Tips from NLE Topnotchers
Blogger's note: Found these tips from Carl Balita Review Center's website and it's worth reading especially for those students who will take up NLE this year.
Tips from CBRC’s recent topnotchers:
Shayne Caseria, RN (#10 December 2007NLE)
Carla Barbon, RN (#8 June 2008 NLE)
While studying:
Before the boards:
During the boards:
Zyena Joyce Untalasco, RN (#8 June 2008 NLE)
John Patrick Dimarucot, RN (#2 November 2008 NLE)
When I finally got the news, the shock and disbelief abated, only an intense feeling of joy remained, a feeling that I still have with me now, months later. It is a great sense of achievement that I think everyone who is willing to work hard should experience. Hence, this article. It is an enumeration of things that I did in my preparation for the board exams. Here it goes:
1. Aim to be a board topnotcher. My journey towards taking the 2nd place in the November 2008 NLE started with a dream that I made in 3rd year college- to be a board topnotcher. Set a goal for yourself and work hard towards its achievement. Aim to be a board topnotcher and start from there.
2. Start reviewing early. I’ve always thought that nursing is a combination of all health-related courses rolled into one. It has a little bit of everything in it, from the pathophysiology and medical management of medicine to the drug actions and interactions of pharmacy. So after 4 years in nursing school, you are left with heaps of notes and tons of books to read in your preparation for the board exam. It may seem impossible at first but, it can be done. How? By starting early. I started to review for the board exams a full 4 months before the examination date. I would usually allot 2-3 hours of my time each night to read. You have a lot of ground to cover and it may be difficult to be able to cover it completely but you have to cover as much ground as possible if you want to top the boards.
3. Make a timetable. When reviewing for a major exam, I always find myself unable to read all that I am supposed to read and I usually miss out on the more important concepts or the concepts that I do not yet fully understand. Fortunately, I found a solution to this predicament in Carl Balita’s Ultimate Learning Guide. In the book is the Ultimate Success Planner where you can note down what subject you would want to review for the day and how much time you want to apportion for it. I would usually coordinate my review with the schedule of the subjects in the review center, then on weekends, I would study subjects that I find hard (i.e. Community Health Nursing and Pediatric Nursing).
4. Read! Read! Read! Need I say more?
5. Answer! Answer! Answer! Practice makes perfect. This habit taught me a lot of competencies that I was able to apply when I took the board exams, a few of which are time management, critical thinking, and test taking strategies.
6. Relax. I can never stress enough the importance of relaxation and keeping your anxiety to a mild level. To emphasize my point, I would like to state a few things that we’ve learned in psychiatric Thinursing: Mild anxiety enhances learning. Higher levels of anxiety lead to diffusion of focus, and therefore impede learning.
7. Pray. This is the most important part. I never would have made it here without His help. This is not something that just happened. My being part of the roster of the topnotchers was something that I prayed really hard for and worked just as hard for. When I took the board exams, I took it with God. I asked His wisdom so I can understand all the concepts. I asked for His patience and strength when the review was taking its toll on me and I felt too tired to study. Every step that I took in my preparation for the board exams, I took it with God. You should do the same.
source: Carl Balita Review Center's website
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Shayne Caseria, RN (#10 December 2007NLE)
I’ve been where you are right now, about to take the boards. In fact, I’ve actually been there twice. The first time, I was so nervous that I found myself converting my anxiety into physical symptoms. In contrast, my second try at the boards was quite different. I wasn’t even nervous or a little bit anxious and frankly, I was quite excited to take the exam already because I know that I can soar high and reach the top. Never ever let any doubt creep into your mind. Doubt is a buzz killer, in other words “kontra”. Don’t sabotage yourself by doubting or fearing that you will fail (because if you do, it might as well be so). Remember that, “whatever you resist, persists”. Believe in yourself that you can do it: that you can reach the top. If the top means that you’ll become a topnotcher, so be it! Visualize and see it in your mind that you’ve reached your goal. Imagine how it would feel. Make this a “spirit-lifter” everyday and whenever you’d feel sad, scared or doubtful. This would truly do wonders, especially during these times that the exam date is creeping near everyday. Good luck colleagues!!!
Carla Barbon, RN (#8 June 2008 NLE)
While studying:
1. Set realistic goals and reach them. Prioritize concepts and procedures. Concept map helps to simplify ideas and increase retention.
2. Reward yourself. I suggest chocolate, yung expensive na.
3. A happy brain retains and understands more than an anxious one. So smile, keep it light.
2. Reward yourself. I suggest chocolate, yung expensive na.
3. A happy brain retains and understands more than an anxious one. So smile, keep it light.
Before the boards:
1. Tell God why you want to pass and ask for His guidance. Pray for a good gut feel and divine intervention when faced with eliminating answers or guessing.
