How to Top the Board...

This article is written by Irisa Kriya Biag, RN...


I think that there’s really no sure way to top the board exam. I, myself, even doubted whether I would be able to pass it at all! As I like to say, we don’t expect that we would top the board exam, but we all hoped for it…

I really don’t know how to go about this topic, so instead, I will just share my thoughts…

In this competitive world, I believe that “sacrifice” is the name of the game. As someone once said, “In life, we don’t always get what we want or what we need, we get what we deserve.” We have to work hard for what we want and prove ourselves worthy of having that license. If it means missing a night out with friends for a project, spending extra time at the library to research or depriving yourself a couple of hours sleep just to finish a case study, then why not? These are just small sacrifices compared to what our parents had to go through just to provide us money for our tuition. All of these difficulties will just be an ant bite once you find your name on the passers’ list (more so if it’s in the list of topnotchers) and see the joy and pride in your parents’ faces.

As what our clinical instructor, Dr. Cherry Alalong, told us during our college years, preparation for the board exam doesn’t start during review season, nor does it start during our 4th year when NLE seems to be so close (more like an impending threat!)… Preparation for the NLE starts during the first day we set foot in our school to study Nursing… When I came to SPC, I really worked hard and did the best I could in every subject that we had because I didn’t want to have to look back knowing that I could have done a much better job. But still, human as I am, I still had few regrets… wishing I could have paid more attention to this lesson and taken the initiative to find out more about this particular topic… But my point really is that, we should all take each day as a chance to learn new things, discover whole new experiences, and gather invaluable lessons and virtues… Take as much as we can! All of which will help us become a better professional and a better nurse…

And aside from the 4 years of good nursing education in SPC, here are some random things on how I prepared for the Nurses’ Licensure Exam after graduation, and surprisingly became one of the 5th placers .

A couple of months before the review, I avoided eating junk food and munched on healthier treats, like fruits and vegetables to detoxify my body! I also listened to classical music to help me relax.

During review, I attended the classes religiously, not missing any session no matter how tired I was or how tedious it was to listen to a particular topic (sacrifice!). I also reviewed my notes once I got home (repetition aids retention!). But it was not “all work and no play”, because I also took my time to rest and relax (give your brain a break!) I ate only home-cooked meals because I was afraid I’d have diarrhea on the day of the board exam. And to make sure, I took antidiarrhea medications, just in case!

The night before the board exam, I prepared everything I needed: my uniform, the necessary documents, my pencils and sharpener, etc. so I wouldn’t forget anything the following morning.
And lastly, I prayed. I did not ask Heavenly Father to make me a topnotcher. I just asked Him to help me do my best in the board exam. I prayed that I will be able to think clearly. I prayed that I would be able to remember the things that I have learned. I prayed that I would be able to arrive at the testing center safely and I prayed for Heavenly Father comfort me and take away my jitters.