Saturday, November 24, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Leaving out for the testing center
I am in London at my hostel. I will be leaving out to the testing center in about 30 minutes time. My test is scheduled for 11:00am. I just got through eating a simple breakfast, cornflakes with orange juice. I have an apple in my pocket to go.
I slept well last night. I share my room with three other female human bodies. I say that because I have no idea who they are. I was in my top bunk and sleep way before the rest of them returned to the room. They may or may not be there when I return. I had some concerns that I would be with a group a loud, noisy, disrespectful bunch the very eve before my exam. But everything went smoothly.
It is cold here. It is not snowing though. Last night I bought a knit hat and gloves at the local convenience store. I am layered up with two long-sleeved shirts, a fleece pullover and a thin jacket. Yesterday I felt protected outside.
There is a small part of me that wishes I had more time to see Big Ben, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, etc. This is my third time here in England (twice in London) for business purposes that did not permit me to do any London sightseeing. I will be back of course. I will come with my family which will make it that much more enjoyable. Besides, with the little bit of time that rests I would like to do some more shopping.
I need to buy the books for the graduate nursing classes that I am taking in January. I found a book store that has at least two of them. My daughter's 10th birthday is coming up. Of course, there is Christmas.
I feel okay. I am breathing. My stomach is not hurting. My stress tends to gather in my stomach. I have prayered and positively visualized a million times over. I thank God for already passing. I see myself holding my nursing license in my hand. I see myself logged into the State's Nursing Board and I see:
MY NAME RN 4704845269
my name with my registered nurse license number listed--which means that I passed!
So far, I feel great (well not G-R-E-A-T! like Tony the Tiger, but I'm cool). Now, I have to hustle a bit to arrive there. I need to take two subway trains. Today I am not weighted down by my backpack. I just have a small portfolio that has my Authorization To Test and passport.
I found myself tearing up the evening of my departure. I stopped myself because my daughter was right next to me. I did not want her to get upset over me crying. Although there were tears of relief, I did not want to explain to her why I felt compelled to cry. It has just be such a long journey to reach this point
I was just about ready to cry on the plane, but I was too dehydrated and did not want to use up my tears right then and there :-). It is not a good idea to drink wine on a long distance flight. You get dehydrated so fast and the flight attendants do not come around fast enough with water. Nowadays you cannot bring you own water with you, so you are dependent upon them for water.
I will cry when I finish.
I have reached a place where I have placed everything in God's Hands/The Universe. I have no doubt about this. Things are working themselves out. Since I left Africa, I have not been stressed not for one moment. In fact, the way in which I left Africa told me that God has Her hands all around me (I will recount this story later).
Things have not always been perfect on this trip. For example, I got on a bus that the driver told me was going straight, but he wind up turning and I lost my sense of direction. But I did not get stressed by it. I just picked up, corrected it, and moved on. This says a lot. This is providing me with peace and a sense of knowing that everything will be just fine.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I was not with my family. In fact, I missed them incredibly. It must be the first Thanksgiving that I was not with my family, but I was the most THANKFUL than I have been in a great, long while.
Pray for me. Send me lots of positive energy. I am leaving out for the testing center.
I slept well last night. I share my room with three other female human bodies. I say that because I have no idea who they are. I was in my top bunk and sleep way before the rest of them returned to the room. They may or may not be there when I return. I had some concerns that I would be with a group a loud, noisy, disrespectful bunch the very eve before my exam. But everything went smoothly.
It is cold here. It is not snowing though. Last night I bought a knit hat and gloves at the local convenience store. I am layered up with two long-sleeved shirts, a fleece pullover and a thin jacket. Yesterday I felt protected outside.
There is a small part of me that wishes I had more time to see Big Ben, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, etc. This is my third time here in England (twice in London) for business purposes that did not permit me to do any London sightseeing. I will be back of course. I will come with my family which will make it that much more enjoyable. Besides, with the little bit of time that rests I would like to do some more shopping.
I need to buy the books for the graduate nursing classes that I am taking in January. I found a book store that has at least two of them. My daughter's 10th birthday is coming up. Of course, there is Christmas.
I feel okay. I am breathing. My stomach is not hurting. My stress tends to gather in my stomach. I have prayered and positively visualized a million times over. I thank God for already passing. I see myself holding my nursing license in my hand. I see myself logged into the State's Nursing Board and I see:
MY NAME RN 4704845269
my name with my registered nurse license number listed--which means that I passed!
So far, I feel great (well not G-R-E-A-T! like Tony the Tiger, but I'm cool). Now, I have to hustle a bit to arrive there. I need to take two subway trains. Today I am not weighted down by my backpack. I just have a small portfolio that has my Authorization To Test and passport.
I found myself tearing up the evening of my departure. I stopped myself because my daughter was right next to me. I did not want her to get upset over me crying. Although there were tears of relief, I did not want to explain to her why I felt compelled to cry. It has just be such a long journey to reach this point
I was just about ready to cry on the plane, but I was too dehydrated and did not want to use up my tears right then and there :-). It is not a good idea to drink wine on a long distance flight. You get dehydrated so fast and the flight attendants do not come around fast enough with water. Nowadays you cannot bring you own water with you, so you are dependent upon them for water.
I will cry when I finish.
I have reached a place where I have placed everything in God's Hands/The Universe. I have no doubt about this. Things are working themselves out. Since I left Africa, I have not been stressed not for one moment. In fact, the way in which I left Africa told me that God has Her hands all around me (I will recount this story later).
Things have not always been perfect on this trip. For example, I got on a bus that the driver told me was going straight, but he wind up turning and I lost my sense of direction. But I did not get stressed by it. I just picked up, corrected it, and moved on. This says a lot. This is providing me with peace and a sense of knowing that everything will be just fine.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I was not with my family. In fact, I missed them incredibly. It must be the first Thanksgiving that I was not with my family, but I was the most THANKFUL than I have been in a great, long while.
Pray for me. Send me lots of positive energy. I am leaving out for the testing center.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
A case of the jitters
On Friday, November 16, 2007, I took a sick day off from work. I have just been dragging. This is my second sick day this school year with the same type of illness. I always feel guilty—like I am not doing something that I am supposed to be doing—when I am not working. Perhaps that is because I am so used to running all the time that slowing down feels unnatural.
I was able to take advantage of the day to complete an administrative task. I was at our local police station with my husband to have my fingerprints taken for my new identity card. My husband is African and I am Black American if this fact was not flushed out in earlier blogs. We are still newlyweds having married six months ago. It feels like it has been six years already. This will permit me to travel in West Africa without paying visa fees for each country I enter as a foreigner.
Despite not studying these past few days, I do have some great news. I finally found a nursing graduate program that suits my needs. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has an online Family Nurse Practitioner graduate nursing program. I just missed the Spring (Winter) 2008 deadline, so I will be applying for Summer 2008. However, it is possible to take classes as a non-degree graduate student prior to admission. Up to 12 credits can be taken to later transfer into the program.
It gets better! The online tuition is $200 per credit! It does not matter if you are in-state or out-of-state it is the same tuition rate. You do have to pay a $150 administration fee per on-line course. If you were to attend on campus and were out-of-state, the tuition is around $600 per credit. Having studies at a northern Big Ten school, this is a real steal.
