This whole PAX Thing is Freaking Me OUT!

[leeymarina]

Hello one and all!

Alright, so I'm 21 years old and I've been working as a certified medical assistant for almost four years now. I initially wanted to get a feel for the most basic clinical aspect, before I jumped right in to nursing. I love what I do, but I want to further my education and become a nurse, right now the IDEAL goal is to become a LVN/LPN, work under that license while I get my RN/BSN. I found my niche/passion in pediatrics (3yrs family medicine, total of one year full peds).

Though... I applied to Galen College of Nursing, which I heard is quite the competitive school. I didn't take my SATs in high school (I STILL HAVE NO IDEA HOW I MANAGED TO DO THAT) so... I have to take the PAX-LVN exam before I am even considered. I'm quite terrible at math... It's really bad. I never got the help I needed with it. It's all confusing and quite frankly... Gives me a lot of anxiety because I'm trying to figure out how these exams are weighed. I'm above average in English and above average in Science. I'm taking the exam next Monday, the committee board will meet to decide who gets in or not that following Wednesday. I bought the NLN Study guide and have been studying for 1-2 hours daily, plus some time on lunch breaks and when it's slow at work. The thing I still don't understand is the math portion, I'm serious... It's like a foreign language and it's horribly confusing.

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the PAX exam. I really want to pass, because if I do and get accepted, I start school in April. I'm really terrified, I have nightmares of failing, and I'm stressing over the score. Please, all help is welcome!!!

[Thomas Taylor]

I'm not sure about the pax exam. I have never heard of it before. As far as math goes, it may require a tutor. What sort of math problems are on the exam? Could you give me an example?

[AspiringNurseMW]

Quite honestly the math was quite easy, at least it was on the PAX-RN. Doesnt require anything past highschool math. It was multiplication, divisions, a lot of conversions of fractions and decimals. very few simple algebra (like solve for x or y), maybe one or two graph questions. All formulas needed are provided to you, seriously, they gave me the formula for circumference or area of a rectangle.

There are no calculators involved so you need to write out all your work. Math for *me* was by far the easiest section. Although I scored 100% on that portion, it still took me the entire hour to complete because of having to work out your problems on paper.

Honestly remember how to work fractions and decimals, how to divide, multiply, add, subtract, and convert them.

To me though it sounds like you could benefit from a in-person tutor.