Nursing/Midwifery written assesment

pinkfeather

I have applied for nursing and have my aptitude test in april, is there any books or websites anyone can suggest to help me prepare...at the moment the numerical part of it is head wrecking

jewell

Hi Pinkfeather,

I've applied too this year and have checked out a few of the aptitude test books. The one that is most relevant to the test is 'how to pass selection tests' by Mike Bryon.

Also check out rollercoaster.ie go to adult education and go to midwifery 2010 thread. Regardless of what type of Nursing you are applying for, the test/interview is the same.....there is invaluable info on this thread and on the 2009 one.


best of luck

jewell

Hi all nurses/midwives to be:)

Anyone receive anything from the NCC today, it was meant to be posted Friday 12th. I didn't receive anything

Curlz

Hi All,

Got my letter from the NCC on Tuesday. Tried looking for the Test Familiarisation Booklet on the NCC website but still only 2009 version up there??

jewell

Hi Curlz,

I did the aptitude test in 2005 and the familiarisation booklet in 2005 is the exact same as the one I downloaded in Jan, ie the 2009 one. So I reckon the 2010 will be the same.

best of luck in the test

pinkfeather

hiya, yeah i got mine posted out...you get yours yet...btw i bought the book you recommended and its great!! Thanks hun

gmcroxy

Hi all

I just attented a day course for aNursing / Midwifery mature students. This takes place in Cork and Dublin!

Really recommend it! go to careerservices.ie

Good Luck

acostelloe1

In the test familiarization booklet in the numerical test section it only gives one example of a type of numerical test. Is this the only type of numerical test that is in the actual test itself or is there also different types?

jewell

Hi acostelleo1,

The Numerical section is all sequencing and you have to figure out the correct option from the multiple choice.....of course they get harder as you go through them and some of them have two numbers missing but there isn't any fractions, decimals or percentages to work out. Oh by the way what course and where are applying to? I've fingers crossed for General UCC. Best of luck Sat

acostelloe1

Nice one Jewell!

I was doing all sorts of numerical tests but now i can get stuck into the sequencing, cheers. I've applied for psychiatric in UCD and TCD. Best of luck!

acostelloe1

Actually does anyone know if you are allowed use paper to work your answers out on?

sex panther

acostelloe1 wrote: »

Actually does anyone know if you are allowed use paper to work your answers out on?

hey ya you can use rough work paper but you have to hand it up with the test

Laydee

I read the familiarisation handbook & it says that we need to bring a passport sized photo, a print out of the page from public jobs calling us for the test, 2 pencils & ID.

The passport sized photo was news to me, I wouldn't have had a clue without reading that familiarisation handbook!

..Summergirl..

Hi to everyone,

I've done aptitude test few years ago and i was asked as well to bring with me on the test day two passport photographs written CAO number on its back, printed paper with the time when you have to sit your test and photo ID which is either passport or driving licence. Two pencils and eraser. Do not worry if you forget pencils or eraser they do provide these stuff for these who have forgotten.

I'm wishing you all very best of luck

acostelloe1

Does anyone know a site where you can do number sequence tests that are in those weird shapes like the ones that are in the familiarization booklet.

jewell

Hey Pinkfeather ,

How did you get on in the aptitude test today, I found section 1 and 2 very straight forward, the numerical wasn't too bad but the time just wasn't there only got to no 26, anyway My best is done

pinkfeather

Hey Jewell, I thought it was a lot easier than I had expected...and I did the same as you too, I found section 1 + 2 very straightforward, I think I missed 2 questions at the end of section 3, they literally snatch the papers off you at the end and certainly don't give you enough time. I have a good feeling about it, fingers crossed eh!! Anyone else do the test today? What did you think?

Kayne

Hi all,
Anyone know how those tests are marked,i.e. is test 1 with 68 questions Making 48 PERCENT,
Test 1 Handy
Got 34 test 2 missed last 2 , Could see correct ans but instructors staring .sucks.
Got 27 test 3 guessed six again supervisors.

Did test in Dublin 9:00 am ,intimidating amount of people considering its a competition.After which i rang a friend tipping her on the ans and best strategy for his exam which appears to have been the same at 3.00 pm..

Anyway good luck with results.

pinkfeather

we were told in the training course that each section of the test, when marked individually, has to be passed. I am not sure what the percentage pass mark is for each one, some of the questions in section 1 hold more points though, choice a could be 2 points, choice b and c could hold 1 point and the other choices 0 points..(for example)

trio

Hiya,

Was a bit intimidated at the amount of people in my slot - must've been about 300.

Test 1: Grand
Test 2: Completed it, though with only about 3 mins to spare - phew!
Test 3: Got to 26, flying like mad. Am relieved to see others only got to that point too! Was gutted at not completing it, as I really wanted to have all 3 completed at least.

There was a Nigerian girl next to me and I was alarmed to see she had it completely finished - how the hell did she do that???

Then I heard another girl behind me saying to someone that she found that no problem but the Verbal was always a problem for her.

Maybe people are generally either good at one or the other?

Even with the verbal, you'd really want to have good language skills. One of them had me scratching my head:

Use -> replace
? -> repair.

WHA??? :rolleyes:

Kayne

Hi,
Also noticed person beside me was finishing her every test with time to spare,had a quick glance at there 3rd answer sheet and noticed that they had marked half there last answers as a's ,def guessing.