Now having found this program makes my heart sing. My office is full of university brochures, which I have been carefully mulling over. During the last several months I have requested loads of information materials from FNP programs throughout the nation. For some odd reason, I never came across UAB. I primarily used www.allnursingschools.com as a search catalyst. Many schools are not automatically linked to request information through this website. If that were the case, then I did not pay attention to their listing.
My search criteria included:
--No GRE requirement (or a GRE waiver for applicants for high gpas. I have a 3.51) I am not interested in taking any more tests like that. After the NCLEX, the next one ---I will take will be my FNP certification boards.
--A year program (or damn close to it)
--Ideally, online.
--Flexibility with preceptorships.
I had just about settled on the University of Kansas and Penn. At UK I spoke with someone in the school of nursing and she told me about everything I wanted to hear. She said that it was a program that could be completed just about entirely online. It was a yearlong. I asked her if I returned to the States during the summer months could I complete the non-online course work and clinicals then. “Yes, of course,” she said. I was sold! This was the program for me. She made me a telephone appointment with the MSN program coordinator. Boy, this appointment date could not come fast enough.
When I spoke with the woman on the phone, I recounted my understanding of the program from my previous conversation.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but those are not accurate aspects of our program. You spoke to the office manager and there is a reason why she is the office manager and not the program coordinator. Our program does not work that way. In fact we have recently revamped our curriculum. It would take you at least two years of on-campus study to complete it. Are you planning on moving to Kansas? We are a state school. We have limited admission spots each year and quite frankly out-of-state students are not priority candidates. I’m sorry to sound so discouraging, but I do not believe that we are the school for you.”
Damn!
She was discouraging. She reminded me of a school of nursing admission’s office at my undergraduate university, when I was studying for my first degree. I was in the school of liberal arts and wanted to transfer to nursing. I applied and a lady followed up on my application. Long story short, I allowed her to talk me out of going to nursing school. In retrospect, I could have fought harder for what I wanted. Although I knew how to fight, I did not completely understand all the many tools at my disposal I could employ to manifest the things I desired. Life just happened to me.
She was not the first person to discourage me. The first one was my mother. “Nurses are co-dependent,” she said. “Don’t study nursing!” So, I studied liberal arts. But my desire to be a nurse never, never left me. I was constantly looking for programs, checking into information, and trying to put myself in the most appropriate path to realize this.
In the end, there is a season and a reason for everything. Things are going to work out the way they were meant to. Nine years later I found myself in the p-e-r-f-e-c-t position to study nursing. In fact, I just walked right on in to nursing school. It could not have been a better place or time to study. Plus, the tuition was affordable at $150 per credit.
So, I thought hard about the UK’s program coordinator’s comments. I questioned myself as to if this was my cue to fight or to take her comments to heart. I took her comments to heart.
Then there was Penn as a possible choice. There are no online study programs at Penn. This was an option where I would suck it up, return to the States, and study full-time for a year to complete the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program.
The attraction to Penn was their name recognition; GRE waiver, one-year program, and the fact that the assistant dean of something important related to admissions took the time to email me to inquire about my life here in Africa (I figured that had to count for something). I wrote her a letter explaining the work I do here—at the time I worked with women and children infected by HIV and AIDS. I also posed some questions about the program. She never wrote me back.
I eventually phoned Penn to ask those questions needing those answers before moving on my application. She answered the phone. She said that she had received my letter. No courtesy apologies for not getting back to me. She answered my questions. When I spoke to her I felt like I was being “handled”. Do you know what I mean? I told her that I would be applying. I started requesting transcripts.
Weeks later I phoned the school again (just the general number) and she answered again. This lady answers all the telephone numbers! I asked to see which of any of my transcripts had arrived. She took down my email and telephone number to get back with me. If she contacted you, then she contacted me.
Earlier this week, I faxed the admission’s office a letter making the same inquiry as to transcripts received. Nothing! The same afternoon, I came to terms that I was just not feeling Penn. I was struggling with the idea of Philadelphia anyway. I could not see my daughter in Philadelphia Public Schools. That whole east coast hustle, bustle does not interest me at all. Now, I could do it if push comes to shove, but give me a choice and I will choose a more tranquil place with the option to enter the h & b from time to time.
You may say: “Well, you live in Africa!” I do. I live in a very busy, polluted, and congested city. However, my life and its exposure to the bustling capital are heavily influenced by the hours I work and where I live. I leave out early enough that we do not run into traffic. I return home either early or late enough that it is a straight shot. I rarely enter the market. My husband does the shopping and prefers I not come along. Our neighborhood is peaceful. Plus our excursions always lead us to the countryside as opposed to around town. So, my environment is predictable and controlled to a great degree.
Aside from that, I did not feel as though the folks at Penn were interested in giving me the time of day. Call it a gut feeling.
I got back on the Internet and Goggled “one year family nurse practitioner program”. FNP programs requiring one year of nursing experience came up. Not exactly what I meant, but I saw UAB and clicked on it.
I read that the program was 100% online. It takes a little over a year to complete. The GRE is required. But considering that it was 100% online, I decided that I would take the test to get in. However, in later talking with the MSN program coordinator it turns out that some information on their web page is outdated. The GRE is waived it you have at least 3.2 gpa on the last 70 credit hours of your BSN. I had missed the Spring 2008 deadline, but I could take classes as a non-degree student. The application deadline is December 20th. My application will be faxed and subsequently mailed on Monday, November 19th, 2007!
I had never even heard of UAB before now. Nevertheless, the program is fully accredited. The school is involved with many international liaisons. The University of Alabama at Birmingham is my new soon-to-be Alma matter.
So, now I just need to pass the NCLEX!
I was able to take advantage of the day to complete an administrative task. I was at our local police station with my husband to have my fingerprints taken for my new identity card. My husband is African and I am Black American if this fact was not flushed out in earlier blogs. We are still newlyweds having married six months ago. It feels like it has been six years already. This will permit me to travel in West Africa without paying visa fees for each country I enter as a foreigner.
Despite not studying these past few days, I do have some great news. I finally found a nursing graduate program that suits my needs. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has an online Family Nurse Practitioner graduate nursing program. I just missed the Spring (Winter) 2008 deadline, so I will be applying for Summer 2008. However, it is possible to take classes as a non-degree graduate student prior to admission. Up to 12 credits can be taken to later transfer into the program.
It gets better! The online tuition is $200 per credit! It does not matter if you are in-state or out-of-state it is the same tuition rate. You do have to pay a $150 administration fee per on-line course. If you were to attend on campus and were out-of-state, the tuition is around $600 per credit. Having studies at a northern Big Ten school, this is a real steal.
Now having found this program makes my heart sing. My office is full of university brochures, which I have been carefully mulling over. During the last several months I have requested loads of information materials from FNP programs throughout the nation. For some odd reason, I never came across UAB. I primarily used www.allnursingschools.com as a search catalyst. Many schools are not automatically linked to request information through this website. If that were the case, then I did not pay attention to their listing.
My search criteria included:
--No GRE requirement (or a GRE waiver for applicants for high gpas. I have a 3.51) I am not interested in taking any more tests like that. After the NCLEX, the next one ---I will take will be my FNP certification boards.
--A year program (or damn close to it)
--Ideally, online.
