The Big Day has arrived

[Hound dog]

I take the nursing entrance exam today at 12:30 pm.

I've studied until I'm blue in the face everything I could think of. I've practiced math problems until my hands cramped. All I can do is hope it has been enough.

My family will just be glad it's over and I'll stop talking to myself. Or jumping down their throats when they interrupt my studying or when I'm taking a practice test.

The anticipation is driving me crazy. I'm scared, but no panic. I've got my magnifying glass, my graph paper, pencils, erasers, and a stratagy. Getting ready for bed and hope I can sleep.

I'd appreciate and good thoughts, juju, vibes, or prayers you want to send my way this afternoon. Good or bad, I'll let you know.

Thanks

 

[flutterbee]

Sending every good vibe I have.

Good luck!

 

[Suz]

Good luck, Lisa. You have worked long and hard for this day. You are ready.

Sending good thoughts.

Hugs,
Suz

 

[donna723]

Sending lots of good thoughts. You've worked so hard, I know you'll do well.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Lisa,

I know how much time and effort you've put into preparing for this day. I know how much you want this. I KNOW you're going to do well today!!!

Sending lots of positive thoughts and good vibes your way... WFEN

 

[Lothlorien]

Good luck, today!

 

[Jena]

I'm sorry i'm late to this, rough night with-difficult child. I am sending you good vibes, doing that little dance thing everone talks about!!!!!! With beads in hand!!!

Your going to do great. you have worked so hard, i'm so excited for you it's finally here now. Wow. Just take deep breaths, and dont' forget to keep us posted!!!!!!

 

[Steely]

Well, I am coming in late, so I don't know if my prayers help now

So no to the present - how did it go????

 

[Hound dog]

I got up this morning horribly sick to my stomach. It started yesterday. I got a whopping 5 hours of sleep. But at least I did sleep. Not sure if the digestive troubles are nerves or a bug or a combination. Anxiety can be such an ugly thing. lol I took over the counter medications to hold off the symptoms until after the test. (hopefully)

I'll be leaving in about an hour for the test. I did a little math practice to get my brain into math mode. Did a little looking over my notes. And stopped because I started to panic. Nothing serious. Sometimes I do it before finals too, depending on the class. So no more studying. I either know it or not.

I'll let you know. At least I don't have to wait for the results.

 

[everywoman]

I know you will do well. You are prepared and that is the biggest battle. Good luck. Let us know how you do.

 

[Shari]

Sending vibes and crossing everything!

 

[klmno]

It's 12:30 right now where I am and I think in Ohio, too- I'm thinking of you and with you in spirit and I'd give you the answers but you're a lot better off choosing them yourself!! Good Luck!!

 

[Hound dog]

Drumroll.............

And I failed. Miserably.

I had all I could do not to get up and walk out after the Math portion. I knew I'd bombed it. But I'm not a quitter. I took a smoke break and sat back down and finished the test.

No where close to passing. Obviously I'm incapable of doing Math under timed conditions. I improved my spelling grade and grammer, but it wasn't enough to cover the total bombing of the math section.

So I went to talk to the nursing director. My score last time more than qualified me for the LPN program. I've already met all of the qualifications except filling out the application and interviewing with the director of that program. I could start in the spring quarter and be done by spring 2010. The pay difference is only about 5 or so dollars an hour. Basically the same job, little less pay.

I dunno. Looks like I've got some realistic thinking to do.

Thanks for the good thoughts and finger crossing. Too bad it was for nothing.:2dissapointed:

 

[klmno]

Oh, Lisa, I'm sorry! Rest up this weekend- don't beat yourself up over this. Having trouble on certain tests doesn't mean you have nothing to offer- you know that deep inside. Regroup and feel better and maybe next week you can discuss the whole thing with a couple of people to see what options there are. Maybe there are more options than it seems like right now.

 

[flutterbee]

Lisa, I'm so sorry. You worked so hard.

Janet is on the phone with me. She wants me to ask you if you can ask the school if you can get something from your doctor because you have a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to allow more time on the math portion.

(((hugs)))

 

[Suz]

I'm sorry, Lisa..........but it wasn't "for nothing." It just didn't produce the results you wanted this time.

I wouldn't give up but I would suggest that you give serious thought as to what you want to do. Many/most people have to take the Bar exam several times. I work with a couple of associations that have "Diplomate" status exams and many/most applicants have to take part or all of them over...and over...again.

So please don't let failing the exam be your decision-maker- the good news is that it showed you what you need to do to prepare for a second round if you want to try again. And you need to determine what you need to do in the interim between exams. Do they have a tutoring program? Can you pass some parts of the exams and just re-take those parts you had difficulty with?

