Thursday, August 23, 2007

172,800 seconds is such a L-O-N-G time

It is done.
Completed.
In the history books.

The computer shut off at 75 questions. After a surprisingly quick 50-ish minutes.

All of the studying, years of school, clinicals, student loans, hands-on experience, blood, sweat, and tears was over before I knew it. My NCLEX was not the end of the world. I didn't spontaneously combust. My hands didn't turn into pools of liquid jelly. My heart stayed within the confines of my ribcage. And my brain didn't decide to completely blank out at the most inconvenient of times.

What did happen you ask?

Time stopped. The second that computer screen went blank and my knowledge on how to safely and effectively care for a variety of patients at the level of a registered nurse was over, the clock seemed to stop completely. In Ohio the NCSBN says it should take approximately 48 hours to post the results of the NCLEX-RN. 2,880 minutes. 172,800 seconds. Approximately, of course!

So, even though my confidence in my performance was through the roof during the exam and I breezed through the questions, my post-exam anxiety will exponentially grow the closer and closer it gets to Saturday morning. I may spontaneously combust, turn to liquid jelly, or forget everything I know. Or just painfully review each and every question and answer from those 50 minutes this morning. And my BAC may remain elevated through the next 48-72 hours as well ;)

3 comments:

tiffany said...

Congratulations and as I said elsewhere you will make a fabulous NICU nurse! I hope you get to relax a bit and enjoy having achieved so much!

baby james said...

Kellie, I can't thank you enough for all your information. I think we are going to go ahead with the feeding tube, now to decide what type. I hope not to do the Fundo. I watched a surgery being performed last night on you tube believe it or not. They now can do the procedure Laprascopically.(making it a little less invasive.) and we do have a surgeon here who will perform the feeding tube this way and w/o a Fundo, But I am just so scared, I don't think James' reflux issues are at the point of being life threatening all though it is preventing him from gaining weight, back in January of this year he was 18.4 today August 23rd 19.12# and sometimes 20#'s if you weigh him at the end of the day therefore I feel it is in our/his best interest to go forward with the G-tube. To prevent any future growth interruption.

Your son's look wonderful and you are amazing having gone through all and school. Your patients and families are lucky to have you. I appreciate you binge available for questions and wish you all well.

Thanks again,


Tracy

I tried to email you but it came back.

abby said...

Kellie,

We are so proud of you for taking the NCLEX and will be back looking for the results in a whole bunch of seconds. You are a wonderful nurse already!