That first Excelsior exam

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

Okay, my study buddy and I took the plunge and took the NC-1 exam on Friday.

It wasn't a breeze, but it was a good, well written test, the setting was great, the staff at the testing center was supportive, helpful and calm--treated me like I was a customer instead of a problem.

Nicest of all, they congratulated me when I finished--apparently A's are not that common, but I GOT ONE!!!!!

I didn't get any of the texts, although I think I might oughtta--the morning of the exam I really thought, you know, there are probably going to be items from the book material that I haven't seen yet. I didn't like feeling like I hadn't done my best prep.

Here's what I did do: I registered for and took the first of the two practice exams before I began to study. I used Chancellor's system because the combo of reading and hearing seems to work very well for me (when I can ignore the mispronunciations of the narrator, which is because I am kinda critical--I need to get over that! and BTW, there aren't that many....). I downloaded (and reformated and cleaned up) every practice test I could find on the yahoo student nursing groups, and my SB and I worked those together.

When I thought I was ready, I took the second practice test. I was disappointed to find that I made the same score as on the first one (79) but then I saw the %iles, and I was OK with being in the 95th....

I kept reviewing with the SB--we'd've tested sooner but she had some stuff she needed to do first and we wanted to go together.

The morning of the test, I took the practice test in the back of the workbook you get free from Excelsior, and got a 91.66 on that (missed 2 of 24). I felt OK about the test then.

When I took the test, I just took my time and relaxed. A couple of times I took a mini personal assessment and loosened up those muscles that were tensed, repositioned myself in my chair, stretched. It helped. There were 130 questions, and I finished in an hour flat, which was quite a surprise, since it took me a lot longer to do the practice tests (of course I was making notes of the rationales, etc. for later review).

You have the opportunity to "mark" or else not answer questions you want to revisit later. I had one I didn't answer (that was an accident, actually), and 7 I had "marked." I only changed one answer.

About 2/3 of the questions were practice questions of the "what would the nurse do" sort, but it was easy to see that all it was, was asking the practical questions in a way that let us know they were really checking to see if we had the facts down.

Oh--and this might make a difference: I really like a challenge, and I like puzzles, so when I went in to take this, I noticed that for the first time since I started nursing school (in the traditional format, with instructors writing their own items, eating students for lunch, back biting classmates, etc.), I anticipated taking this test as FUN. And it was--I enjoyed getting the chance to show what I knew. I think attitude helps--it sure didn't hurt me!

That's about all I can remember without revealing content. Hope it helps!

[medicrnohio, RN]

Congratulations on that first "A!!!" Hopefully with many more to come. Keep up the good work.

[RN Zeke]

Thanks for the information and the encouragement for those of us that are about to take the plunge to EC. I am studying to re-certify as a Surgical Technologist and then begin the nursing courses at EC.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

Congrats on your A!!!