It takes more than studying to do well
Intangibles play a role in the CRNI exam
All the studying in the world won't help if you walk into the test a nervous wreck, fretting and overanalyzing every test question. Here are tips from Darnell Roth, CRNI, CEO of DR Intravenous Therapy Consulting, on doing your best on test day once the preparation phase is over:
* Don't rush. "Allow ample time to reach the test site," says Roth. "Do a trial run to determine commuting time, and do the trial run on the same day that the test is held because that will give you a good idea of traffic conditions."
During the test run, check out parking and see if you need money for parking or tolls. The extra time will also allow you to take care of any personal hygiene matters before the exam.
"Don't go in with a full bladder," says Roth.>
Also, be sure to come to the test prepared.
"Buy three or four mechanical pencils in advance," she adds. "Don't be scurrying around the morning of the test to find an open Walgreens to acquire these needed items."
* Relax. The night before the exam is not the time to cram. "Get a good night's rest," says Roth. "Don't lie there and study all night."
As you travel to the test, don't try to get in any last-minute studying. Take the time to calm yourself and enter the exam with a clear head. "Try to employ relaxation exercises," she says. "Listen to some soothing music. On the way to the exam is not the time to listen to review tapes. If you don't have the knowledge by then, you're not going to have it. Last minute studying is only going to get you more tense."
* Stick to your normal routine. Roth says you want to be comfortable during the test, so follow your normal morning procedures.
"If you're accustomed to a light breakfast, eat a light breakfast," she says. "Don't stoke up on a heavy meal like you're heading out to plow the North 40 if you're not accustomed to that because you're going to be uncomfortable."
Roth also says to wear comfortable clothes.
* Go with your first instinct. "During the test, don't second-guess your answers," she says. "We tend to start checking answers and changing them, but you're usually right in the first place. I've heard many people after the test say they read more into the questions than were intended, and it clouded their judgment. So don't be over analytical regarding the questions. Read them carefully, but don't read into them something that isn't there."
Marilyn Booker, RN, MS, CRNI, an infusion therapy consultant in Hughesville, MD, agrees. "Like any multiple choice exam, half of the battle is reading the questions carefully," she says. "I found that people who are good, careful readers who don't get spooked by the pressure of exams will do well."
* Take the sure shots. To make the most out of your test time, Roth says to go with the sure bets first. "Fill in the questions you know, and go back to those you have questions about."
* Don't look back. There's always a distinct possibility you won't pass the test. Nearly 40% don't. If you're one of the unlucky ones, don't take it too hard.
"If for some reason you fail, don't be defeated," says Roth. "Take it as a learning experience and try again."
Ann Williams, CRNI, an infusion nurse at Deaconess Home Medical Equipment and Infusion in Evansville, IN, and an IV nurse consultant, agrees. "Even if I didn't pass the exam, I had learned so much by studying, that I had improved myself."
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