--Flexibility with preceptorships.
I had just about settled on the University of Kansas and Penn. At UK I spoke with someone in the school of nursing and she told me about everything I wanted to hear. She said that it was a program that could be completed just about entirely online. It was a yearlong. I asked her if I returned to the States during the summer months could I complete the non-online course work and clinicals then. “Yes, of course,” she said. I was sold! This was the program for me. She made me a telephone appointment with the MSN program coordinator. Boy, this appointment date could not come fast enough.
When I spoke with the woman on the phone, I recounted my understanding of the program from my previous conversation.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but those are not accurate aspects of our program. You spoke to the office manager and there is a reason why she is the office manager and not the program coordinator. Our program does not work that way. In fact we have recently revamped our curriculum. It would take you at least two years of on-campus study to complete it. Are you planning on moving to Kansas? We are a state school. We have limited admission spots each year and quite frankly out-of-state students are not priority candidates. I’m sorry to sound so discouraging, but I do not believe that we are the school for you.”
Damn!
She was discouraging. She reminded me of a school of nursing admission’s office at my undergraduate university, when I was studying for my first degree. I was in the school of liberal arts and wanted to transfer to nursing. I applied and a lady followed up on my application. Long story short, I allowed her to talk me out of going to nursing school. In retrospect, I could have fought harder for what I wanted. Although I knew how to fight, I did not completely understand all the many tools at my disposal I could employ to manifest the things I desired. Life just happened to me.
She was not the first person to discourage me. The first one was my mother. “Nurses are co-dependent,” she said. “Don’t study nursing!” So, I studied liberal arts. But my desire to be a nurse never, never left me. I was constantly looking for programs, checking into information, and trying to put myself in the most appropriate path to realize this.
In the end, there is a season and a reason for everything. Things are going to work out the way they were meant to. Nine years later I found myself in the p-e-r-f-e-c-t position to study nursing. In fact, I just walked right on in to nursing school. It could not have been a better place or time to study. Plus, the tuition was affordable at $150 per credit.
So, I thought hard about the UK’s program coordinator’s comments. I questioned myself as to if this was my cue to fight or to take her comments to heart. I took her comments to heart.
Then there was Penn as a possible choice. There are no online study programs at Penn. This was an option where I would suck it up, return to the States, and study full-time for a year to complete the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program.
The attraction to Penn was their name recognition; GRE waiver, one-year program, and the fact that the assistant dean of something important related to admissions took the time to email me to inquire about my life here in Africa (I figured that had to count for something). I wrote her a letter explaining the work I do here—at the time I worked with women and children infected by HIV and AIDS. I also posed some questions about the program. She never wrote me back.
I eventually phoned Penn to ask those questions needing those answers before moving on my application. She answered the phone. She said that she had received my letter. No courtesy apologies for not getting back to me. She answered my questions. When I spoke to her I felt like I was being “handled”. Do you know what I mean? I told her that I would be applying. I started requesting transcripts.
Weeks later I phoned the school again (just the general number) and she answered again. This lady answers all the telephone numbers! I asked to see which of any of my transcripts had arrived. She took down my email and telephone number to get back with me. If she contacted you, then she contacted me.
Earlier this week, I faxed the admission’s office a letter making the same inquiry as to transcripts received. Nothing! The same afternoon, I came to terms that I was just not feeling Penn. I was struggling with the idea of Philadelphia anyway. I could not see my daughter in Philadelphia Public Schools. That whole east coast hustle, bustle does not interest me at all. Now, I could do it if push comes to shove, but give me a choice and I will choose a more tranquil place with the option to enter the h & b from time to time.
You may say: “Well, you live in Africa!” I do. I live in a very busy, polluted, and congested city. However, my life and its exposure to the bustling capital are heavily influenced by the hours I work and where I live. I leave out early enough that we do not run into traffic. I return home either early or late enough that it is a straight shot. I rarely enter the market. My husband does the shopping and prefers I not come along. Our neighborhood is peaceful. Plus our excursions always lead us to the countryside as opposed to around town. So, my environment is predictable and controlled to a great degree.
Aside from that, I did not feel as though the folks at Penn were interested in giving me the time of day. Call it a gut feeling.
I got back on the Internet and Goggled “one year family nurse practitioner program”. FNP programs requiring one year of nursing experience came up. Not exactly what I meant, but I saw UAB and clicked on it.
I read that the program was 100% online. It takes a little over a year to complete. The GRE is required. But considering that it was 100% online, I decided that I would take the test to get in. However, in later talking with the MSN program coordinator it turns out that some information on their web page is outdated. The GRE is waived it you have at least 3.2 gpa on the last 70 credit hours of your BSN. I had missed the Spring 2008 deadline, but I could take classes as a non-degree student. The application deadline is December 20th. My application will be faxed and subsequently mailed on Monday, November 19th, 2007!
I had never even heard of UAB before now. Nevertheless, the program is fully accredited. The school is involved with many international liaisons. The University of Alabama at Birmingham is my new soon-to-be Alma matter.
So, now I just need to pass the NCLEX!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The tiny frog that could
A dear friend sent me this story as a form of encouragement. It's cute. Funny thing is that I see "tiny frogs" everyday here in Africa.
There once was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. Honestly: No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: "Oh way to difficult!!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." or: "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!" The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one, except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher. The crowd yell "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But ONE continued higher and higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn't give up! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who after a big effort was the only one who reached the top! Then all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how he had done it. A contestant asked the tiny frog how the one who succeeded had found the strength to reach the goal? It turned out THAT THE WINNER WAS DEAF!!!! The wisdom of the story is: Never listen to other peoples tendencies to be negative or pessimistic...cause they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you. The ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have. Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore always be POSTIVE and above all be DEAF when people tell you that you can not fulfil your dreams!
There once was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. Honestly: No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: "Oh way to difficult!!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." or: "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!" The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one, except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher. The crowd yell "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But ONE continued higher and higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn't give up! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who after a big effort was the only one who reached the top! Then all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how he had done it. A contestant asked the tiny frog how the one who succeeded had found the strength to reach the goal? It turned out THAT THE WINNER WAS DEAF!!!! The wisdom of the story is: Never listen to other peoples tendencies to be negative or pessimistic...cause they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you. The ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have. Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore always be POSTIVE and above all be DEAF when people tell you that you can not fulfil your dreams!
Lining up my ducks
My husband is traveling. His absence makes it much easier to study. He feels as though I am torturing myself and is notorious about persuading me to rest instead of study. For him, I have already passed. It is God’s will. While I agree with him, I still need to continue reviewing.
I came across blogs of nclex takers who did not study the last two weeks before the test. If I could do that, I would. I am simply not in a position to do so. I need to keep pushing forward so that I will have the material fresh in my head.
I have thought hard as to how I could best study for the last remaining two weeks. I considered Kaplan Question Bank. I have read comments on www.allnurses.com about how great it is. If you pay for the question bank by itself, be prepared to kick out $300.00 for it. I read about Mosby’s Online CAT (computer adapted test). There were raves about its ability to predict passing rates for those who eventually passed. There were also cautions by those who got those same predictions and did not pass the test. I do not think that Mosby’s Online CAT is available anymore, but if it were that might be worth the $40 or so to take a look at it. In the end, I just decided to stick with the resources I have already been using.
