Skills Test Anxiety

[hmgnrse]

I need help! I've failed my skills test twice. When I practice my vitals and medication administration by myself I do fine. But when I test out for it, I get so nervous and I forget things and I rush through things. Any tips on how to over come this?

[Golfer87]

Practice on a family member you get along the least with. If not available have someone to practice with that offers the wrong arm or provides it at the wrong angle. Have them talk to you when you're trying to concentrate, but not during the actual assessment.

[tnicnat]

I think everyone has the skills test worries. I am a PCT now, and going through school skills tests were soooooooo nerve wracking. Now I do this stuff on the floor I work on and I'm fine - NOW I'm finishing up my first year of nursing school and I'm doing the same skills I do on the floor, and I still get nervous! I know this stuff backwards and forwards, I work closely with the nurses on my floor and I do the skills they do (I don't give meds, but everything else I do). You would think that doing skills test outs should be easy, right? What I do, is I write out the list of everything we are supposed to do, using what the book gives and then in my own words. When I do the skills test, I take a breath before every step, that slows me down. I also think of the rationale as to why I'm doing something, which also slows me down. I hope that helps a little.

[aibrahim1993]

Getting nervous when taking skills test will never go away! Its my second year of nursing school and i always get nervous. Take a deep breath and just jump in and get it over with, no easy way to say it. But what i find helpful is closing my eyes and running the process in my head while doing the gestures. Good luck i hope things get better for the both of us:)