I have read so many posts, and shared in some of them, about the fear we all face taking the skills part of the exam.
I was terrified going into mine! Scared to death, legs like rubber bands, hands shaking, brain swimming, nausea, wanting to just bolt out of there, or not even going, all of it. I was more afraid of the test than I as my first day of clinicals.
I know we are afraid of failing, it is an important test, but no one freaks out as much about the written part, and that is just as important.
So, why do we freak so badly at this part of the test? We have done the skills first hand on real patients/residents/clients in our clinicals, and had practice in the lab before hand. Those who challenge I assume have had some hands on experience, so why the major freak out? I ask as much for myself, as much as for others. I couldn't really explain why I was so, so scared!
Is it the fact that it is a test, the whole test phobia thing? Is it the person sitting there watching every move you make with their clipboard? (that is what it was in my case, I think)
I think so many fail this part because of the fear. Its not that we dont know what to do, it is our brains are stuck on being afraid and we go blank, make mistakes we would not normaly make (I forgot to rinse the soap on the front during female pericare, one of the skill I drew, and being female, well, that would be OUCH!, I never did that in clinicals)
What made you afraid, tell it here, if we crash this wall down, we won't be afraid of the skills anymore!
I would prefer to not have horror stories about bad promissors etc. here, unless that is something you are afraid of happening. (and arent we all, with the horror stories of nitpicking and just bad people)
If we face the fears, we are not afraid of them anymore.