My 8-week NCBSN subscription expired this past Friday, November 2nd. I had been panicking trying to finish reviewing before midnight. This was simply not realistic. I made the decision to pay for another three weeks. Now I can work up until the very day of my departure.
While preparing for such a test everything else in your life is put on hold. This is not a particular luxury I have because my husband and I have some serious decisions to make as they relate to our immediate future. However, as of late everything, everything has been put on hold to accommodate this test. Nevertheless, I did make one bold step this morning by making us a necessary appointment for our plan B. The news surprised him (and pleasantly so) because he had not expected to hear anything about any moves forward until after my trip to London. My NCLEX examination is one of many moves necessary to get us in the position where we need to be.
Many of these moves are dependent on making decisions. Once my license is secured what will I do with myself? Where do I want to work? I do want to study for a MSN in Family or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. After which, I would like to open my own clinic up here in Africa for women and children. I would also like to work in a hospital at least for a year. The big question is in which order to I want to do these things? The next question is can I afford to ponder these issues while preparing to test.
I came across blogs of nclex takers who did not study the last two weeks before the test. If I could do that, I would. I am simply not in a position to do so. I need to keep pushing forward so that I will have the material fresh in my head.
I have thought hard as to how I could best study for the last remaining two weeks. I considered Kaplan Question Bank. I have read comments on www.allnurses.com about how great it is. If you pay for the question bank by itself, be prepared to kick out $300.00 for it. I read about Mosby’s Online CAT (computer adapted test). There were raves about its ability to predict passing rates for those who eventually passed. There were also cautions by those who got those same predictions and did not pass the test. I do not think that Mosby’s Online CAT is available anymore, but if it were that might be worth the $40 or so to take a look at it. In the end, I just decided to stick with the resources I have already been using.
My 8-week NCBSN subscription expired this past Friday, November 2nd. I had been panicking trying to finish reviewing before midnight. This was simply not realistic. I made the decision to pay for another three weeks. Now I can work up until the very day of my departure.
While preparing for such a test everything else in your life is put on hold. This is not a particular luxury I have because my husband and I have some serious decisions to make as they relate to our immediate future. However, as of late everything, everything has been put on hold to accommodate this test. Nevertheless, I did make one bold step this morning by making us a necessary appointment for our plan B. The news surprised him (and pleasantly so) because he had not expected to hear anything about any moves forward until after my trip to London. My NCLEX examination is one of many moves necessary to get us in the position where we need to be.
Many of these moves are dependent on making decisions. Once my license is secured what will I do with myself? Where do I want to work? I do want to study for a MSN in Family or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. After which, I would like to open my own clinic up here in Africa for women and children. I would also like to work in a hospital at least for a year. The big question is in which order to I want to do these things? The next question is can I afford to ponder these issues while preparing to test.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Revising the strategy
My testing date is approaching fast! I am doing all I can to keep my nerves in check. I do not believe that I study as much as I need to between working full-time (my job is really a job and a half), family responsibilities, and the need to do something social every once in a while, I perceive that I am falling short of this idea I have as to how you are supposed to study for this test which is eat, breath, and sleep NCLEX review material and questions.
What is my new strategy? What was my old strategy? My old strategy was to answer as many questions per day as possible. “As possible” could be anything from 50-150. I am still trying to get myself up to 265. Why? Because my test could run up to that many questions and I need to have the practice of sitting for so many questions consecutively.
My new strategy (I must sound as though I am developing a war plan) is to continue with the questions, but to increase my prayers and positive visualization. Instead of taking time out just once a day to meditate, I am doing it all throughout the day.
I answered 75 questions last night on Mosby’s CD-ROM comprehensive test last night and still scored 61%. I should be at 80%. A few weeks ago I had the same score on 75 questions. I should be getting better. I cannot explain it. All I can think to do is to increase the number of questions I do and continue to pray.
I have been in numerous situations where the odds were seemingly stacked against me. I am not deterred. I have already passed this exam. I continuously visualize myself reading my nursing license with the state and board of nursing present atop, my name, license number, and relevant signatures. I hold this picture in my head. I refuse to let it go.
What is my new strategy? What was my old strategy? My old strategy was to answer as many questions per day as possible. “As possible” could be anything from 50-150. I am still trying to get myself up to 265. Why? Because my test could run up to that many questions and I need to have the practice of sitting for so many questions consecutively.
My new strategy (I must sound as though I am developing a war plan) is to continue with the questions, but to increase my prayers and positive visualization. Instead of taking time out just once a day to meditate, I am doing it all throughout the day.
I answered 75 questions last night on Mosby’s CD-ROM comprehensive test last night and still scored 61%. I should be at 80%. A few weeks ago I had the same score on 75 questions. I should be getting better. I cannot explain it. All I can think to do is to increase the number of questions I do and continue to pray.
I have been in numerous situations where the odds were seemingly stacked against me. I am not deterred. I have already passed this exam. I continuously visualize myself reading my nursing license with the state and board of nursing present atop, my name, license number, and relevant signatures. I hold this picture in my head. I refuse to let it go.
Faith Follies
October 26, 2008
I had a faith crisis today. I looked up and realized that November is next week and that I have 28 more days to study. Well, not really. I have 28 days until my test day. My studying ends on the 21st of November. This leaves me with 26 study days. I take a red-eye on the 21st and will not be doing any more studying once I start traveling.
The last 10 days—since I began this blog—have passed lightening fast. Twenty-eight days may seem like a long time, but knowing how fast time flies, I will be here before I know it. I am nervous but relieved to see the day approach. It is stressful being in limbo.
My crisis was marked by the fact that the day is quickly approaching. I am not feeling as prepared academically as I think I should be. I do not know what else I could be doing besides continuing to answer questions over and over again. That’s all I can do really.
My mother told me to envision my nursing license on the wall. I responded that I may actually have to physically make one up to help me envision it. So, that’s exactly what I did this afternoon. I searched the Internet for a certificate template. Not knowing what a nursing license actual looks like, I wrote what I thought it should say with a signature for the nursing board director and state governor. In my search for the name of the board director, I discovered that a nursing board really is just that—a group of nurses from multiple disciplines that comprise the state’s nursing board. The state governor appoints them to the board. So, I have all ten of my nursing licenses posted up all over the house.
My goal is to get through 265 questions tonight and another 265 questions tomorrow with Mosby’s CD-ROM.
I had a faith crisis today. I looked up and realized that November is next week and that I have 28 more days to study. Well, not really. I have 28 days until my test day. My studying ends on the 21st of November. This leaves me with 26 study days. I take a red-eye on the 21st and will not be doing any more studying once I start traveling.
The last 10 days—since I began this blog—have passed lightening fast. Twenty-eight days may seem like a long time, but knowing how fast time flies, I will be here before I know it. I am nervous but relieved to see the day approach. It is stressful being in limbo.
My crisis was marked by the fact that the day is quickly approaching. I am not feeling as prepared academically as I think I should be. I do not know what else I could be doing besides continuing to answer questions over and over again. That’s all I can do really.