2. Rest and relax at least a day before.
2. Rest and relax at least a day before.
During the boards:
1. Be early and bring everything that you need. Hindi kajolog-san ang magbaon ng food.
2. Avoid erasures. Mahirap nab aka ma-void ang answer sheet mo.
3. Be confident! Nakagraduate ka nga, nagreview ka pa.
2. Avoid erasures. Mahirap nab aka ma-void ang answer sheet mo.
3. Be confident! Nakagraduate ka nga, nagreview ka pa.
Kayang kaya mo yan! Madaming taong namemental block sa sobrang kaba. God Bless!
Zyena Joyce Untalasco, RN (#8 June 2008 NLE)
1. Have the mindset. If you’re going to dream, then dream big. Don’t just dream of passing the board exam, dream of topping it. Visualize yourself achieving that dream.
2. Prove yourself worthy. Show what it takes to top the exam. Listen during lectures and study. (note: Only if you have the time and the drive.) Focus during the review. Then rest when you get home. Ayus na yun.
3. No stress. Psych tells us that mild anxiety is normal and is indeed helpful. So keep your anxiety on that level. Therefore, spend the last day before the exam on relaxation. Just enjoy and have fun na. I recommend videoke. Kumanta ka hanggang sa mailabas mo lahat ng nerbiyos. Kumanta ka hanggang sa mapaos. Tutal, hindi naman oral exam and boards.
2. Prove yourself worthy. Show what it takes to top the exam. Listen during lectures and study. (note: Only if you have the time and the drive.) Focus during the review. Then rest when you get home. Ayus na yun.
3. No stress. Psych tells us that mild anxiety is normal and is indeed helpful. So keep your anxiety on that level. Therefore, spend the last day before the exam on relaxation. Just enjoy and have fun na. I recommend videoke. Kumanta ka hanggang sa mailabas mo lahat ng nerbiyos. Kumanta ka hanggang sa mapaos. Tutal, hindi naman oral exam and boards.
John Patrick Dimarucot, RN (#2 November 2008 NLE)
Topping the board exam was not something that I’d expected. It actually came as a complete shock to me. When I first received the news that I got the 2nd top spot in the Nursing Board Exams, my initial reactions were of complete shock and disbelief. I could not believe the news, not because I didn’t prepare for the exams, but because I could not wrap myself around the idea that all my months of hard work have actually paid off and that I am exactly where I wanted to be right form the very beginning.
When I finally got the news, the shock and disbelief abated, only an intense feeling of joy remained, a feeling that I still have with me now, months later. It is a great sense of achievement that I think everyone who is willing to work hard should experience. Hence, this article. It is an enumeration of things that I did in my preparation for the board exams. Here it goes:
1. Aim to be a board topnotcher. My journey towards taking the 2nd place in the November 2008 NLE started with a dream that I made in 3rd year college- to be a board topnotcher. Set a goal for yourself and work hard towards its achievement. Aim to be a board topnotcher and start from there.
2. Start reviewing early. I’ve always thought that nursing is a combination of all health-related courses rolled into one. It has a little bit of everything in it, from the pathophysiology and medical management of medicine to the drug actions and interactions of pharmacy. So after 4 years in nursing school, you are left with heaps of notes and tons of books to read in your preparation for the board exam. It may seem impossible at first but, it can be done. How? By starting early. I started to review for the board exams a full 4 months before the examination date. I would usually allot 2-3 hours of my time each night to read. You have a lot of ground to cover and it may be difficult to be able to cover it completely but you have to cover as much ground as possible if you want to top the boards.
3. Make a timetable. When reviewing for a major exam, I always find myself unable to read all that I am supposed to read and I usually miss out on the more important concepts or the concepts that I do not yet fully understand. Fortunately, I found a solution to this predicament in Carl Balita’s Ultimate Learning Guide. In the book is the Ultimate Success Planner where you can note down what subject you would want to review for the day and how much time you want to apportion for it. I would usually coordinate my review with the schedule of the subjects in the review center, then on weekends, I would study subjects that I find hard (i.e. Community Health Nursing and Pediatric Nursing).
4. Read! Read! Read! Need I say more?
5. Answer! Answer! Answer! Practice makes perfect. This habit taught me a lot of competencies that I was able to apply when I took the board exams, a few of which are time management, critical thinking, and test taking strategies.
6. Relax. I can never stress enough the importance of relaxation and keeping your anxiety to a mild level. To emphasize my point, I would like to state a few things that we’ve learned in psychiatric Thinursing: Mild anxiety enhances learning. Higher levels of anxiety lead to diffusion of focus, and therefore impede learning.
7. Pray. This is the most important part. I never would have made it here without His help. This is not something that just happened. My being part of the roster of the topnotchers was something that I prayed really hard for and worked just as hard for. When I took the board exams, I took it with God. I asked His wisdom so I can understand all the concepts. I asked for His patience and strength when the review was taking its toll on me and I felt too tired to study. Every step that I took in my preparation for the board exams, I took it with God. You should do the same.
source: Carl Balita Review Center's website
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