Preparing for the Examination

Exam is part of our life whether it is on school or anywhere else in the world. Exams are not meant to terrorize us but are given by God or by our Teachers to gauge how much we have learned. Examinations are also part of the Process were we usually apply as a Nursing Student (Nursing Process) it is mostly found in the Evaluation Phase. Ahw hala! Preparing for the Exam ngean ako! Hehe!. Lets go back to the topic This are the things that we should do in preparing for the exam.

A Positive Outlook The first step in preparing for the exam is psyching ourselves. Negative attitude and pessimistic perception about exams get in the way to an efficient preparation for the Inevitable Day. Think Positive. The primary goal is to check which topics needs more emphasis and what areas of the subject require more studying. Quit complaining. Theres no point in feeling bad about exams because whether we dont like it or .. coz we dont really like it nman DB??, masmaupy kun tagan ta nala tala na paghigugma an exam coz exam is a course requirement that we have to take. Study Ahead of Time The activities that we have been doing for the whole semester- Making assignments, reciting in class, listening to lectures are all ways of preparing for the exam. Dont underestimate the subject, always allot time for studying everyday, even 3 hours only. This will help us minimize cramming. Ask for Pointers Most of our CIs are very generous they give us pointers for review, other CIs also give us the breakdown of the exam questions- (how many point are allotted per topic and what type of questions would be asked most). In our college we are trained by our beloved CIs to answer the (Board type questions) this questions are complex situational and analytical questions wherein we are given a set of situations which we have to choose and prioritize the most appropriate nursing intervention for patient. Ideally, we have to review all topics regardless of the point allocation. However, there are times when we are pushed against the wall due to time constrains and we are left to choose and prioritize. Have Proper time management If the breakdown of the questions per topic was not given, allot more time for complicated and unfamiliar chapters. Arrange your schedule in such a way that the day before the exam is mastery day. No more new topics to learn, just plain and simple re-reading of previously highlighted books and notes. Get a Goodnight Sleep Avoid staying awake late at night to cram before the exam. Make sure you get a good night sleep to keep your mind alert and focused during the exam. There is no use preparing for the test if you will just be dazed and half awake while taking the exam which is most commonly done by our batchtama??? haha! Peace Chrosopeople!...

During the Examination

Have a Nutritious Breakfast Dont skip breakfast even if you are in a hurry for the exam. Eat nutritious food and avoid diuretics such as iced tea or coffee. Avoid also those things that can make you feel uncomfortable paro sa test paperhaha joke! Ready your Equipment To avoid additional stress, never forget to bring your favorite ballpen (eto maanswerun man an dada) extra money for the test paper incase deri mka paxerox sa admin and Yellowpad ayaw pagpinangaru paru saAk! Ky dka api sa budget Haha! Always bring hard sweet candy for extra fuel sa Brain Maam Mary Day Florano and water to rehydrate. Arrive on time or Earlier We are future Nurses we are trained to be always 15 minutes ahead of time, make it a point to arrive on time or earlier for the exam to give ourselves a chance to keep calm and to relax our mind. Keep Calm and Pray Try to relax yourself dont be so excited, close your eyes, Pray and feel the presence of our Lord Write your name on the answer sheet Never forget to write your name before answering the first question Manage your time well Before starting, browse through the whole exam. Roughly estimate the time you are allotting per section. First, answer questions that you are most comfortable with or you know most then move on to more difficult questions. Dont spend soooo much time in one question, compromising the other questions of the exam. Remember that the goal is to get as much points as you can within the time allotted. Write Legibly Ouch! natamaAn nlat ak.. to tell you honestly among the Chrysopriase 2013 I am always be given the award of pinaka mabara an agi! other CIs scolded me about my bad penmanship but to tell you guys I always tried to make my handwriting clear and legible. Our handwriting should be legible enough for the teacher to understand. This is profoundly important in essay type of exams. Even if your answer is correct but if our CIs can barely decipher you hieroglyphics, she could just simply put a big question mark on your paper Be careful of numbering When answering exams, always check your numbering. Make sure that the question number coincides with the number in your answer sheet. Be extra careful when skipping answer in multiple choice exams because you might skip one number and displace all your succeeding answers. Dont leave a question Unanswered Dont leave any question unanswered, always give it a try. Use your instinct and make the most educated guess.

Be Wary of Semantics Some questions come with words such as: The following are correct intervention EXCEPT Which of the following is not true Read the lines carefully. Make sure you do not miss these as they can spell a big difference in your answer. Recheck you Answers If there are answers that you are unsure of, leave them blank first or in what I practiced I put a very small dot before the letter of choice and simply go back after attending to the other parts of the exam. I have read some books that tells how to use the theory of internal validity though it is not really a theory it sometimes helps me in answering board type questions where clues to questions are sometimes embedded in some other part of the exam. It is wise to allot several minutes to recheck your answers. Read through the questions again as you try to recall the things you have read and studied. -JONAS ESPIA EJERCITO

Answering a multiple choice questions For multiple choice exams, cover the choices first and answer on your own to avoid bias. If no answer pops in your head, uncover the choices and start your method of elimination: 1. Remove choices that are incorrect for sure based on what you know. 2. Rule out the choice thats loosely associated or is not answering the question 3. Choose between an answer thats correct and one answer thats very close. And lastly 4. Make your most educated guess.

Mental Block!!! Have you been too anxious that your mind just went blank and you could barely recall a thing in the middle of an exam? Dont panic. The key is to relax and keep calm. Close your eyes and pray. You know you have prepared well for the big day. You will not allow tension and anxiety take away your recollection of the topics you have studied! Breathe deeply and slowly. As you try recalling the answers and topics you studied , slowly take a deep breath then exhale. Take charge and be in control of your emotions by keeping calm. Maintain a positive attitude. Agitation can make us think of negative ideas and say phrases such as, Kauyam sa Exam. Diak mapasar nlat, kunta wara ka imbento an exam haizt do yourself a favor. Dismiss those ill thoughts and tell yourself, kaya ko ine kay nagaram ak ngan bubuligan ak ni God. -JONAS ESPIA EJERCITO