Thursday, September 17, 2009

Real practice or book practice?


I have been studying for my certification exam for quite some time now. I have taken several practice exams from review books. I have decided that in the area of taking exams my experience is a detriment. I look at a question and there are two answers--what really happens and what they want to happen. Sometimes it is easy because the what really happens answer isn't available as a choice, thus you are led to the one that should happen. Occasionally, some very smart individual has written a question that has both available for you to choose as the answer.

Now, if I went in to this with only the knowledge they placed into my head-the test would probably be easier. It definitely would not be easier in the office or the hospital. My experience has helped me there. It is very hard to erase 17 years of experience and knowledge. I second guess every answer. If I choose wrong, when I look at the "correct" answer--I think "are you serious??, In what world?" Often, as it should be, the answers are one and the same but there are those times, as anyone in healthcare will tell you, that they are not. It's a think called clinical judgment.

If I scored the exams, I am doing fine but my perfectionist side demands 100%, anything less is a bit disappointing to say the least. Frustrating---Book smart or clinical smart? I try for both but sometimes the clinical smart gets in the way of the book smart. Truly, I guess I really wouldn't want it any other way.

2 comments:

betty said...

I get what you are saying; that would be so hard to discern and pick the correct answer "they" (who grade) are looking for

good luck with it

betty

The Lonely Midwife said...

Betty,

Thanks! I am still studying away. Hopefully, my exam will be next week. I need to get this off my plate:))

LM