I'm sure you are discouraged but remember all that you have faced and triumphed over the last few years- it would boggle the minds of your proctors.

Hugs,
Suz

 

[crazymama30]

If you get your LPN license, do you still have to take the entrance exam to go from an LPN to a RN ? I know in many areas it is different to go into an RN program or to go into an LPN to RN program. Just a thought. Timed tests bite big time. I am so sorry, you did work very hard.

 

[donna723]

Oh Lisa, I am so sorry! I know how disappointed you must be!

There's a lot to be said for an LPN program though! My daughter went through the State vocational school to get her LPN several years ago. It's through the vocational school but all the classes and clinicals were conducted at a large hospital. It took a little over a year for her to go through the program and take her State boards. It may be different in other areas, but the community college here had a very good 2-year RN program. If you were to start out there, you have to take all the 'required' classes like English, Basket Weaving and Folk Dancing and the basic nursing classes the first year, then the second year concentrates on the more advanced nursing subjects. BUT if you are already an LPN, you can go through just that last year and take only the nursing-related classes and have your RN in just one more year! When my daughter was in school she had a friend who was going through the RN program at the same time. She said that the main difference was that the RN students spent more time in each area.

After my daughter passed her State boards, she was hired by the same hospital where she had gone to school and worked there a year and a half. Had she stayed here in Tennessee, she could have gone through that second year of the RN program at the community college while still working as an LPN at the hospital part time and they would have assisted with her tuition in exchange for her agreeing to work at the hospital for a period of time after she got her RN. But she moved out of state, first to Florida, then to S. Carolina when she married, and unfortunately it doesnt't carry over to another state. Even with just her LPN, she's always been able to find a good job. She just started a new job at the outpatient clinic that is part of the hospital and she really likes it. She works regular business hours, Mon-Fri., and has every weekend and holiday off! She makes pretty good money too! It's certainly worth looking in to!

 

[KTMom91]

I'm sorry, Lisa. Could you complete the LPN program and then test again for entrance to the RN program? You're probably so burned out right now, this is the last thing you want to think about. Hope you have a peaceful weekend. Many hugs.

 

[Hound dog]

I'm not knocking LPNs by a long shot. That is the very program I walked out of 3 weeks before graduation 26 years ago. Maybe this is "Someone upstairs" way of telling me I need to finish that before moving on. At this point I don't know.

I know I was as prepared as I could be for this one. And the math portion started and it was gone. I even gave myself several long moments to breathe and refocus. That did help, but not much. I was messing up horribly on easy problems and I knew it. I just couldn't seem to get my brain to kick into gear. Sad to say that by the time I got to the math section my case of nerves was gone. So nerves wasn't the problem. It was like it was a whole new set of problems and my brain decided to shut off instead of work. argh!

I feel like I've been hit by that truck all over again. It really hoovers. I don't think it was anxiety or a bad case of nerves. This happened too often in Algebra class. I'm thinking it is the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and there isn't going to be a whole lot I can do about it. I can do much of this stuff on a calculator, but can't do long drawn out math problems because I get lost half way thru and forget what I'm doing or start getting the numbers mixed up. And if I feel rushed.......my brain seems to go on overload and shuts down.

I can "step up" after doing the LPN into the RN program, after working the required 1000 hours as an LPN. BUT I still have to take an entrance exam. Although easy child swears it's not the same exam.......I know we had 2 others in testing today who were LPNs and were having to take the same test. And I've already asked the lady I spoke to and she said yes, it would be the same one. I guess I could ask again during the interview to be certain.

Also the woman I spoke to said I could go ahead and sign up for the LPN and still retake the test......and if I pass it, I can switch back over into the RN. That lets me retake the test and saves my spot in the LPN if I fail again.

Paramedic is also an option.

But I have to say failing this test has shaken my self confidence more than just a bit. For years I've told Travis and Nichole they aren't stupid because of their disabilities and they should feel they are. And yet, I know how they feel. Even knowing the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is most likely the cause (this never was an issue before the accident) I'm finding it hard not to feel stupid because I can't pass a math test. *sniff*

Maybe it's a good thing I decided to take another math class next quarter.

Heather, tell Janet I dunno. I'd have to ask someone in the disabilities office if it could be done and how to do it. I never even thought of it.

I'm going to start talking to people and hash things over with easy child before deciding my next move.

And although I am sorely tempted........ I am not quitting.

You guys are the bestest ever.

(((hugs)))