By Alexcia Richardson
My name is Alexcia Richardson, and I currently attend Compass Career College, where I’m enrolled in the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program. Like many nursing students, I started this journey with a mix of excitement and nerves. It’s a lot to take in all at once, but the right tools made all the difference in helping me grow, learn, and feel confident in my future career.
When I started nursing school, I was excited and a little overwhelmed. Between care plans, skills check-offs, and back-to-back exams, I quickly realized nursing school was no joke. I had the passion, but I needed the confidence and tools to back it up. That’s when Elsevier’s Shadow Health and Adaptive Quizzing became total game changers for me.
Let’s be real: reading a textbook can only take you so far. What I really needed was hands-on experience, and Shadow Health delivered just that. The virtual patients weren’t just avatars, they felt real. I had to assess their symptoms, ask the right questions, build rapport, and even make clinical decisions. I’ll never forget working with Tina Jones, one of the digital patients, during a health history assignment. It pushed me to really think critically, dig deep into my knowledge, and practice my communication skills in a safe space.
Best part? You get instant feedback. If I missed a red flag or forgot to ask a key question, Shadow Health let me know right away. It was like having a personal clinical coach who never got tired of repeating the same scenario. That kind of repetitive, real-world practice helped me walk into my clinical rotations with confidence. I didn’t just know what to do, I understood why I was doing it.
And then there’s Adaptive Quizzing, my ride-or-die for exam prep. Whether I was reviewing for Med-Surg or cramming for a patho quiz, this tool had my back. It figured out what I knew and gently dragged me back to what I didn’t (in the nicest way possible). Instead of wasting time guessing what to study, I got targeted practice on the areas I needed most. And every question came with a detailed rationale—because we all know it’s not just about getting the answer right, it’s about understanding the reasoning behind it.
Plus, it fits into your life. Got 10 minutes between classes? Boom, quick quiz. Want to review in bed with snacks? Adaptive Quizzing says yes. It meets you where you are, and helps you level up.
Both tools didn’t just help me pass tests, they made me feel like a nurse-in-the-making. They helped bridge the gap between theory and practice, and honestly, they made learning way less stressful (and a lot more empowering).
So, to every nursing or health profession student out there: if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure, know that you’re not alone, and there are resources that truly get you. Elsevier’s Shadow Health and Adaptive Quizzing have helped me gain clarity, confidence, and a plenty of clinical know-how.
When you look back at nursing school, you won’t remember every quiz question or simulation, but you will remember how it felt to finally believe in yourself. And trust me, with the right tools, that day comes a lot sooner.