Test during Orientation

swee2000 · Nov 14, 2007

Hi I'm a LPN starting orientation next week and i'm nervous about the unknown. Just wanted to know what hospital orientation is like there is a computer portion. Is there a pharmological test involved? If you can help in any way thanks

Hi! I'm a "newer" LPN(almost 2yrs) and also work in a hospital. Even though I can't speak for your specific facility, I thought my experience might be of help to you. Here goes:

As part of my orientation, I had to take a computer class to learn the "nursing" part of the hospital's computer charting system. Since I already worked at this hospital for 2 years prior(as a CNA), I was very familiar with the basics of the charting system. But there was still alot more on the nursing side that was new, such as: looking up & charting meds; charting assessments; entering orders & databases; looking up lab results, etc.

As for your question "Is there a pharmological test involved?", I assume you mean a medication administration test, right? Well since I do not know your specific employer's policy & procedures, it's hard for me to be sure. But it's probably a safe bet that, yes, you'll be given a test and more than likely on your first day. Why do I think this? I'll give you two reasons: 1)You're brand new to the nursing profession itself and 2) You're brand new to the facility. Therefore, your employer needs to be 100% sure that you're familiar with the medications(the basics) AND that can safely administer them w/o overdosing a patient or having some other adverse event occur due to your error. It is not meant to single you out. Rather, it is the facilities way of covering their own rear-ends, especially if something were to go wrong.

At my hospital, I was given a test BEFORE I they would allow me to start any orientation on the floor, let alone administer meds. The hospital's test wasn't any more difficult than ones I took in school. Most of the questions were either: a)scenarios that ask you to determine if an ordered dose is safe or unsafe; or b)problem solving to figure out how many pills a patient would get to equal x-dose. Also, since I am allowed to administer IVPB meds at my hospital, there were many questions on the test dealing with programming IV pumps, figuring out drip rates, determining if two IV meds are compatible or not, drawing up insulin, factoring in labs w/giving meds, etc.

I don't know if this info helps you, but please feel free to ask me any other questions. Good luck!

LPN4U · Nov 15, 2007

Thanks that did help. I'm going to start reviewing some of my calculation formulas just in case. Havent done any since I took my boards in september. I have orientation the week of Thanksgiving and a facility orientation the day of Thanksgiving, kind of bummed b/c I'm cooking this year and I have family from out of state coming. Again, thanks for the insight.

swee2000 · Nov 16, 2007

Thanks that did help. I'm going to start reviewing some of my calculation formulas just in case. Havent done any since I took my boards in september. I have orientation the week of Thanksgiving and a facility orientation the day of Thanksgiving, kind of bummed b/c I'm cooking this year and I have family from out of state coming. Again, thanks for the insight.

Your welcome. Don't freak out to much about the "unknown". If you did fine with the math in nursing school, you'll be fine in orientation. Also, I forgot to mention that I was allowed to use a drug guide to look up info on the meds(like dose ranges, when to hold them, etc) given on the test.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Nov 17, 2007

At my job, they gave a pharmacology test the second week of orientation. I had to laugh, because my friend gave me the answers when she came from orientation, and she told me that Staff Ed would provide the answers before the exam. It was true. We had about 20 nurses at this orientation, 4 of us LPNs. I guess they were desperate to keep us. Not saying that this is what you would or should expect, though. I am hearing that most times, they ask about insulin, antihypertensive medications, oral antidiabetic meds, antibiotics and heart meds.

When I went to an interview for the agency where I do side work, they gave me a test, but they left me in the room alone, and I pulled out my drug book. I had a friend who went to an agency that told her to take a test, and she told them never mind and they told her to forget about it and fill the application out,anyway.

I would cover basic medications that were discussed in school, and see what happens. Somehow, I suspect that if you didn't do well, they may review it, and allow another time. Don't take it as gospel, but try to relax. Good luck!

MIA-RN · Nov 17, 2007

even tho I am an RN, I bet its the same type of test. At my hospital, I got the test way before orientation---passing it was required in order to start!

They gave a handout with sample questions and they gave a list of the meds that would be asked about. I was allowed to bring a calculator and my drug book. I also was given the test in the library and all the drug reference books were pointed out to me and I was told I could use them.

Oh, and the test was multiple choice.

It was nerve wracking beforehand, but during and after it was almost laughable.

AND the good thing is it is only a one-time thing. Ever.

Good luck but don't stress too much.

LPN4U · Nov 19, 2007

Thanks, its tomorrow. I went shopping to take my mind off of it. I will let ya'll know how it went.