams and quizzes and teetering between is it good enough or do I reschedule? I also have 3 kids. My husband had to go back on overnight shifts so I could study because he used to work 3 to midnight and studying was impossible. I'm working FT and have the fear of not passing again and having to tell work again which is waiting for me to transition from my LPN to RN. Argh!!!

I work in a pain clinic and we use Lyrica quite a bit for our chronic pain patients. I think they are also starting to look at it for Fibromyalgia. Other common meds are cymbalta, neurontin/gabapentin, and then your pain meds, sleep aids, and muscle relaxers. Non medication intervention includes injections, radiofrequency, spinal cord stimulators, intrathecal pumps, etc.

Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose as there really isn't any test out there to confirm it. I think its a catch all diagnosis that may sometimes be used if everything else is ruled out. I work in a pain clinic. We never prescribe narcotics for this condition. We treat the symptoms: sleep medication, anti depressants, exercise programs, lifestyle changes.

First and foremost, you need to address the problem with the RT in private. Why drag more people into this if it could possibly just be a misunderstanding? Have you asked her why she is questioning you in front of the patient? Is she just concerned about the alarm and not thinking when she asks in front of the patient, or do you feel this is intentional? Tell her that you have assessed the patient and know when to call her. If she has questions, tell her it is best to ask you in private. Have her put herself in the patient's shoes. The next time she asks you in front of the patient, give the answer you typed above. Do not retort and stoop to her level. It's not professional and it will make things worse, not better. You certainly won't gain any confidence in the patient if you try to make the RT look bad in return. If this doesn't work, then goto your nurse manager and come up with a plan.

Don't quit. Unfortunately, sometimes nursing school is like initiation and instructors like to rattle you and see how tough you are. You have to remember that once you on your own, you are going to be in the midst of life and death situations and she is not going to be there to help you out. She is just trying to make you a better nurse, although I think she could handle it better and offer to teach you rather than sink and swim constantly. Is she like this with just you or other students as well? I would set up a time to meet with her and tell her how you feel. Tell her you value her opinion and ask her for advice on what she thinks you need to work on. Ask her for her expectations. Apologize and tell her you will work harder. Just remember, she is just an obstacle to a long and rewarding path. You can do it. Hang in there. Last but not least, think ahead. If you forgot your penlight in your purse, quick borrow a classmates

Thank you :) This helps.

Hi, I'm not an OB nurse, rather a student working on a case study, and I"m stuck on a question. Can someone help? Would you do a lady partsl check on a 33 weeker with confirmed amniotic fluid that is cloudy, mom has a slight temp, baby's heartbeat is 162-170 and has average variability. Patient has occasional contraction lasting 20 to 30 seconds. I know you would need to know where she's at and if cord is compressed, but what throws me off is the infection... don't lady partsl checks introduce more infection or risk of? Would she probably go C section anyways and since her contractions aren't that signficant would you bypass the vag check or do it? Thanks

I am a LPN in a pain clinic. I do not work in the procedure room, but will monitor and discharge patients after they are out of procedure. My responsibilties include taking history, explaining procedures, starting an occasional IV, going over controlled substance treatment agreements and urine drug screens. The only tasks that I don't do that an RN does is sedate patients, work in the procedure room and phone nursing.

Hi, I graduated mid August with my LPN degree and have my boards scheduled for mid September. I just accepted my first clinic job which I start before I've passed my boards. Here are my questions: 1) For those of you who work in clinics, what do you like and dislike in this setting? 2) I know clinic pay is lower. If I can ask, what was your starting rate in the clinic as a new grad? 3) How did you study for the nclex-pn? Is there a certain book you used? I have a review book based off of a 2002 test that I had to purchase through school. I don't know if I should invest in another book. 4) Has anyone failed their boards while working a job? Did they keep you around doing other tasks until you passed or let you go? Thanks for your help!