First-time pass rates on the National Certification Exam are at a 5-year low and nurse anesthesia programs face significant challenges in supporting students as they prepare for the NCE. This presentation will provide success coaching and study skills proven to improve performance on the NCE. Effective metacognitive strategies such as paraphrasing, retrieval, active learning, and spaced learning will be presented. Non-anesthesia content to support students will include stress management, growth mindset, goal orientation, self-motivation, and deliberate practice. Strategies will be provided for the effective use of mock exams and data points proven to be predictive of NCE success that can allow for frequent, high-quality feedback. Guidance for the remediation of at-risk students will be presented and includes success coaching strategies such as setting expectations, creating accountability, improving a sense of investment, and fostering individualized attention. A structure of success coaching and study plans that can be incorporated into anesthesia programs will be presented including how and when to provide remediation, how to prepare for the SEE, pre-graduation daily study plans, post-graduation daily study plans, and how to individualize attention to students based upon their previous performance. Finally, approaches to mitigate test anxiety such as cognitive behavioral therapy, controlling fear, and improving focus stamina will be presented.
Learning Objectives:
Identify metacognitive strategies to improve knowledge retention when preparing for the NCE.
Discuss faculty-facilitated remediation strategies for students believed to be at risk for first time failure on the NCE.
Discuss stress management and cognitive behavioral therapy strategies that are effective for students who experience test anxiety.