My mother told me to envision my nursing license on the wall. I responded that I may actually have to physically make one up to help me envision it. So, that’s exactly what I did this afternoon. I searched the Internet for a certificate template. Not knowing what a nursing license actual looks like, I wrote what I thought it should say with a signature for the nursing board director and state governor. In my search for the name of the board director, I discovered that a nursing board really is just that—a group of nurses from multiple disciplines that comprise the state’s nursing board. The state governor appoints them to the board. So, I have all ten of my nursing licenses posted up all over the house.
My goal is to get through 265 questions tonight and another 265 questions tomorrow with Mosby’s CD-ROM.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Feeling like green glob
I am feeling like a cup of green glob—just like mush really. I am so tired. It is report card marking time and I feel stretched in a hundred different directions. Nevertheless, studying for the NCLEX has to be my number one priority.
Last night I came home beat as all get up, but I managed to do 75 questions on Mosby’s CD-ROM. I scored a 61%. What is faith? Faith is belief in things unseen. I have no proof that I am going to pass this exam with scores like this. I cannot even tell you how I am going to do it, but I am.
I log onto www.allnurses.com and open up the Student forum that focuses on NCLEX. There are many threads from members who are panicked and alarmed. Titled threads solicit advice from 2nd and 3rd time test takers. All I can say is that will not be me. I am passing. Come hell or high water, I am passing.
I have yet to have a real conversation with someone in the process of studying who is not panicked and feeling incredibly insecure.
Today I did not answer any questions. I worked very hard at work today. I skimmed through some lab values during the bus ride on the way to work. After school I stayed after very late chipping away at report card comments, parent teacher conference scheduling, and cleaning out my email inboxes. When I was done with that, my brain was simply not in the mood to answer questions. I had planned to redo the 150 questions of the pretest, but I could not concentrate enough to get past question one. So, I opted to copy and paste some of the lessons from NCBSN so that I could print them out and read at home.
There is no reading that is going to get done tonight. I can barely keep my eyes open as it is. This weekend I have to play my cards right. In that it is a major work weekend because all grades are due Monday afternoon. It is also the last weekend before my subscription expires. I have to find a way to get grades in so that they don’t swamp all of my precious uninterrupted study time.
I could probably do a random quiz of 10 questions with Mosby’s if I weren’t too tired to walk into the living room and get the power cord to my laptop. Boy, I sound pitiful tonight. Huh? It's well after midnight and I am desperately trying to squeeze in today’s studying time. However, it just does not seem to be realistic for me. The intention is there though.
Last night I came home beat as all get up, but I managed to do 75 questions on Mosby’s CD-ROM. I scored a 61%. What is faith? Faith is belief in things unseen. I have no proof that I am going to pass this exam with scores like this. I cannot even tell you how I am going to do it, but I am.
I log onto www.allnurses.com and open up the Student forum that focuses on NCLEX. There are many threads from members who are panicked and alarmed. Titled threads solicit advice from 2nd and 3rd time test takers. All I can say is that will not be me. I am passing. Come hell or high water, I am passing.
I have yet to have a real conversation with someone in the process of studying who is not panicked and feeling incredibly insecure.
Today I did not answer any questions. I worked very hard at work today. I skimmed through some lab values during the bus ride on the way to work. After school I stayed after very late chipping away at report card comments, parent teacher conference scheduling, and cleaning out my email inboxes. When I was done with that, my brain was simply not in the mood to answer questions. I had planned to redo the 150 questions of the pretest, but I could not concentrate enough to get past question one. So, I opted to copy and paste some of the lessons from NCBSN so that I could print them out and read at home.
There is no reading that is going to get done tonight. I can barely keep my eyes open as it is. This weekend I have to play my cards right. In that it is a major work weekend because all grades are due Monday afternoon. It is also the last weekend before my subscription expires. I have to find a way to get grades in so that they don’t swamp all of my precious uninterrupted study time.
I could probably do a random quiz of 10 questions with Mosby’s if I weren’t too tired to walk into the living room and get the power cord to my laptop. Boy, I sound pitiful tonight. Huh? It's well after midnight and I am desperately trying to squeeze in today’s studying time. However, it just does not seem to be realistic for me. The intention is there though.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Mental preparedness
I study (mostly by answering questions and reviewing rationales), but as time draws near it appears as though the majority of the work I do is mental preparation. The only other tests I have taken that had so much riding on them were a pregnancy test and an HIV test. Not wanting to be pregnant and premarital HIV counseling and testing are extremely important tests whose positive results bring about a host of consequences, but this is different. No college midterm or final can touch this. Preparation for this test feels like being pushed to the limit, the edge and hoping to find your way back again once you’ve successfully passed.
Sunday afternoon I asked my husband to take me to the airport. It is right down the street from our house. The last time I was there was when I arrived here in Mali for the first time this past January. We rode up the long road filled with billboards for cell phone companies and banks wishing us a safe trip. I studied them all. This is the route I will be taking in a month’s time when I leave on a flight London bound. “This is where you will go in,” he pointed to a building marked departures. “Where is the terminal for Air France?” I asked. “This is the terminal for all the airline companies.” I wanted to go in and see the check-in ticket counter. He said that we couldn’t unless we had a valid departing ticket dated today.
With the rest of my time, I took in the position of the baggage porters, police officers, stationed taxi drivers, and anything else of importance to lessen any potential anxiety my departure date. I have flown many times over, but navigating third world airports is always an adventure. I am to travel alone. Even if we could afford the additional tickets for my husband and daughter to accompany me, it may not be such a good idea to have them along. I would need some quite time to still my soul before testing and the both of them would create more stimuli than I would like by chattering nonstop up until the very last moment I walk into Pearson Vue. So, I suppose that it is best this way.
As we left the airport, I took in scenary along the route back home with the feeling that I have already returned from my trip. Having already passed my test, I am happy, relieved, exhausted and eager to sleep in my own bed.
My husband tells me everyday that I am going to pass. In fact, he told me that before I would allow myself to believe it. He left for a business trip this morning but promised that upon his return he would see a local African spiritual advisor to work some magic in my favor. I often tease him about his belief in such things, but I do not mind the magic these days.
To be honest, and I have mentioned this before, I believe that the magic is already done. I truly feel as though I have already passed this test. My sense of knowing has nothing to do with my husband’s upcoming appointment, as it has to do with believing that this it is my destiny to pass this test in London. Passing unfolds a world of numerous opportunities that are just waiting for me to tie up my loose ends, like RN licensure.
I plan to work as a nurse practitioner with my own clinic here in Africa for women and children. The need is so great. I have already begun the application process for graduate nursing programs for next fall.
Sunday afternoon I asked my husband to take me to the airport. It is right down the street from our house. The last time I was there was when I arrived here in Mali for the first time this past January. We rode up the long road filled with billboards for cell phone companies and banks wishing us a safe trip. I studied them all. This is the route I will be taking in a month’s time when I leave on a flight London bound. “This is where you will go in,” he pointed to a building marked departures. “Where is the terminal for Air France?” I asked. “This is the terminal for all the airline companies.” I wanted to go in and see the check-in ticket counter. He said that we couldn’t unless we had a valid departing ticket dated today.
