During the Proctored ATI, I remember feeling overwhelmed and rushing myself. Rather than taking a rest as I previously stated I would attempt, I rather continued pushing myself through the exam. I caught myself staring at which question I was on and thinking, “Oh I’m halfway through, I just have to get through the number of questions”. Thus, forcing myself to continue. I believe this hindered my performance. I focused on the number of questions I had left more than I had focused on the questions themselves.
From this, I have learned I will attempt to ignore what question I am on. I will focus on what the question is asking of me and read both the questions and answers carefully. If I feel overwhelmed, I shall close my eyes, take a deep breath, and regain my focus and concentration. Hopefully, with this knowledge, I will improve my performance upon the retake. From there I can apply this to the future for the SMART goals I have established for preparation for the NCLEX.
