March 2010 practicals

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sammyannieantha — Sun, 23 May 2010 11:42:37 GMT

Gosh i hope i havent offended sandra or sal when i said the exams got harder its just my boss said shed never seen the pass rate so high and theyr particular :S!Im glad phrin saw this thread tho and good luck hun!Im defo ready for the next one tho, and it is like you said sandra and sal- onwards and upwards :D XX

Re: March 2010 practicals

Honeybadger — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:09:31 GMT

When I did an observed assesment at work infront of my assessor and IV I was so nervous when she asked what I was going to use to take the patients temperature I said my stethescope! So silly, but I passed my driving test first time and managed to keep my cool so I'm hoping I can do the same for my practicals in March. Is anyone going to any practice days that the colleges are running?

Re: March 2010 practicals

ginny — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:51:20 GMT

I have to say i didnt do the new style practicals - am green book, essay questions and 1st and 2nd year practicals trained!! I did my DipAVN practicals in Glasgow which was a hell of a journey so would highly recommend anyone travelling to do exams to go the night before and stay in a Travel Lodge/Premier Inn or B+B!

As an assessor/mentor my tip for passing practicals is to practice over and over. Get different people to watch you do it.

Talk all the time but remember the examiner must see you do certain bits of the task not just describe it. If you make a mistake tell the examiner you have done so and what you should have done. Try to move on from a mistake and not dwell on it if you can.

Keep an eye on the RCVS web site as the tasks often change. Make sure your assessor is aware of what you need to do for each task especially if your assessor is a vet or, like me, a green book or early portfolio trained nurse because the exams are very different . The CAW do a 2 day course on helping assessors help students with their practicals.

The practicals are not harder to do but they are, in my humble opinion, harder to pass simply because its become a ticking box exercise with little leeway for variation in how tasks are actually done in practice and little room for the examiners to use their discretion.

If you are on good terms with neighbouring TP's see if you can have mock practicals there with a different assessor acting as examiner. That way you get used to different types of the same sort of equipment and doing tasks in front of strangers.

Good luck, you will get there. Also remember when you come out of an exam you will only remember what you think you got wrong not what you did right! I sobbed all the way home from Glasgow - the radiography examiner had put up an xray of lateral flexed and extended elbows and asked me to go through all the anatomical points and all i could say was that it was an elbow!!

Re: March 2010 practicals

Vicky RVN — Sun, 09 May 2010 18:49:12 GMT

Ok, shall we turn this thread round a bit? Make it into something positive? I may be here in a few months time after i sit my pracs, feeling upset about failing. But rather than dwelling on it and making myself more upset, i'd like to come on here to try to dust myself off and try again. Soooooooo, how about we use this thread for hints and tips for passing the exams? Things like making sure you say what you are doing rather than just doing it so that the examiner doesn't miss it. What do you think? I personally want people to come on here to be cheered up when they feel down, not to argue. Being friends is better than being enemies is it not?

Good luck to everyone who has resits to do, you CAN do it! You probably do the things in the tasks day after day, but nerves make you do such stupid things (i know they do for me, so that will be a likely reason for me not passing if i don't!). So try to go in without stressing yourself too much, easier said than done i know (i should practice what i preach!)!

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sun, 09 May 2010 11:35:10 GMT

I hope they pass too, for the record, and yes it is getting out of hand...I hold my hands up to that. I think because I am a positive person in most things, I cant stand to see all the negativity.... it not only gets the negative person down, but can drag others down too, which is not nice.

Finnigan I apologise for patronising you and being a bit hard on you and sam, but can I just say.... its all well and good having a moan and a whine.. but raking it over and over is not doing you any good, whats done is done and nothing cant change that.... you have to look onwards and upwards, or you will just harbour all that negativity, and who knows you may carry that onto your next practicals. Nobody on here likes to see anyone fail, but we also dont like to see you spiral into the cynical attitude of they are out to fail you, you need to let that go.

