I'm not sure why I was so scared. I'm a smart cookie and a solid nurse. But, for whatever reason, the thought of taking this ICU exam sent me into a panic. I had flash-backs of nursing school, cramming for exams until my mind was numb, and the dreaded NCLEX. The thought of sitting down and taking the test actually sent me into palpitations. Ridiculous, I know, but I couldn't help myself. So, I procrastinated. I should have bitten the proverbial bullet and taken the test long ago. I shouldn't have waited until the very last minute when I'm overwhelmed with packing, plus all of the other stuff one tries to squeeze in before moving to another city. But, of course, that's exactly what I did. So, tonight, I finally forced my own hand. It won't be long before we're out of here and I'll be needing that new job, so I knew I couldn't wait any longer. It wasn't fun. It certainly wasn't a practical assessment of my knowledge, either, but it wasn't all that bad. Over the years, I've grown accustomed to being tested on sh** that doesn't matter. Besides, the built-in Mulligan provided me with the safety net I needed. (And I DID need it.) So, I passed. It's another box I can tick off my list of pre-moving "to-dos". Whew!
P.S. - For those of you studying for the HCS ICU exam, it's totally eclectic and random. It includes basic stuff like ABG interpretation, ICU drips, and common signs/symptoms/complications of conditions that will land a person in the ICU, but it also includes stuff I haven't thought about since nursing school, and have never encountered working in the unit. Nothing on hemodynamic monitoring or Swans. And I'm pretty sure a couple of the answers were wrong. I emailed my recruiter with my educated fact-based protests. Feel free to comment if you have specific questions.
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