WELCOME TO THIS GREAT EDUCATIONAL BLOG

Welcome to my Pre-Nursing Exam Prep blog. I hope it will help you prepare very well for the Pre-NLN entrance exam, popularly known as the PAX exam. This is one of the entrance exams required by some schools for those who want to pursue careers in the nursing field in the USA. I will attempt to break down the review materials into manageable parts so that you can systematically and efficiently prepare for the test with less stress. I will guide you to prepare for the entire content of the test. Hopefully, you will be able to pass after going through these series.


BEST OF LUCK!


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A 12-DAY APPROACH TO ACE THE EXAM

SCIENCE REVIEWThe topics that are generally covered in the test have been grouped into twelve instructional modules below. You will be tested only on the basic concepts of physics, chemistry and biology. Click on science topics and select any of the topics listed in the module to review.

Lesson 1:

Basic structure of atom

Types of tissues

Lesson 2:

Movement of substances across the cell membrane

Acids and bases, pH scale

Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids

Lesson 3:

Basic structure of the eye

Basic structure of the ear

Nervous system

Lesson 4:

Circulatory system

Introduction to mechanics (motion/forces)

Electrical circuits

Lesson 5:

Balancing chemical equations and writing formulas

Essentials of photosynthesis and respiration

Classifying organic compounds

Magnetism

Electromagnetism

Lesson 6:

Interpretation of graphs and pictograms

Analyzing and making conclusions from experiments

Data analysis

Lesson 7:

Endocrine system

Digestive system

Genitourinary system

Lesson 8:

Reproduction in mammals

Basic parts of a flower

Reproduction in plants (the process of pollination

Genetics

Lesson 9:

Modes of heat transfer

Calculating heat energies and phase diagrams

Temperature conversions (Kelvin, Celsius, Fahrenheit)

Lesson 10:

Gas laws (Boyle, Charles, Gay-Lussac)

Types of energy (Potential, kinetic, etc…..)

Chemical bonds, equilibrium and equilibrium constants

Mixtures, types of solutions, solubility

Lesson 11:

Concepts of the food pyramid, food web and food chain

Light (diffraction, refraction, reflection, dispersion)

Basic concepts on waves

Sound waves

Catalyst and enzymes

Lesson 12:

Symbiosis

Ecology

The Electroscope

Radioactivity and half-life Tropism

Tropism

Thursday, July 24, 2014

CRITICAL THINKING AND ANALYSIS - PART 2

The following table shows the volume of 0.1 mol/L NaOH added to 15 mL of 0.1 mol/L HCl in a titration experiment.


1) What is the volume of NaOH added at the equivalence point?
A. 30.0 ml
B. 15.0 ml
C. 0 ml
D. 17.5 ml

2) What is the pH of the acid at the beginning of the titration?
A. 12.5
B. 7.0
C. 1.0
D. 0

3) What is the volume of NaOH added when the pH was 12.3?
A. 20.0 ml
B. 25.0 ml
C. 22.5 ml
D. 17.5 ml

4) What was the volume of NaOH added when the acid was neutralized?
A. 30.0 ml
B. 15.0 ml
C. 0 ml
D. 17.5 ml


Answers: 1.  B   (Since NaOH is a strong base and HCl is a strong acid, the equivalence point occurs at pH of 7.)    2. C        3.  C       4.  B  (pH of 7 is the neutralization point)

Monday, July 21, 2014

CRITICAL THINKING AND ANALYSIS - PART 1

One of the areas in which you will be tested on is the area of analysis and critical thinking. These areas test your ability to read and interpret diagrams and to make sense and conclusions out of given information. For example, given the label below:



1. Which of the following conditions can destroy the potency of the drug?
      A. Storage within the temperature range of 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit
      B. Storage in a humid and wet closet.
      C.  Storage at normal room temperature.
      D. There is not enough information on the label.