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sal the 1st — Sun, 09 May 2010 11:19:59 GMT

[quote user="Emily Hibbs"]

My God, when I first posted this I didn't realise it would get so out of hand!!!

[/quote]

I agree and I also find it very sad. I hope those that didnt pass this time round are more successful the next time and hopefully we will be able to put a similar amount of energy in sharing some happier news.

Re: March 2010 practicals

FINNIGAN — Sun, 09 May 2010 11:16:17 GMT

thanku siohban, not on here to argue , just to put across my thoughts and views, i now rest my case.!!!!!

Re: March 2010 practicals

Emily Hibbs — Sun, 09 May 2010 11:14:04 GMT

My God, when I first posted this I didn't realise it would get so out of hand!!!

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sun, 09 May 2010 11:02:54 GMT

[quote user="Siobhan Steven"]Sandra, I would say the 'sweetie' is rather patronising as well[/quote]

it was meant to be.

And I am all for expressing feelings, but we are on page 4 now and on it goes, do you know what, it has taken the shine off of who actually passed, for the life of me now I cant remember.

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sal the 1st — Sun, 09 May 2010 10:36:59 GMT

well if i am one of the 'oldies' you refer to I apologise - my only intent on this thread was to try and inject a bit of positivity. Everybody is important - both those that didnt pass this time round and also those that passed the exam, there was hardly any attention paid to those that passed.

Re: March 2010 practicals

Siobhan Steven — Sun, 09 May 2010 01:25:16 GMT

Totally unbiased point of view:

We live in a democratic society, therefore giving everyone freedom of speech.

Sandra, I would say the 'sweetie' is rather patronising as well.

I think we should stop trying to force our own feelings onto others, these forums are not formed to be nasty and derogatory.Goodness knows in our industry we need as much positivity that we can get.

Those on here who have not passed their exams have the right to express their feelings, they are not 'losers' or 'failures', they may or may not have overlooked things, no-one else on here was present so you can't be judgemental. They are not whineing or wingeing, they are just expressing their feelings, others may not agree with their POV but enough of the attacking. No-one has the right to tell anyone what to write, just like if you don't like whats on TV, change the channel.

I think there are a couple of 'oldies' with dictatorial tendencies who also scare/freeze out 'newbies'. They could use their knowledge in a far more positive education way without being nasty.

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sun, 09 May 2010 00:15:05 GMT

[quote user="Vicky SVN"]

Enough of the bickering hey guys?

[/quote]

Moi... bickering??

Re: March 2010 practicals

Vicky RVN — Sun, 09 May 2010 00:13:59 GMT

Enough of the bickering hey guys?

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sun, 09 May 2010 00:08:11 GMT

[quote user="FINNIGAN"]

sandra dear, you havnt made me mad at all, good for you in passing, find your comments a little patronising too, like i said if i want to voice my opinions i will, and to the newbies, it wont hurt to see what you are up against!! like i said we do get back out there and keep trying!! i wont be stopped from WHINING either, dont respond if you dont like it.

[/quote]

I find the "dear " a bit patronising sweetie, and I do think I have made you mad otherwise there would be no patronising now would there? so please ......dont, and let it go you are not doing yourself any favours, whine all you like hopefully the people on here will be able to seperate the wheat from the chaff!! oh and good luck on your next practicals, be sure to let us ALL know how you do

Re: March 2010 practicals

Louise Dick — Sat, 08 May 2010 23:10:53 GMT

Back to the site after a 4 year break to have my children! Hi everyone.

I just wanted to say that I also failed my first attempt at the practicals. I failed the medical nursing one because I put out the incorrect size of urinary catheter, even though the description of the dog was very ambiguous and obviously in real life you would give the vet a choice of sizes of catheter! Anyway, you could say my mind was NOT on the task at hand because my father in law had passed away at home the NIGHT before after a longterm illness. Actually I think I did pretty well just to fail on that one silly thing and pass everything else. My mentor at the time phoned up to appeal on my behalf (without my knowledge) but I still failed it, so I think appeals are notoriously hard to come by if even a death in the family the night before is not considered an adequate 'excuse'.

