HESI Fundamentals Exit Exam

Thursday I took my final the the Nursing Fundamentals Class.  Fundamentals is an 8-credit hour class that teaches you the *basics* of nursing.  You begin to *learn* how a nurse thinks, how to think critically, and learn what is within the scope of nursing practice.  NOW, you may think thinking is relatively easy, right.  Well, not thinking like a nurse!  A nurse is supposed to think BEYOND what is presented in front of them.  Shall I give you an example?  Oh sure!  I will!

A brief example case study:  A 17-year old female shows up to see her high school Nurse after second period one morning one cold January morning.  She complains of feeling nauseous and queasy upon waking but after 1st or 2nd period at school these symptoms seem to wane.  What is the first action the nurse should take?
      A) Immediatley administer a pregnancy test cuz this hooker is pregnant
      B) Take a history of immediate family members
      C) Refer the teenager to planned parenthood
      D) Provide materials about abstinence to the teen and encourage her to remain abstinent.

Congratulations!  You have just read your FIRST question that I deal with only a daily basis.  Yep, this is what they are all like.  I remember when I first read a question similar to this I was mind blown.  Remember, you must think beyond.  Answer will be posted at the end of this post.

So I must discuss the HESI exit exam I took on Thursday.  It was so backwards.  Totally not what I was expecting, nor was it anything that I could have "studied" for.  I had no way of knowing if I had answered any of the 85 questions right until my score popped up at the end.  My feelings at the end of the exam were yin yang.  My score popped up and it was 88.09%!!!  With a 980 Benchmark score.  More on that benchmark thing later.  I such a feeling of ELATION, RELIEF, and then, the wailing beside me began.  My neighbor failed.  Failed big.  Failed overall, I assume.  A whole semester for her down the toilet.  I felt so guilty of having any ounce of happiness over my own score.  Our instructor tried to console her to no avail.  How DO you make someone feel better in a situation like that?  It was just a bad situation.  Two months ago I had fully prepared myself for a moment like that.  I knew that she SOOO could have been me.  I still feel bad for her.  I have thought about her (although I don't really even know her name) since then and can feel her pain.  I hope she is going to be okay.

So the answer to our case study: You would take a family history.  The girl is experiencing symptoms associated with Carbon monoxide poisoning.  You are supposed to take into account the month, and that family members would be experiencing the same thing.  Shame to all of you who thought that she may be pregnant!!