With the rest of my time, I took in the position of the baggage porters, police officers, stationed taxi drivers, and anything else of importance to lessen any potential anxiety my departure date. I have flown many times over, but navigating third world airports is always an adventure. I am to travel alone. Even if we could afford the additional tickets for my husband and daughter to accompany me, it may not be such a good idea to have them along. I would need some quite time to still my soul before testing and the both of them would create more stimuli than I would like by chattering nonstop up until the very last moment I walk into Pearson Vue. So, I suppose that it is best this way.
As we left the airport, I took in scenary along the route back home with the feeling that I have already returned from my trip. Having already passed my test, I am happy, relieved, exhausted and eager to sleep in my own bed.
My husband tells me everyday that I am going to pass. In fact, he told me that before I would allow myself to believe it. He left for a business trip this morning but promised that upon his return he would see a local African spiritual advisor to work some magic in my favor. I often tease him about his belief in such things, but I do not mind the magic these days.
To be honest, and I have mentioned this before, I believe that the magic is already done. I truly feel as though I have already passed this test. My sense of knowing has nothing to do with my husband’s upcoming appointment, as it has to do with believing that this it is my destiny to pass this test in London. Passing unfolds a world of numerous opportunities that are just waiting for me to tie up my loose ends, like RN licensure.
I plan to work as a nurse practitioner with my own clinic here in Africa for women and children. The need is so great. I have already begun the application process for graduate nursing programs for next fall.
Too tired to study
I did not go to the cyber café to study this evening. This was not the smartest thing to do—skip out on a night’s studying considering that my NCBSN 8-week subscription is valid only until November 2nd (the same evening as parent-teacher conferences). I ordered it back in September, but only recently have I kicked it in high gear by studying regularly with this online program. I wasted some of my weeks because I do not have Internet at home so I have to either stay after work or make special trips to the local cyber café, which is extremely hot and filled with mosquitoes. Plus, I have had some challenges with the user-friendliness of the program.
Just getting through the pre-test was a drama in and of itself. The very first time I took it, I accidentally hit the “back” key and that totally erased my test and answers. There was no way that I could retrieve my answers. I had to start completely over. The pre-test is 150 questions, so I had to leave it for another day.
Second time around, I logged on and saw a message about maintenance scheduled. I was at a cyber café and thought that the message was related to the computer I was working on. On shared computers weird things always pop up. You learn to ignore them. The third time it popped up I realized that the program itself was going to shut off because of scheduled maintenance to start in less than an hour. I was on number 30 with 120 questions to go. What luck? Since I had already made the effort to leave the house, I decided to stay and answer questions until the program forced me off. I do not remember what number it stopped on but I did not get to finish the pre-test that day.
On my third attempt, I made it through all 150 questions but the feedback report would not generate. The window was just frozen. The program did tell me that I scored around 50-something%, but the opportunity to view the report that lists those questions I answered correctly and those I answered wrong with rationales was lost. I had to redo the test again. This would have to be another day.
I finally did get through the test on my fourth attempt, but not because I retook all of it. I tried as best I could to recheck the answers from the first, second, and third attempts so that I could generate the feedback report, but I was tired. In the end, I just wound up checking any answers to get through the 150 questions. This time my score improved to 64%. I obviously did better with random guessing. This time I got the report.
This was actually the last time that I tested and a percentage was calculated. Since that time I have just been constantly answering questions. There is no post-test that I can take as a measurement of progress. Although, over the weekend I am going to take the time to do Mosby’s Comprehensive Review CD-ROM which has two comprehensive tests, 1 and 2. They are 265 questions each. I will take test 1 on Saturday and test 2 on Sunday. That should give me some indication as to where I fall percentage wise.
As far as NCBSN, I went from the pre-test to answering the questions in the back of the lessons. I skipped the lessons. Don’t worry. Before my subscription is over, I will go through them all. I just wanted to get straight down to the business of answering questions. I have made it through all the questions with the exceptions of Pharmacology 1 and 2, as well as Alternative Type questions. I have a 75-minute prep period tomorrow in which I am going to attempt to answer both 40-question long Pharmacology sections (that’s a total of 80 questions). I will tell you this: my speed has increased. That does not mean that I get them correct 100% of the time, but I am reading questions and answering options faster than I was before. The other night at the cyber café I finished a 40-question section in 30 minutes.
Another reason why I have skipped the lessons is that I have a hard time reading on the computer. No, it’s not an eye thing. I would prefer to print something out and read it off of paper. On the paper I highlight, make side notes, circle and connect key concepts and phrases. I make the content my own. With this program printing out lesson sections is not easy, so plan to spend some serious time with your computer in order to get through it.
I will not allow myself to feel guilty about not going because I am exhausted. I am doing the very best I can. I came in immediately from work and hit the bed. Last week was particularly challenging for me at work. We had a broken arm and a lice outbreak in both elementary and middle schools. A fourth grade student fell out of tree and break her wrist. I immobilized her wrist (a NCLEX practice question that I remembered, good common sense too), packed it in ice, and whisked her off to the best possible clinic available. Once the cast was set, I phoned her parents to tell them about using a blow dryer on a cool setting to relieve itching and to watch for swollen and redden fingers (another NCLEX study question). She came back to the school sporting her new cast and arm sling thanking everyone that saved her life. She's such a joyous student. Now, climbing the trees are forbidden during recess.
Then the next day when an accreditation inspector was visiting, we had a lice outbreak. So, the for the rest of the week I found myself systematically going from class-to-class checking student's heads. We have a small school (about 130 students) so this much excitement in one week had the whole campus abuzz.
This week is promising to be just as challenging because it is the last week of the first quarter. Report card grades are due next Monday.
To top it off my computer recently crashed and I lost all my grades that I had registered in my electronic grade book. So, I have to start all over from scratch entering each assignment and corresponding grade manually one at a time.
I wonder if nursing is like teaching. We are so overworked and underpaid. I could literally live in my classroom around the clock and there would still be things to do. It is a job that is never finished. Most days I have to force myself to go home. When my spirits are low I fantasize about my work life as a full-time nurse.Call it the grass is always greener syndrome perhaps. It is more than that really. I sacrificed a lot to get a second-degree bachelor’s in nursing and I am looking forward to working in my field. My test next month is the final step on a very long journey.
I am the preschool, middle school language arts, high school Spanish teacher, and school nurse. I am also a wife, mother, and NCLEX candidate for next month.
Just getting through the pre-test was a drama in and of itself. The very first time I took it, I accidentally hit the “back” key and that totally erased my test and answers. There was no way that I could retrieve my answers. I had to start completely over. The pre-test is 150 questions, so I had to leave it for another day.
Second time around, I logged on and saw a message about maintenance scheduled. I was at a cyber café and thought that the message was related to the computer I was working on. On shared computers weird things always pop up. You learn to ignore them. The third time it popped up I realized that the program itself was going to shut off because of scheduled maintenance to start in less than an hour. I was on number 30 with 120 questions to go. What luck? Since I had already made the effort to leave the house, I decided to stay and answer questions until the program forced me off. I do not remember what number it stopped on but I did not get to finish the pre-test that day.
On my third attempt, I made it through all 150 questions but the feedback report would not generate. The window was just frozen. The program did tell me that I scored around 50-something%, but the opportunity to view the report that lists those questions I answered correctly and those I answered wrong with rationales was lost. I had to redo the test again. This would have to be another day.