Think its really the exception for anyone to finish the 3rd test at 30 sec a question.I think most people are looking for a bit of luck toward the last 10 or 15.......

Bit silly the way they show u a large anologue clock for timing purpose
( Should be digital with seconds)
and a 1 min warning toward end of test would also have seemed reasonable.

Brickin it at mo on results,aptitude test is def the biggest obstacle to getting into nursing.and points will def go up this year.
Best not to think about it get on with interview prep..

Vimto

Hiya everyone!

This is my first post - great to have the opportunity to discus the tests, I haven’t told anyone that i have applied for nursing I wanted to see how i would get on first without the additional pressure, as it can take a few attempts for some people to be accepted. I have applied for Midwifery in TCD and understand that there is huge competition for the places.

I came out feeling like i really let myself down one papers 2 and 3, i was the same as you trio..

Use -> replace
? -> repair

From what i can remember i think i marked down 'break' though that doesn’t seem 100% correct to me, a very tricky on that.

oh and the fish and boat, ? > duck? I put submarine for that - again i'm not 100% with that answer.

finally the chain - team does anyone know if it was link > player??

I really should just try and forget it - there's no changing of papers now!!


:rolleyes:

Vimto

I agree with you Kayne i think the points will take a huge leap this year - what have you applied for?

onthehorizon

Hey all,

Also did the aptitude test and found part 1 and 2 grand but part 3 the time went so quickly!! I didn't finish all the question but I am fairly consfident ont he ones I did get answered. Just have to sit back and wait now!!

I think the points purely depend on how everyone does this year which is why they don't send you your points score till after the interview. If you got what you considered a low score (say for example 160 and the score in the booklet for last year was 165) you may not go for the interview and then everyone else could of done worse than you who applied this year and you have missed out!! People who did fabulously on the test could fail the interview too which rules them out of the running.

I spoke to someone who got in last year and they said that the mature students on the course with her got a range of scores, some were lower than the scores shown in the booklet so it all depends on where you end up on the order of merit list in relation to everyone else.

Best of luck to all, especially with the interviews. I am starting thinking now about my situations for the interview questionnaire as the time between findout you have an interview and the interview dates isn't that long!!

Fingers crossed for all!!

Kayne

Hi Vimpto,

Had the exact same ans for first 2 on test 2 apart from the chain - team-Can't rem how i answered that apart from spending way to much time on it.
Test 2 was not to bad but kept looking for the catches that i was finding in the answers in sample books. Missed last 2 questions although they seemed handy as i looked on as the test books were taken away.
(Prob to to be recycled for next year)

By the way did you finish the numeracy?- God feels like i've just resat my leaving)

Oh ya going for UL general-180 last year (if 215 is highest poss score that requires 84% ughh) and you would need @166 77% for TCD. -where 30% of applicants are made up of mature students.

Anyway good luck everyone,

smilerxxx

Hi Guys,

I sat in Galway at the 9 am sitting. Not finishing the numeracy spooked me. I got to question 30.

Kayne you are dead right about the analog clock, how ridiculous! Our tester was so slow reading the instructions, very annoying that when we could finally start the clock was about 9.36, thats off putting as it is!

I've applied for UL too but I have psych as my first and general as my second.

I'm downloading and printing the interview prep at the moment, its on the ncc website just incase anyone is looking for it.

Also have ye heard all interviews are going to be in dublin? I find that very unfair. (I know I'm jumping the gun thinking i'll get the interview but i'm trying to be positive)

Vimto

that's it just all have to think positive - fingers crossed for everyone! anybody who really puts in the effort deserves to be given a chance i think

smilerxxx

Vimto wrote: »

that's it just all have to think positive - fingers crossed for everyone! anybody who really puts in the effort deserves to be given a chance i think

Thats a lovely thought...

Where have you applied vimto?

Vimto

I'm torn at the moment my first choice is TCD widwifery but i'm really nervous that i have messed up on the test and wont gain the 180+ that is required for there, the competition is very tough.

I also have a keen interest in Psy nursing, I have been thinking about maybe changing it to be my first choice as the points last year were much lower at 144 for tcd and there are more places available, i currently have this as my third choice and was thinking that when the results of the test points come through i could re assess, as i havent told any of my family or friends i keep ...

how about you are you only applying for UL? psy and general?

Vimto

hi kayne,

I only completed about 21 if that off the maths - not good at all,
I became stuck on question ten and stupidly wasted a lot of time trying to work it out to then just guess!

are you working at the moment? i have a friend who is currently nursing in TCD and the effort and time required for the courses is extereme - certainly more than my 9 - 5! however i think it would be worth it in the end.

the interviews are all up in Dublin and i know that they will sometimes ask you for another example of caring / movitation etc than that that you have written down... so be aware!

smilerxxx

Hi vimto,
I think you've nothing to lose by keeping your first choice for midwifery. I know it's a high score but you could have done very well on the ap test and your just a bit nervous about it. Nobody finished the numerical so your not alone there. The competition for midwifery is tough but don't count yourself out of the race. . And if your 3rd choice is psych you will more than likely get that place. You can't lose by leaving midwifery as your first choice:D.

I've only applied in UL cos I won't be able to move and it's the only college nearby that offers it. I wish I could have applied everywhere.