Pointers for Success in Nursing School

Pointers for Success in Nursing School

Have you already received your letter of acceptance from the nursing school you have applied? If so, congratulations! Now you are about to go on board a noble path where you will learn and experience things which will positively change your life. As the cliché goes, nursing is one of the noblest professions. Here is a career that will change your way of thinking not only as a student but as a human as well. In treading the paths to becoming a future nurse, what does it take someone to succeed?

One of the most important things is to always be positive. It takes a mature and courageous person to be aware of his personal disadvantages and uncertainty yet pushing ahead anyway. You have to have confidence in yourself. If you feel that you are not capable enough to handle the pressure and problems of nursing school, take a breather and tell yourself “I can do this!” try to do things one at a time. Try to find ways to make your studying easier for you. View your problems as challenges that need to be solved.

Another important thing in order to succeed in nursing school is to keep updated in everything and never get behind. Keep up with your class by reading your lectures, assignments, projects and lectures. You can also plan ahead of time and strategize effective study habits. Never procrastinate, as this can only result in last-minute cramming and erroneous results. In everything that you do, make sure that is not just satisfactory, but an excellent work. Remember that credits are given to those who deserve them. Always aim for the top. As you probably know, an hour of lecture generally takes two to three hours of concentrated studying. Never compromise your studying and comprehending a topic for other less important things. Remember that your aim is to be the best and succeed.

Last but not the least, you need to fully understand your lessons. You need full comprehension on the topics that you have discussed. It is understandable that some topics are really hard to understand. Never get discouraged when this happens. All you need is a little time and motivation… seek out help from your instructors until you fully understand the full content. If it helps, you can use strategies like jotting down important notes or statements which are hard to understand. You can employ the help of your professors as well as your classmates to get different perspectives in understanding the lesson.

Thorough comprehension of the content is needed for you to do well in examinations. You must have known by now that pure memorization is not that effective especially in the NCLELX-type of examinations. This sometimes takes nursing students by surprise, which leads to academic casualties. Nursing exams mostly test the nurses’ critical thinking and resourcefulness as well as the proper application of knowledge of the nursing fundamentals. Remember to analyze first before answering.

A fine NCLEX-style review textbook is recommended. It may be a little costly, but in the long run, you will realize that it is worth it. You can check out the current edition of Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX Review – the one with the questions broken down into subject matter. You can easily review the book because the topics are organized into different categories such as psychiatric alterations and fluids and electrolytes. Understand the reason behind the answers and sharpen your test-taking skills.

Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) Recertification

Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) Re-certification

Being a CNE or a certified nurse educator means that you can coach and train student nurses into becoming skilled, highly qualified and full pledged nurses. In order for you to do this, you need to have a certification. Certification as we all know is a proof of accreditation of expertise. Among academic nurse educators, it shows that nurse educators are highly qualified to train future nurses to give quality health care to the community as a whole. By having being credited as a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) not only do you become a role model and leader but also as an exemplary mentor as well.

If you were already accredited as a Certified Nurse Educator by the National League of Nurses (NLN), then you should keep in mind that the accreditation expires and must be renewed after 5 years. In order for you to reapply for the certification, you may select one of two choices below:

The first option requires you to have participated in professional enhancement programs. For one to be recertified, he or she must meet all the entitlement requirements for renewal of the CNE certification.

You must present a professional self assessment and documented proof of your participation in continuous quality enhancement programs and activities which are significant to the academic nurse educator function.

The second option for recertification is to be able to comply with all the eligibility prerequisites for CNE certification renewal. A CNE examination must also be successfully completed before your CNE certification expires. You need to pass the exam in order to be recertified.

Do keep in mind that during the 5 year life span of your certification, you must participate and attend in at least 50 continuous quality enhancement programs and activities. Remember that the activities should be well documented for proof. The first option is a rather tedious and complicated method since you are required to collect certificates and wait for further verification of the documents. The second option seems a bit easier, since all you have to do is retake and pass the Certified Nurse Educators examination.

If you plan to choose the first option then please remember that proper activities include attending and participating in nursing educator enhancement seminars and conferences, using innovative and new techniques in teaching – learning strategies in the classroom and clinical settings, facilitating an online educational chat session conferences with students, doing research on new strategies of education, presenting articles for publication, formulating an effective evaluation tool, coaching new faculty members and the likes.

Remember that the goal of the Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program is to recognize the excellence of the academic nurse educator in advanced specialty. You are distinguished from others as an educator of advanced roles and practice within the scope of the nursing profession, strengthen and uplift the nursing standards, reinforce the utilization of core competencies of nurse educators practice, contribute to other nurses’ professional growth and development and a lot more. If you are interested in renewing your certification as a competent nurse educator, then it is advised that you waste no time.

A Simple Guide on How the T-test and Analysis of Variance Works for Nurses

A Simple Guide on How the T-test and Analysis of Variance Works

For people doing their research, whether it’s a thesis or a dissertation, the use of statistical tools such as the T-test and Analysis of Variance is an essential component to test the hypothesis mentioned in the study. These statistical methods are termed as parametric statistical techniques. When you say parametrical statistical technique, it means that there should be a normal distribution in order to make standardized comparisons across different populations or treatments.

Testing of differences among means between two groups require the use of T-test. It can be used when testing means among topics such as self-esteem or gender wherein the variable (dependent) becomes an interval which is continuous for the former and a 2 level categorical variable similar to the latter.

The p-value will be determined in order to get how likely the hypothesis is. A result which is greater than or equal to 5% p-value indicates that there is a significant difference between the groups and so, the null hypothesis is rejected.

The two sample T-test determines if the 2 independent variables have different mean values on some degrees. One example of a two-sample t-test is testing the variables between a group of patients who were given a certain treatment and a control group given blank or placebo.

Another type is the paired sample T-test which computes for the differences in tests scores on the same sample of patients using a pre-test and another post-test paradigm. This is applied in cases such as determining before and after treatment of level of cholesterol.

The following information should be included in reporting the result of T-test:

• Checking for validity of parametric assumptions
• dependent variable scores
• independent variable levels
• statistical data used for computational purposes

Meanwhile, if the study needs to compare means between three or more groups, ANOVA or Analysis of Variance is used. Here is a step by step procedure in performing ANOVA (in this example, the one way ANOVA is demonstrated):

• Step 1: Use the Ryan-Joiner Test to test for normality of distribution for each interval scale response variable.
If P < 5%, the variable is not normally distributed (proceed to step 2)
If P > 5%, the variable is normally distributed (proceed to step 4)
• Step 2: Transform the variables that are not normally distributed. Using the calculator, the log transformation, square-root transformation and arc-sin transformation will be used for these variables. (proceed to step 3)

• Step 3: Test for the normality of distribution for transformed variables using the Ryan-Joiner Test
If P < 5%, the variables are not normally distributed (proceed to step 5)
If P > 5%, the variables are normally distributed (proceed to step 4)

• Step 4: Perform ONE-WAY ANOVA for variables which are normally distributed. Using Turkey’s Test, compare the variables.
If P <5%, the variables are significantly different.
If P >5%, the variables are not significantly different.

• Step 5: Use the Kruskal-Wallis for variables that are not Normally Distributed and the transformed variables are also not Normally Distributed.

If P <5%, the variables are significantly different.
If P >5%, the variables are not significantly different.

And so, there you have it! Performing statistical analyses is easy as one two three. You only need to research and perform it carefully in order to avoid miscalculations and other unnecessary errors.

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