The first thing to do is relax. One of the most common mistakes people make when preparing for a test is getting caught up in studying too much. You should divide your time between studying and actual testing, but the first few weeks can be very hard to pull off since you won’t have any access to the materials you need. Try to find a quiet place to take the test as well, preferably away from distractions. A quiet room in the house is ideal.
The next step is to take your exam and study every single night. Like any type of studying, it’s important to set realistic expectations so that you don’t end up putting yourself at risk of quitting halfway through. When you take a test, you’ll likely be given multiple choice or RAT sections. When you’re preparing for the IHESI exam, focus on answering the questions in the order they are listed. This will help you figure out which sections you need to review, which will help you figure out how to best prepare for them.
If you want to really learn as much as possible, give yourself plenty of time to study. You should spend about three months before the test, to fully prepare for it. If you study at this time, you’ll be able to study and revise properly, thus reducing the amount of time you will need to take the test. If you find yourself needing more time than usual, talk to your high school counselor. They will be able to let you know if you are allowed to take additional tests. If so, this might be a good time for you to think about taking the IHESI recertification test.
When you take the test, study hard and don’t get nervous. In fact, being nervous could do you more harm than good. Instead, focus on making positive strides toward your goal, such as developing proper reading skills, proper pronunciation, and effective listening skills. These all factors are important to nursing students, and they should all be examined during the review process.
One last tip: if you want to take my HESI exam, you’ll probably need some sort of certification to do so. Some states require aspiring nurses to take the test before they can start working. Others simply require a current nurse to work for a year and take the exam afterwards. Still others will allow recent college graduates that have passed the Certified Nurse Assistant National Exam to take the test without having to complete any additional training. You will likely need to provide proof of your certification, such as a nursing license from your employer, but if you are able to get one, you’ll save a lot of time.
As with any other type of exam, you should take care to prepare in advance for the exam. This includes scheduling practice tests, studying fully for each section, and practicing answering types found on the exam. Even the questions included in the review will be challenging, especially if you’ve never been review-shy before. Once you’ve done your research and gotten a full night’s sleep, the last step in taking the exam is to study hard so you are confident you’ll do well when you do it.
The next morning, immediately after you wake up, go over your daily schedule and try to recall where you were each morning. This could include going to work, school, a family meeting or even errands. Write down these things and consider how you spent your time during the day. From there, you can start to work through your daily activities that you did well on during your review. This could include things like learning new patients’ names and addressing them, preparing for questionnaires and other assessments, and writing reports for your supervisor.
