As I enter the final semester of my journey of nursing school, I have begun thinking more and more about graduation and what is to come after that, my first job as a nurse. I am most excited about getting more hands on time in the field and to continue learning. For me, clinical was always something that I tried to make the most of because I really believe we learn so much in being able to apply our knowledge in the hospital or even watch another nurse. Unfortunately, our clinical hours were limited due to the pandemic but I am grateful for the hours we were given as some schools were even more limited than us. I am looking forward to getting more comfortable and confident in my role as I apply the knowledge I have gained to caring for my patients.
Graduating with my BSN, passing the NCLEX exam and accepting my first job as a nurse, will all bring celebrations. These are things I have worked years and years to accomplish and I am already so proud of myself of how far I have come. I plan to celebrate with family and friends who have supported me through these challenging and busy years as I worked toward my bachelors degree. To me, this is the perfect way to sit back and pat myself on the back for everything I have accomplished so far in this journey.
I am most anxious about taking the NCLEX and applying for jobs. The NCLEX is something that we have been practicing for ever since freshman year of nursing school. The process of applying for jobs makes me anxious but very excited at the same time. The anxious feeling is just due to waiting to hear back from hospitals and/or units to see where I will get the opportunity to work. Meanwhile, I feel the NCLEX is a big stressor for most graduating nurses as that is the big exam that determines your RN status. One practice tool we have used at the University of New England is ATI. Recently, I took the ATI Nurse Logic 2.0 Modules which helped give me an understanding of my weak areas. Also, I was able to practice my test taking skills such as narrowing down options for multiple choice questions or just giving myself adequate time with each question. With this information, I can focus more studying time and getting support in those weak areas to prepare me for the NCLEX.
In the past and currently, planning has always been crucial. I need to organize and plan in order to prevent being overwhelmed and missing deadlines. Every semester I write out assignments, tests, big events and projects with their due date either on a calendar or in a planner. I will definitely continue to do this for this upcoming semester. I also plan to attend tutor study groups like I have in the past prior to exams to help solidify my knowledge and clear up any last minute confusion. One SMART goal I have for myself is practicing NCLEX style questions daily for a maximum of an hour (that way it will be attainable even on busy days) up until I take the NCLEX exam.
