In completing this ATI Adaptive exam, I was happy to finish at 75 questions. I thought that this exam was far easier than the pharmacology exam we previously took. There were some questions where I failed to read the full question and jumped to an answer that ended up being wrong. Overall, I was impressed with myself given my struggles in our Med-Surg classes. I felt from these courses I had been more prepared for this exam rather than the pharmacology one. There were topics that I felt I definitely knew but others where I should brush the cobwebs off.
Completing this exam early feels really good and is another thing to cross off my list until graduation! The only issue with these exams is that they take an enormous amount of time which limits my studying time for other courses. It is pretty tedious to have to retype the questions and I wish that we no longer had to do that…
In taking this quiz I realized that I need to brush up on my medication knowledge. A lot of this exam was drugs and their adverse affects which is where I got most wrong. I felt like a lot of these drugs I had not even heard of before through UNE nursing which seemed concerning for me. Drugs are all memorization so I was able to see which drugs I need to make flashcards for. I found that the questions asking which side effect were the most relevant vs. the other possible side effects given were not beneficial to my learning. I eventually was getting frustrated but continued to pursue. I wanted to treat this as if it were the NCLEX so I knew what it would feel like to sit through possibly 265 questions. After clicking past question 75 I felt discouraged in myself and took a little breather but it was good to realize my grade does not reflect the number of questions I have to take!
Watching the movie NURSES If Florence Could See Us Now made me realize how important nurses are to the population and the impact we make. I enjoyed this movie and felt connected to what the speakers were saying. I cannot say I learned anything from this movie but rather it was a movie that I felt connected to, and became emotional to in some scenes. It felt wonderful to hear the impact we make in even the simplest of matters and how much of a personal experience our job is.
In preparing for an interview to set myself apart from other applicants, I plan to show my true self and make sure they know my beneficial aspects to their floor/unit. I will most definitely research the organization’s missions and practice models to ensure that I resonate with their beliefs. In discussing my clinical experiences I will go in depth on the hours I have performed and the floors I have participated on. I also would add my CNA work experience and, because I want to specialize in oncology, to benefit myself more, I will discuss my position as a CNA on Maine Medical’s Oncology Unit. A major challenge I have is having confidence in myself. I am extremely hard on myself and I let it show through my work occasionally. I take things very personal and to heart which can make me emotional. To try and address this I set little, reasonable, goals for myself and when something goes wrong or not how I planned I talk myself through it.
As I look forward to graduation, licensure, and my first job, I am most excited to be out of schooling and start an “adult” lifestyle. It will feel so good to finish my schooling at twenty-two and be able to begin my dream profession. I will be able to get my own apartment and truly be on my own…without an educational schedule! I have to say, it is a relieving thought to know there is an end coming near and exams will be a part of the past (my worst nightmares!) To celebrate I will have my family around me at a party commemorating my achievements. It is typical in my family to have cook-out parties with everyone included and to just enjoy our time spent together and recognize the purpose of that day. One thing I am most anxious about is getting my dream position. Right now, I aspire to be a pediatric nurse in oncology but I know it is going to be a hard road to get there. The process of getting that first job is nerve racking and I know, just as college applications went, that there will be declinations.
To prepare and plan my weekly studies to stay focused and on track I plan to complete schooling five days a week. That allows me to have two days to work and focus on myself and my mental health. One thing I really want to incorporate into this semester is going to the gym with my friend at least three times a week. With all this studying comes a lot of sitting and I prefer to be more active. I have started to read textbooks more but also doing “quick-reads” where I am just reading on the information I do not understand and what is recommended by the professor.
The ATI Nurse Logic 2.0 Modules have taught me how to study for the exams (ATI assessments and NCLEX-RN) and what the test taking situation will look like. I need more help on the clinical judgement factor of exams and I found that these really help better my understanding on what the questions will look like. Most importantly it is preparing me for the NCLEX and I feel that it does a great job in doing so!
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides the student with the opportunity to engage in learning activities designed to facilitate the transition from student nurse to that of a professional registered nurse. Emphasis is placed on furthering each student’s knowledge and skills for licensing preparation, career development, and lifelong learning.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Generate evidence that supports the transition to professional registered nurse.
- Demonstrate the ability to translate theoretically guided evidence into practice.
- Investigate legal and ethical parameters of nursing practice.
- Examine data from a variety of sources to promote safe nursing practice.
- Address the impact of organizations and work environments on the nurse entering practice.
- Demonstrate personal and professional responsibility for continued growth and development.
- Analyze contemporary health care trends and issues and the impact on professional nursing.
