completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Stella Skelton RVN — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 09:44:40 GMT

[quote user="shelly jefferies"]

Well done on completing the portfolio and writtens, the most important thing with the practicals is to stay calm, and if you make a mistake say so and you can restart.

With regards to learning the tasks you can always try the following

- take home a correct size pair of gloves and old gown to practice gloving.

- take some spare edta blood and keep few glass slides to one side, can even take these home to practice.

- if your practice checks all it sterilisation dates monthly get one of the nurses to ask you about the instruments as repackaging.

- get a good stuffed toy, you can practice radiography position at home don't need the table, just some towels as fake sandbags, ties and a piece of cardboard as a mock plate.

You need to set aside a little time every day to practice even if it is out of work hours. it doesn't need to be long 15 minutes each evening whilst tea is cooking would be plenty.

Good luck

[/quote]

That's a fab idea. I'm going to see what i can pilfer!

I'm nervous about practicals already and they won't be until June!! Really can't afford to fail anything - in any sense...eek!!!

Thanks. x

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

shelly jefferies — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:50:12 GMT

Well done on completing the portfolio and writtens, the most important thing with the practicals is to stay calm, and if you make a mistake say so and you can restart.

With regards to learning the tasks you can always try the following

- take home a correct size pair of gloves and old gown to practice gloving.

- take some spare edta blood and keep few glass slides to one side, can even take these home to practice.

- if your practice checks all it sterilisation dates monthly get one of the nurses to ask you about the instruments as repackaging.

- get a good stuffed toy, you can practice radiography position at home don't need the table, just some towels as fake sandbags, ties and a piece of cardboard as a mock plate.

You need to set aside a little time every day to practice even if it is out of work hours. it doesn't need to be long 15 minutes each evening whilst tea is cooking would be plenty.

Good luck

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Royalsuper_fairy — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:54:05 GMT

The exams will be over the weekend of the 10-12th December 2010 and you should receive confirmation of the exam during the last week of this month.

I am feeling unprepared regarding the practical exams second time round. I have lost interest.

Emma x

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Carly Woodward — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 13:10:39 GMT

hey guys hope others in same boat are doing ok! All the tips have been great.

I have got them all printed off now and in a folder at work. We had staff off sick for past couple of weeks so been manic, however this week looks to be better so going to make sure get plenty of practice! Also got a practical practice day to go to so am pleased about that!!

Sill not had any date through? Have you? Is it Sunday the 12th?? I had that in my head but not entirely sure, would also like confirmation of where am going!

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Sian Brew — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:57:02 GMT

I just printed all the tasks off today! Alot to remember but you all have just given alot of good advise - Thanks! Im the same, practicals in december - eek!

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

dinny_06 — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:49:55 GMT

cj, i'm in the same boat as yourslef here. I have portfolio away for iv checking and have application form away for dec practicals so hopefully i sit them in dec. My plan is to go and print ne new tasks off the computer that they have put up recently and stick them in the relevant places in work. i.e. radiography ones in the radiography room and lab stuff etc. i just having a little break till sunday as just finished porfolio and need a little break to get my head together. But in the mean time i am going to start preparing for next week. Best of luck to you and keep me posted

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Elvira — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 17:43:42 GMT

I agree with all the above but I did one of the practical revision courses at my college and found it invaluable. Apart from giving you a chance to see how the tasks are set up for the exam, it gives you a chance to practise everything, ask questions and get it all straight in your head before doing the real thing.

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

bonny10 — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:18:47 GMT

Don't panic about them, i don't think you will ever feel prepared to take them but keep calm.

I was almost certain i would fail them as i did not feel prepared but when i got in there i was amazed how much i knew. They really aren't as bad as you imagine and the examiners are lovely, they actually want you to do well!

Good Luck!

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Carly Woodward — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:47:57 GMT

Wow thank you for speedy replies. Some good ideas. Will print them off at work tomorrow as no printer here at min, that will definately be a good start, put them all in a folder and get learning them - can do that at home even! we are quite short staffed at min due to leaving and maternity leave so none of us have much time, but will rope my head nurse in to help she is great. Sadly my assessor is practice owner and main vet so very busy!

Phrin - good luck with the theories, think you got the hard stuff out of the way - I am so nervous about practicals!

Some really good ideas; I like the flash card suggestion. I just need to get on with it and do it!!

CJ x

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Phrin Vernon RVN — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:13:10 GMT

As far as calculations, anatomical landmarks for the xray tasks, identification of parasites and urinary crystals, and instruments goes, I found flash cards were the best way for me to learn.

All my nursing colleagues were willing and happy for me to shove a bunch of cards at them and ask them to test me - it isn't only your assessor who can help you prepare! We practiced in lunch time, and did flash cards whilst cleaning or setting up.

Likewise I found my colleagues, especially newly qualified and fellow students, more than happy to help when it came to timing me doing a task, and checking off on the OSCEs! They would set up tasks for me and the other students, and copy exam conditions

We stayed late, and came in on weekends to practice.

My college tutor was also immensly helpful, and arranged a practical revision day, in her own time, for those of us sitting the pracs.

I would advise letting your colleagues and tutors know about how unprepared you feel, and asking them to help you - I bet you will be pleasantly surprised at their reaction

Oh, and you have 2 months yet - don't get yourself too stressed - 2 months is plenty of time to memorise the OSCEs and practice practice practice!

Congrats on portfolio and theorys by the way

I have portfolio and practicals under my belt, but have theorys in Nov!

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Honeybadger — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:57:27 GMT

Print out all of the practical tasks from the RCVS website. Make you you know all of it off by heart! Then practice practice practice!! Maybe come into work a bit early or stay late. I had a box with all the things I needed to practice with: stuffed toy, bandage material, anaesthetic circuits, needles, syringes, sterile gloves and gown etc. Write out the formula for the calculations that you will need and stick it on the wall where you will see it. Can you ask your assessor to time you doing the tasks?

Re: completely unprepared for practicals - help!

Nick Shackleton — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:54:06 GMT

Well done on both theory and portfolio!

have you thought about maybe setting sometime aside at a weekend to pop into work and go through things? would you mentor/assessor be prepared to help you?