I went on to pass at the second attempt.

Good luck to everyone, the only answer is to practice and practice and keep talking throughout the exam.

Louise

Re: March 2010 practicals

Phrin Vernon RVN — Sat, 08 May 2010 22:22:45 GMT

I presume I am one of the 'newbies' you are talking about? I'm certainly not a noob to either this site, or veterinary nursing, but I will be taking my pracs for the first time in June!

I don't think this thread has made me more nervous - if anything it has made me see the importance of talking through everything you do in your pracs. My tutor is also an examiner, and has time and time again reiterated to my class that the examiner *may* miss things, if they are looking at the tick sheet. Her advice, as I said, is to talk and talk! Talk about what you are doing and why!

Ie: So now I'm checking the APL valve is open to ensure pressure doesn't build up within the circuit, and waste gases can be properly scavenged.

It remains to be seen whether I will pass! I am practicing, and am planning on doing lots of talking, in a scared monotone voice for my pracs!

Re: March 2010 practicals

FINNIGAN — Sat, 08 May 2010 21:46:59 GMT

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 08 May 2010 20:52:35 GMT

I am sorry but I disagree that the practicals have got harder... you at least get grey areas, whereas when I sat mine it was a pass or fail.... no grey areas.You also get a list of what they are looking for in each section, such as what you must include... all we got was dont under any circumstances breach a major health and safety. WE practised and practised and practised, and no I would not say I passed with flying colours, my last one I never even finished it as time ran out.... but what I had done was done correctly.

Can I also point out that when I sat mine the portfolio was a major tome, of well over 50 odd cases for 2nd year alone.. I believe now if you cover it once thats it, whereas in mine you redone it over and over.... maybe thats where you are failing... if you are only doing something once instead of constantly repeating tasks in all cases, .. who knows, But I agree with Sal,we can sympathise, but when you are frightening others thats not on.

I would also like to say, that I am the least confident person when it comes to practical tasks, I hate them with a passion, I hate being watched...there is also the fear of making a complete fool of yourself which terrified me, ans on my way home from my practicals.. a 2 hour journey I could not even talk to my husband... I think I was in shock, and I went straight to bed when I got home.. so it's not easy for anyone, it's hard work, but having a positive attitude no matter how nervous you are is much better than going in with a negative one.

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sal the 1st — Sat, 08 May 2010 19:22:21 GMT

just an observation but the % candidates that passed in March was higher than when I passed in 1996 and from what I have seen and what I have seen taught the practicals are comparable to the ones I did. Sorry if I am interpreting this wrong but the practicals for us 'oldies' were just as difficult and the exams just as difficult to pass. In fact in some respects I think the multiple choice answers are easier (not that the questions are any easier) because even if you take a guess you have 25% chance of getting the question right, if you go back to the old format of essay questions which I had in my first year (long gap between 1st and 2nd year) you either knew the answer or you didnt - there were no 'clues' to help you. We also had practicals in the first year - I think having practicals in the first year is a good idea as well as in the final year and the more practicals you do the less daunting they become.