I finally did get through the test on my fourth attempt, but not because I retook all of it. I tried as best I could to recheck the answers from the first, second, and third attempts so that I could generate the feedback report, but I was tired. In the end, I just wound up checking any answers to get through the 150 questions. This time my score improved to 64%. I obviously did better with random guessing. This time I got the report.
This was actually the last time that I tested and a percentage was calculated. Since that time I have just been constantly answering questions. There is no post-test that I can take as a measurement of progress. Although, over the weekend I am going to take the time to do Mosby’s Comprehensive Review CD-ROM which has two comprehensive tests, 1 and 2. They are 265 questions each. I will take test 1 on Saturday and test 2 on Sunday. That should give me some indication as to where I fall percentage wise.
As far as NCBSN, I went from the pre-test to answering the questions in the back of the lessons. I skipped the lessons. Don’t worry. Before my subscription is over, I will go through them all. I just wanted to get straight down to the business of answering questions. I have made it through all the questions with the exceptions of Pharmacology 1 and 2, as well as Alternative Type questions. I have a 75-minute prep period tomorrow in which I am going to attempt to answer both 40-question long Pharmacology sections (that’s a total of 80 questions). I will tell you this: my speed has increased. That does not mean that I get them correct 100% of the time, but I am reading questions and answering options faster than I was before. The other night at the cyber café I finished a 40-question section in 30 minutes.
Another reason why I have skipped the lessons is that I have a hard time reading on the computer. No, it’s not an eye thing. I would prefer to print something out and read it off of paper. On the paper I highlight, make side notes, circle and connect key concepts and phrases. I make the content my own. With this program printing out lesson sections is not easy, so plan to spend some serious time with your computer in order to get through it.
I will not allow myself to feel guilty about not going because I am exhausted. I am doing the very best I can. I came in immediately from work and hit the bed. Last week was particularly challenging for me at work. We had a broken arm and a lice outbreak in both elementary and middle schools. A fourth grade student fell out of tree and break her wrist. I immobilized her wrist (a NCLEX practice question that I remembered, good common sense too), packed it in ice, and whisked her off to the best possible clinic available. Once the cast was set, I phoned her parents to tell them about using a blow dryer on a cool setting to relieve itching and to watch for swollen and redden fingers (another NCLEX study question). She came back to the school sporting her new cast and arm sling thanking everyone that saved her life. She's such a joyous student. Now, climbing the trees are forbidden during recess.
Then the next day when an accreditation inspector was visiting, we had a lice outbreak. So, the for the rest of the week I found myself systematically going from class-to-class checking student's heads. We have a small school (about 130 students) so this much excitement in one week had the whole campus abuzz.
This week is promising to be just as challenging because it is the last week of the first quarter. Report card grades are due next Monday.
To top it off my computer recently crashed and I lost all my grades that I had registered in my electronic grade book. So, I have to start all over from scratch entering each assignment and corresponding grade manually one at a time.
I wonder if nursing is like teaching. We are so overworked and underpaid. I could literally live in my classroom around the clock and there would still be things to do. It is a job that is never finished. Most days I have to force myself to go home. When my spirits are low I fantasize about my work life as a full-time nurse.Call it the grass is always greener syndrome perhaps. It is more than that really. I sacrificed a lot to get a second-degree bachelor’s in nursing and I am looking forward to working in my field. My test next month is the final step on a very long journey.
I am the preschool, middle school language arts, high school Spanish teacher, and school nurse. I am also a wife, mother, and NCLEX candidate for next month.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Studying: getting the kinks out
My studying routine seems to be glancing at study materials throughout the work day when time permits. I currently work as an educator that offers nursing skills and knowledge every once in a while. So, you can imagine that this does not leave me with an excess of time during the day. I return home at 4pm and unwind. During this time I will intermittently review my written materials like Saunders and Mosby's. I find something to eat and head out to the internet cafe to study with the online NCSBN course. I am usually there from 8-11pm.
I come home exhausted, but my brain is still ticking racing through terms and concepts recently reviewed. Sometimes I feel as though I could continue to study throughout the night, but my ability to concentrate is compromised at this point and I sleep because I have to wake up at 6am the next day.
My anxiety levels about the test have chilled immensely. Just a few weeks ago I was a nervous wreck. I contacted former classmates who passed the exam ions ago for advice. One shared with me that she started studying one month in advance and did 100 questions and studied their rationales per day (I am up to 80 questions and per day). I was freaking out because I have been studying on and off since June and it appeared as though no matter how much I studied, I was still getting answers wrong--lots of them (50-60% correct). Often times, I would get the answer correct on my second guess. This would result because I would look at the correct answer (meaning it was my first choice) and then talk myself out of it and choose another one which was wrong. However, sometimes the "go with your first choice" technique does not yield the correct answer.
Aside from my low self-study scores, my anxiety was compounded by the fact that I simply cannot afford to NOT pass this test. There is so much riding on it. First of all, I am currently working in Africa (a story which I will expound upon at another time). I have to fly to London--an international test center--to take the test. They do not offer the test in any African country at this time. I could've flown back home to the States to take it, however three things quickly influenced that decision:
One, it is cheaper to fly to Europe from Africa than to the USA. I do not think that flying to New York is too badly priced, but I would be subsequently flying to the Midwest which increases the budget immensely. Secondly, I only have a limited about of time off of work. I am testing over the Thanksgiving Day weekend. Fortunately, that is not a special holiday in England so scheduling during that time was no problem. The distance between London and West Africa is shorter. I can get in and out quickly. Thirdly, I am not crossing time zones. They are on the same time zone. Meaning that my international jet lag will be greatly minimized and will greatly contribute to better testing conditions.
So, I am paying to take the test like everyone else, $200. I am also paying an extra $166 to take the test at an international testing site--that's $150 plus the Value Added Tax (VAT). My flight cost $1,200 round trip into London Heathrow. There are costs associated with my stay at a youth hostel, airport transfers, public transportation, and food. The British pound is 2:1 to the American dollar--I will pay double for everything once there. As you can see this is not a cheap test! It is not in my best interest to come away anything less than a RN.
However nowadays my anxiety levels have lowered considerably. Why? I just know that I am going to pass!
I have been doing a lot of positive visualization. During the time that I unwind from work each evening, I take some moments to lie down on my bed and imagine how my trip will unfold. I think about the airplane landing, going through immigration, walking through the terminal, looking for baggage claim, finding a bus into town, locating my hostel and checking in, and how I will spend that first day relaxing and calming my nerves (I fly arrive on Thursday morning and test on Friday). The morning of my arrival I will sleep once, having taken a red-eye in, once I'm settled. Then I plan to take the "tube", their subway system, to the testing center. I may even walk in and introduce myself. Then, I will eat dinner--my lone Thanksgiving Day dinner--and return to my hostel in preparation for tomorrow's test. I will do no studying throughout this whole time.
I envision myself entering the testing center the following day. My appointment is at 11:00am. I see myself at the computer reading questions, clicking away. I am not anxious. I may be challenged by the questions, but I am not stressed. The computer cuts off at 75! The screen turns white and blinks a bit before informing me that my test is over. I head out to a traditional British pub to celebrate.
