If you follow us on our Facebook Fan page, you may remember that we invited everyone to share a nursing experience that may inspire or even touch someone else’s life. If you have any story to share, feel free to send them at stories stories@nursesnotes.org. Meanwhile, here’s a wonderful message that was made out of true inspiration from Nurse Tina – our first sender from the Philippines.

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Dear Future Nurse,

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Good day! First of all, I like to express my warmest appreciation for spending your most valued time reading my letter. It must be pretty hard for you to joggle things up in your hectic schedule, especially now that you are on your way to start on all your Nurse Licensure Examination preparations. It has already been a year when I, with my greatest capacity, got ready for the much awaited NLE. I, too, was in the exact position as you are right now a year ago, filled with all the ambivalence I never imagined I would be experiencing—anxious yet excited, determined yet hesitant. Although the board exam will never be easy getting through with, passing it will always be a great accomplishment! Well, don’t fret. Chill… You can check out some of my B.O.A.R.D. E.X.A.M. tips that you might want to try.

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B-oard is BROAD
The Nurse Licensure Examination is not the typical exam that you have back in your college years. It’s more like taking an exam of all the things that you studied during the time of your BSN program. Unlike your usual departmentalized exams wherein the ranges of topics are most often predictable, the NLE may contain even the rarest ones that you are least expecting to come out. It would be helpful to take note of the topics that you haven’t encountered yet so that you wouldn’t end up leaving them out. Also, there is a thin line of difference between the topics that you know and that you are ‘familiar’ with for the latter requires a bit more of your mastery. Of course, even if you already have the list of the topics that you already ‘know’ about, it is still very beneficial to allot some time to read or master them once again.

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O-verconfidence
It’s unhealthy to be morbidly ashamed of one’s abilities. However, you shouldn’t be too confident that you can do everything. You have to recognize that you too have your own weaknesses and that you might need the assistance of other people. Don’t hesitate to raise your concerns. Consult some RNs you know, your previous professors (in case they are amenable with that) or your review instructors. They can provide you much enlightenment on those topics that you find vague or difficult.

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A-mplify!
Amplify everything in you—friends and family ties, faith in the Almighty, and your will power. Fortification of these can further help you endure all the challenges that you might encounter along the way.

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R-eadiness
Having been able to prepare your list of review topics and resource materials, you are on your way to proceed with your review per se. Attending classes in review centers are optional. However, if you really feel that you are more comfortable with that type of review strategy then go for it! Most importantly, you have to demonstrate preparedness to what I call your PIES—physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your present status. If you don’t feel like taking the NLE just yet; maybe because of an emotional upheaval or a physical condition of some sort, don’t be afraid to postpone it. You have to create balance within these four major factors of readiness in order for you to proceed in your NLE prep smooth and sound.

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D-art your target
One thing I learned in Philosophy is that “an action is always driven by a motive”. It might help to remember this equation: MOTIVE=TARGET and that TARGET=PASSING THE NLE. You have to set your goals for they will act as your ‘blueprints’ to your success. We all have our personal reasons in taking and PASSING the NLE. Whatever it is, if it keeps the drive in you, well then GO!

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E-limination
As our body takes away all the unnecessary entities in it for it to function more effectively, I think it would be reasonable enough to incorporate that ‘dogma’ within your review or NLE preparation period. ELIMINATE everything that might cause distraction.

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‘X’ notes are worth your glimpse!
The NLE is fast approaching and you want to stop reading or reviewing. Oops, not so fast. If you still have ample time, try to go over your old notes. You might want to welcome the possibility that, maybe, the topics in there might show up. Never lose a chance!

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A-ddress check!
It’s a week before your board exam. Do your own survey of your testing site in order to know your room number Search the easiest route, prominent landmarks and establishments around. That will surely help!

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M-ilk before you sleep.
If you have difficulty sleeping, try drinking a warm glass of milk before going to bed. Nothing beats having a complete eight (or make it ten) hours of sleep. Enjoy your slumber for the biggest day of your Nursing Life!

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I hope these pointers I mentioned will help you in a way or two in your venture towards your board exam. See you on your oath taking my future COLLEAGUE.

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Lovelots,

Nurse Tina c:

The National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN®) measures the knowledge and abilities necessary for entry level nurses. Competency and knowledge needs to be tested because we deal with lives and it is necessary before we work on any hospital legally. It is administered by Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT), which individualizes tests to match the unique competencies of each test taker. Each exam adheres to the NCLEX-RN® Test Plan, which describes the content and scope of RN competencies. The practices basic to nursing (e.g., nursing process, caring, teaching, learning, communication, documentation) are integrated throughout, and most questions require application and analysis of information.

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Taking the NCLEX-RN® Test on a Computer
■ First: You will receive general information about the exam and the testing center. Your time spent on this will not count.
■ Second: You will take a tutorial on how to use the computer to answer the questions on NCLEX-RN®. Your answers will not count toward your score, but the time you take will be subtracted from the total 6 hours you have for the exam.
■ Third: You will then be presented with real NCLEX-RN® items; there will be between 75 and 265 items. The test ends when it is 95% certain your ability is ↑ or ↓ the passing standard.

■ Answers may be selected or deleted several times if desired before confirming a final answer. You must answer every question. You cannot return to a previous question though.
■ A time-remaining clock is in the screen’s upper right-hand corner which you can hide if it causes anxiety. But clock timer would remain and cannot be hidden in the last 15 minutes of your 6-hour exam time.
■ A calculator on the computer is available for calculations.

■ Try not to wear any type of jewelry or charms on your day of examination because you will be asked to remove them. No earring, necklace, bracelet, watch would be allowed. If you insist not to remove your wedding ring, the testing center might allow you but a report on your Board of Nursing will be sent regarding this matter even after a tight inspection.

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Go to www.NCSBN.org to access an NCLEX tutorial to practice multiple choice and alternate format items on the computer.

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Good luck on your examination and we wish you all the best!

Nurses Notes

Your Source. Your Guide.

Health care workers and professionals, including nurses, can now look forward to working inGuam.

Emmanuel Geslani, a recruitment consultant from Guam said that because of the transfer of a military base from Okinawa, Japan to Guam. The country will now need to recruit foreign workers to address their health care needs.

The said military base relocation will be completed by 2012. And during this time, it is advised that nurses who wants to work in Guam should now ready themselves so they will be qualified for nursing job opportunities there.

Aside from nurses, some of the needed positions that will require employment are medical technicians in radiology, cardio labs, CT-Scan, occupational and physical therapists, medical transcriptionists and medical administrative personnel.