2. Which of the following can result in unwarranted effects of the drug?
      A. Alcohol
      B. Tranquilizers
      C.  Sedatives
      D. All of the above

3. What are the indications for using this drug?
      A. Glaucoma
      B. Chronic bronchitis
      C. Hay fever with itchy throat
      D. Enlarged prostate

4. A person taking this drug must be careful when driving or using machinery, because ______ .
     A. It relaxes the muscles
     B. It causes irritation of the nerves
     C. It causes drowsiness
     D. All of the above is true

5. Which of the following symptoms will the drug relieve?
     A. dizziness
     B. drowsiness
     C. diarrhea
     D. Itchy throat and watery eyes

6. Care should be taken if the person has  the following conditions:
     A. Prostate enlargement
     B. Upper respiratory allergies
     C. Glaucoma
     D. A and C both correct

7. The active ingredient, chlorpheniramine maleate, is classified as ____________ .
     A. Antihypertensive drug
     B. Antiepileptic drug
     C. Antihistamine drug
     D. Antiglaucoma drug

8.  The following are components of the drug:
     A. Lactose and sucrose
     B. Lactose and magnesium stearate
     C. Microcrystalline cellulose and maltose
     D. Microcrystalline cellulose and sucrose


Answers: 
1. B    2. D   3. C    4. C     5. D     6. D       7. C      8. B

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

BE ENCOURAGED, NEVER GIVE UP!

Today, we will take a little break from the academics and to enjoy this inspirational message. Believe in your abilities and capabilities to brace the storms of life to be able to soar high up in the skies beyond reasonable comprehension.  It is fact that God has equipped you with the necessary tools so that you can do all things if you apply yourself diligently it. We all have the potential to succeed if we look beyond our short-falls, weaknesses, disabilities, challenges, and whatever our socioeconomic backgrounds may be. 

As in the poem by Longfellow:

 The heights by great men, reached and kept;
 Were not attained by sudden flights;
 But they, while their companions slept,
 Were toiling upward in the night.


It takes hard work to make it into a  nursing school and to sail through it to the end. Working hard will not break your bones! Apply yourself to your set goals and in the end, you will succeed.

Keep learning!
The best of luck in all your endeavors!

FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS OR ASSOCIATIONS

Symbiosis is the term used to describe the long-term relationships between two or more organisms.

There are four types of relationships.
1. Parasitism
2. Mutualism
3. Saprophytism
4. Commensalism

PARASITISM

Under this type of relationship, one organism feeds on another and causes injury or harm to it. 

Examples:  Bed bugs feed on the blood of humans, tapeworm in the intestines of humans, plasmodium falciparum causing malaria in humans. 

MUTUALISM
This is the type of association in which both organisms benefit from the relationship. 

Examples: Oxpeckers (a kind of bird) land on rhinos or zebras and eat ticks and other parasites that live on their skin. The oxpeckers get food and the rhinos or zebras relieved of the pests. So both benefit from this relationship.

The spider crab and the algae. Spider crabs live in shallow areas of the ocean floor where they are easily preyed upon by other sea creatures. The greenish-brown algae lives on the back of the crabs. This makes them blend in with their environment so that they become unnoticeable to predators. They both benefit because the algae gets a good place to live, and the crabs get camouflage.

The bee and the flower. Bees fly from flower to flower gathering nectar, which they turn into their food. While feeding on the nectar, the bees get some pollen on their hairy bodies The pollen is transferred to the next flower when the bee lands on it leading to pollination. In this mutualistic relationship, the bees get their food, and the flowering plants get to reproduce.

COMMENSALISM
In this relationship, one organism benefits but the other does not benefit or get injured.

Examples: The shark and the remora fish. The remora fish feeds on the crumbs that fall out of the mouth of the shark. The remora fish benefits from feeding on the crumbs but the shark does not benefit or lose.

Cattle and cattle egrets - The cattle egrets are birds that live near cattle. When the cattle graze, their movements stir up insects. The birds have their insects and the cattle are unaffected.

SAPROPHYTISM

This relationship involves organisms feeding on non-living things. The organisms are referred to as saprophytes.

Example: Mold and bread - Mold (living organism) is a fungus that feeds on the bread (non-living). 

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Friday, July 4, 2014

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

Consider the food web below:



1. What will be the impact on the rabbit population when all the grass in the area are removed?
 A. The rabbit population will go down
 B. The rabbit population will go up
 C.  The rabbit population will likely remain the same
 D. It is difficult to determine the effect

2. What will be the impact on the field mouse population when all the grass in the area are removed?
 A. The field mouse population will go down
 B. The field mouse population will go up
 C.  The field mouse population will likely remain the same
 D. It is difficult to determine the effect

3. An important member of the ecosystem that is not indicated on the food web is _____________ .
A. Producers
B. Decomposers
C. Primary consumers
D. Secondary consumers


Answers: 1. C     2. A     3. B