I continue this positive visualization day after day. It has helped incredibly to calm my nerves. I have done it so many times that it really feels as though I have already passed the test. So much so, that the studying I am doing now feels like I am just going through the motions (fulfilling my end of a contract), but I have definitely already passed.
This is not to say that I do not get frustrated while studying. I do, especially when I get problems wrong. Sometimes I get them wrong simply because I did not read the question correctly. For example, the question may read that "the client is in need of further instruction if s/he states . . ." In my haste, I choose an answer that reflects a correct understanding of the condition or medication regimen while overlooking the fact that I should have chosen the false-negative response. So, it is little things like that that frustrate me. Fortunately, this is something that I can work on with myself if I just slow down and learn to READ the question before jumping quickly to answer it.
I also know that I have several weak subject areas like pharmacology and delegation. In my haste to tackle as many questions as possible--I am still trying to work myself up to 100 questions a day like my former classmate--I keep putting off reviewing these subject areas. I know that I have to take time to get these subjects in my head.
Additionally, I feel as though there is a significant difference in the types of questions I see in Saunders and Mosby's and those with the online NCSBN course. The NCSBN course questions are definitely harder. It's good though. However, sometimes it seems as those the rationales depending on the review material differ. I can get accustomed to reading and applying Saunders rationales throughout my practice--like avoiding answers that use the word "only" or going for the "global umbrella answer", but when I practice with NCSBN the reasoning behind the rationales differ slightly. Does that make sense to you? It is almost like getting used to the household rules of one family and then moving to another with a totally different setup. Of course, nursing is still nursing but it is the slight nuiances like that that can trip you up on some questions.
I come home exhausted, but my brain is still ticking racing through terms and concepts recently reviewed. Sometimes I feel as though I could continue to study throughout the night, but my ability to concentrate is compromised at this point and I sleep because I have to wake up at 6am the next day.
My anxiety levels about the test have chilled immensely. Just a few weeks ago I was a nervous wreck. I contacted former classmates who passed the exam ions ago for advice. One shared with me that she started studying one month in advance and did 100 questions and studied their rationales per day (I am up to 80 questions and per day). I was freaking out because I have been studying on and off since June and it appeared as though no matter how much I studied, I was still getting answers wrong--lots of them (50-60% correct). Often times, I would get the answer correct on my second guess. This would result because I would look at the correct answer (meaning it was my first choice) and then talk myself out of it and choose another one which was wrong. However, sometimes the "go with your first choice" technique does not yield the correct answer.
Aside from my low self-study scores, my anxiety was compounded by the fact that I simply cannot afford to NOT pass this test. There is so much riding on it. First of all, I am currently working in Africa (a story which I will expound upon at another time). I have to fly to London--an international test center--to take the test. They do not offer the test in any African country at this time. I could've flown back home to the States to take it, however three things quickly influenced that decision:
One, it is cheaper to fly to Europe from Africa than to the USA. I do not think that flying to New York is too badly priced, but I would be subsequently flying to the Midwest which increases the budget immensely. Secondly, I only have a limited about of time off of work. I am testing over the Thanksgiving Day weekend. Fortunately, that is not a special holiday in England so scheduling during that time was no problem. The distance between London and West Africa is shorter. I can get in and out quickly. Thirdly, I am not crossing time zones. They are on the same time zone. Meaning that my international jet lag will be greatly minimized and will greatly contribute to better testing conditions.
So, I am paying to take the test like everyone else, $200. I am also paying an extra $166 to take the test at an international testing site--that's $150 plus the Value Added Tax (VAT). My flight cost $1,200 round trip into London Heathrow. There are costs associated with my stay at a youth hostel, airport transfers, public transportation, and food. The British pound is 2:1 to the American dollar--I will pay double for everything once there. As you can see this is not a cheap test! It is not in my best interest to come away anything less than a RN.
However nowadays my anxiety levels have lowered considerably. Why? I just know that I am going to pass!
I have been doing a lot of positive visualization. During the time that I unwind from work each evening, I take some moments to lie down on my bed and imagine how my trip will unfold. I think about the airplane landing, going through immigration, walking through the terminal, looking for baggage claim, finding a bus into town, locating my hostel and checking in, and how I will spend that first day relaxing and calming my nerves (I fly arrive on Thursday morning and test on Friday). The morning of my arrival I will sleep once, having taken a red-eye in, once I'm settled. Then I plan to take the "tube", their subway system, to the testing center. I may even walk in and introduce myself. Then, I will eat dinner--my lone Thanksgiving Day dinner--and return to my hostel in preparation for tomorrow's test. I will do no studying throughout this whole time.
I envision myself entering the testing center the following day. My appointment is at 11:00am. I see myself at the computer reading questions, clicking away. I am not anxious. I may be challenged by the questions, but I am not stressed. The computer cuts off at 75! The screen turns white and blinks a bit before informing me that my test is over. I head out to a traditional British pub to celebrate.
I continue this positive visualization day after day. It has helped incredibly to calm my nerves. I have done it so many times that it really feels as though I have already passed the test. So much so, that the studying I am doing now feels like I am just going through the motions (fulfilling my end of a contract), but I have definitely already passed.
This is not to say that I do not get frustrated while studying. I do, especially when I get problems wrong. Sometimes I get them wrong simply because I did not read the question correctly. For example, the question may read that "the client is in need of further instruction if s/he states . . ." In my haste, I choose an answer that reflects a correct understanding of the condition or medication regimen while overlooking the fact that I should have chosen the false-negative response. So, it is little things like that that frustrate me. Fortunately, this is something that I can work on with myself if I just slow down and learn to READ the question before jumping quickly to answer it.
I also know that I have several weak subject areas like pharmacology and delegation. In my haste to tackle as many questions as possible--I am still trying to work myself up to 100 questions a day like my former classmate--I keep putting off reviewing these subject areas. I know that I have to take time to get these subjects in my head.
Additionally, I feel as though there is a significant difference in the types of questions I see in Saunders and Mosby's and those with the online NCSBN course. The NCSBN course questions are definitely harder. It's good though. However, sometimes it seems as those the rationales depending on the review material differ. I can get accustomed to reading and applying Saunders rationales throughout my practice--like avoiding answers that use the word "only" or going for the "global umbrella answer", but when I practice with NCSBN the reasoning behind the rationales differ slightly. Does that make sense to you? It is almost like getting used to the household rules of one family and then moving to another with a totally different setup. Of course, nursing is still nursing but it is the slight nuiances like that that can trip you up on some questions.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Basics
My upcoming NCLEX examination is Friday, November 23, 2007 (the day after Thanksgiving). Today is October 16th which leaves me 38 days to prepare.
I decided to document this experience (or at least the last leg of it) because I found myself searching the web for study and testing testimonies. In case you do not know, NCLEX stands for National Council Licensure Examination. It is the exam that if successfully passed allows for state nursing licensure in the US. There are two NCLEX exams: one for registered nurses and one for licensed practical nurses. I am preparing for the former.
Wish me luck!
I decided to document this experience (or at least the last leg of it) because I found myself searching the web for study and testing testimonies. In case you do not know, NCLEX stands for National Council Licensure Examination. It is the exam that if successfully passed allows for state nursing licensure in the US. There are two NCLEX exams: one for registered nurses and one for licensed practical nurses. I am preparing for the former.
Wish me luck!
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