I have taken and passed a number of certification and licensure examinations over the years, including the IBCLC and one recertification for it. I have found a some common threads in preparation & test taking:

1. It is good to use several different study sources. The exam questions will come from  a number subject matter experts throughout the profession. The approach and wording of the questions will change. The practice will help you to be prepared for the different approaches. Try not to let it throw you that even our shining stars do not agree on the fine details of every subject. Also, mistakes are made even by professionals--inadvertently by authors--editing errors--typos by printers, etc. You need to know the basics that you will have learned in the texts. You are not going to come across the exact study test question or picture on the exam. 

2. No matter what you will come across some questions where you will think, "I wouldn't do/say any of those things in quite that way." Go back to your basics and think what are they looking for in this scenario. Pick the next best approach if nothing quite matches what you would do. Stay calm, centered, and breathe.

3. Trust your own knowledge base and expertise--especially to sit this exam, the depth of knowledge and real life working hours needed to even come to this point is daunting. Give yourself credit for where you come from and bring to the table. 2 days before the test, if you do not know the subject, you are not going to learn it now. If you are taking the test this time around--Stop Studying Now If You Have Not Already Done So!

4. I never came out of one of these tests thinking "Boy, that was easy, I know I passed it." Live in the moment. When the test is over, it's over. Don't go over the questions for hours or days after you are finished.

RE: The pictures--My first time taking the IBCLC exam, the pictures were slides on a old-fashioned screen--I was so happy with the improvement in quality when I retested the 2nd time around. Thank heavens for digital technology--even if I flunked the first time I when I tried to send this via my Blackberry.

I'll be sending my warm thoughts & prayers to the test candidates. There is such a tremendous group of people here. I had to let my IBCLC lapse due to health reasons and was unable to work for over a year. I collected several other certifications along the way during my clinical career that had to lapse as I could not continue the hands-on  practice hours needed. Now, I've been back at work for 5 years as an RN, but as an Inpatient Care Coordinator for a managed Medicaid provider--quite a change. I've kept up coming here to help keep my knowledge base current as I do work with families with chronic & critically ill children. 

Linda A. Madsen, RN, BS
Inpatient Care Coordinator/Aetna Texas Medicaid
Dallas, TX



      

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