As I moved through the semester, I noticed that I was able to move through the questions faster than I had previously been able to. Over time, I became more familiar with the exam question format and assessment techniques and was able to recognize what the question was asking me.
I felt that the ATI assessment questions were very difficult and tested very specific content, so I felt that ‘mastery’ came with repeated exposure to questions and forming association between disease states and unexpected/expected outcomes. I chose to test myself with practice questions, which gave me more experience with the topics, and helped me identify patterns in question styles and content. I used to feel very overwhelmed when faced with an ATI exam, but I have become more comfortable after doing many of them.
Work/life balance has been a huge part of my strategy to maintain my good mental health, because while I am serious about my studies and preparation for professional practice, I would not be mentally well if I didn’t see my friends, take a walk, listen to music or read a book once in a while.
I will keep the same study strategies while I prepare for the NCLEX, as I feel that ATI questions are very helpful in testing content and forming good test-taking habits. I will continue to incorporate relaxation and extra-curriculars into my life when I start my job, and I’m sure that as I grow older and get more comfortable at work, I will find new ways to excel in the nursing profession.
