It was 8:30 am and I am anxiously waiting at a café infront of the testing center. I was too early for a 10am appointment. While waiting, I decided to recall the normal values I memorized, the meds, and the disease processes I am so familiar with.
And then, it’s time. I took one deep breath and stood up. My mind was really like floating in the air as I really can’t understand what I’m feeling right that moment. My insides were like shaking. The lady at front desk asked for my right hand, and I gave her my left. She said she understood and gave me a smile.
Then the next lady gave me something where I could write down my computations and stuff. The testing room was a bit small but really didn’t bother me. I sat down and said a little, quick prayer. Took my shoes off and put my feet up the chair. :)) Just to make myself comfortable amidst the sickness I’m feeling inside.
I read the first question and I was like, “WHAT WAS THAT??” I thought the first question should be an easy one?? Seriously. I was asking the computer back. We were like a couple that got into a fight and couldn’t understand each other. The questions went on and on. Until I had a Dopamine titration computation. I told myself, “Atlast I have something I am sure of.” After each question then, I was losing hope. The minimum questions the computer can give you is 75 and max is 265. And mine shut down at 75. So it means this early, my fate had been decided. I walked out of the room trying to accept that I failed.
50% of the question were SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. 40% were Prioritization and Delegation. I had one Drag and Drop question. Disease process. One Exhibit question.
Some would be curious of how I prepared for this beast. This is how:
I took a week off from my work. Gathered my books. (Saunder’s Compre Review, Kaplan Strategies, Prioritization Delegation Assignment by LaCharity) And looked for a café to study at. I spent 7 hours a day for that whole week. I even had nightmares of NCLEX questions before the exam. And that’s how stressed I felt.
For future takers who might want to know the questions I got, I’m sorry I couldn’t state the exact wording but here are those that are still crystal clear in my mind:
-Select All That Apply. About Continuous Positive Airway Pressure/CPAP, Synchronized Intermittent Mechanical Ventilation/SMVP, Liquid Oxygen, Quality Improvement
-The patient was prescribed Med-A, which of the following indicates a correct understanding of the med prescribed? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. (This type of questions are the worst. Also known as “SATA”. And I had 50% of them. A lot of nursing teaching about meds in SATA mode. Why the hell could they just make it all Multiple Choice! Just saying. J)
-Meds like Oxybutynin, Aricept, Haldol, Epogen, Theophylline. The rest I couldn’t remember.
-Disease process like Huntington’s Dse, Acute L. Leukemia, Meniere’s Dse, Hypothyroidism, fluid imbalance like Hypocalcemia
-Dopamine titration computation, Intake computation given in oz. where I went mad because one of the intake given was stated as “1 baked chicken” I was like, wth? How am I supposed to know how much that 1 baked chicken is? So I just decided that it might be 1 oz. Whatever. J
-Airborne, Droplet, or Contact Precaution.
-Drag and drop type question. (Donning of PPE)
-Exhibit type question. ECG strip was given and I’m supposed to choose among the following choices which one could be the most possible reason why the client’s ECG shows like that.
-Like what I’ve said, 40% of Q were like “Which of the clients would you see/visit FIRST.” Which of the clients would you call back FIRST.” “Which of the ff clients could you delegate to a nursing assistant or an LPN.”
THE REST IS HISTORY. :D
It was an agonizing 48h before I could get the result. And yes, I did it. K.O.! :)
Thank God.
Thanks to my family and friends who have been supportive. You know who you are. And there’s this one special person who already had a gift for me the day before the exam coz he said he knows that I can make it.
Lastly, salamat sa mga taong naging masaya para sakin.