But putting all this aside the important things are that nobody gives up - so if you dont get it first time keep going and that people who are new to this are not put off by reading too many horror stories. So lets keep this positive

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sammyannieantha — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:27:45 GMT

Sandra im not being funny and I mean this with the greatest respect but you have your qualification and sounds like you did it with flying colours but some people do find it harder, like me and talking about it just eases the frustration and anxiety.The practicals have got way way harder, just look at the percentages for the pass rate within the past 4 times they have been conducted, you have to at least get between 85 to 100 % on every single task.62% passed in march.This is why i want to stress to students who havent sat the practicals before (who are sitting the exams in June) that you need to aim to get 85-100% so every single point in every task and of course grey areas. There is no room for error and they should be scared and hopefully that will be channelled into passing. I am merely trying to prepare them and prevent them from going through what I have, finnigan and other people because i wasnt prepared for the high blumin pass mark and stern marking each time. I have accepted that i didnt get it twice so far and yes you could say im out of the 'pity party' but it really does affect your confidence and some people do feel unfairly marked and I want students who are sitting in June to realise that its not easy and not to look at it through rose tinted glasses but that its not the end of the world if you dont get it and to try try again. Im also lucky I have very supportive collegues(every single one of them) who try to help anyway they can but some people dont have that.Its not about wanting to be in the 'pity party' its about helping eachother get through this and Finnigan we WILL do it xx

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Fri, 07 May 2010 23:21:51 GMT

[quote user="FINNIGAN"]There are a lot of posts on here that we have all heard before, and that pop up again and again, if we are tired of them then we dont respond[/quote]

Some of us are not on here that often... so no I dont agree, some see it for the first time in it's full glory... so to speak![quote user="FINNIGAN"]

There are a lot of posts on here that we have all heard before, and that pop up again and again, if we are tired of them then we dont respond, like i said, if you dont want to hear it all again then dont read them, but for some of us who arent lucky enough to have someone at home to rant and whine to then this is where we come!! oh, and i have put plenty of fire into my exams believe me!!! conversation now ended!!!!

[/quote]

lets hope that fire is well and truly in the books eh

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Fri, 07 May 2010 23:18:56 GMT

[quote user="FINNIGAN"]This site is where we come for advise, to WHINE as you call it and to get advise and sometimes encouragement, yes you are entitled to your opinions as we are entitled to have a Whine, if this annoys you then dont read [/quote]

I cant help but read it sweetheart.... thats all you do on this thread!!!, and if the others are boring, then I am gonna come on here.

You need to direct that energy somewhere else... And I am glad I have made you mad... least now you are not attending that pity party... right??, now get your head in the books and get studying.... any good VN RVN would tell you the same and if they are not, sweetie, then maybe thats why you are failing!! and that is said in every good possible way plus I did have a little peeve at the way you lot were making others feel... especially the newbies who had never sat an exam!!! dont scare them off, its all good and well having a moan, and we will sympathise, but no good came out of molly coddlling IMHO..

Re: March 2010 practicals

FINNIGAN — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:25:55 GMT

Re: March 2010 practicals

Sal the 1st — Thu, 06 May 2010 09:59:19 GMT

I feel the problem is that this subject has already been visited a number of times before and each time there has been pretty much the same comments not by the same people necessarily either from people who didnt sadly get through the exam or people commiserating with them. I feel that is why people are getting hacked off.

There is only so much sympathy/ empathy you can give/take without milking the situation.

We are a week - ish now down the line from the exams but they arent dead yet! we are still raking through the post mortem results!

I understand that those that failed are upset - I have been there myself, the VN title didnt come to me easily either (I failed my practical in the 1st year - we had green book then)

My advice would be to please put this behind you and give it your best shot the next time round. Dont dwell on what has passed it will make you miserable, put this to bed now and look to the future. Finnigan I can see a bit of fire in your last post - put that fire into the exam and use it as positive energy

To those that didnt make it this time all the best for the next time - dont let this get you down and stay positive

Re: March 2010 practicals

FINNIGAN — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:06:01 GMT

This site is where we come for advise, to WHINE as you call it and to get advise and sometimes encouragement, yes you are entitled to your opinions as we are entitled to have a Whine, if this annoys you then dont read it, some of us need to get things off our chest with a good Whine, when you hear of how some are passing these exams when they clearly dont deserve it then it is pretty disheartening, yes we will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and try again, but in the meantime if i want to Whine and rant then i bloody will!!!!!!!