Best NCLEX review guides, figured I would ask folks who have passed!

Nurses New Nurse

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Hello grads!

I am about halfway through my RN-BSN program and feel like I need to get a move on preparing for the NCLEX. For those who felt good about their preparation, what tools did you use? I hear great things about the Saunders book.

Thanks!

Amie

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Kaplan helped me pass the NCLEX; there are no two ways of saying that. I highly recommend Kaplan Qbank 100%

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Another vote for Kaplan. More than ten years between my education and NCLEX, passed in 75 questions on the first attempt.

I also used LaCharity and highly recommend completing it as well.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Kaplan, definitely. I also used Lippincott and Mosby's to supplement my studying in school and prepare for exams since our professors were really into writing NCLEX style questions. The more practice you have with the NCLEX style questions, the better!

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Specializes in Med Surg, Specialty.

No matter what you decide to go with, I'd recommend at least a 2 step approach, don't focus on one book alone to cut it.

What worked very well for me

1-saved all my study guides for each semester's final exam. Review these first - its a good source of concise information to refresh yourself.

2-Exam Cram NCLEX is a fantastic overview of general nursing topics - it is extremely concise, informative, and easy to read and understand, and it covered the gaps that I had from nursing school. It is also gives a great start at explaining how NCLEX questions work, and why you should pick specific answers, and has a CD of a few hundred questions which is a good starter point.

3-After finishing the Exam Cram book and its accompanying CD, Saunders has a fantastic CD of thousands of questions that comes with their book. Answer tons of questions daily until you are fairly comfortable with the scores you are getting, and you should be set.

I actually had a 3rd book that I never used, because the other two worked so well for me that I focused all my time on them.

I have to say that I did not utilize Saunder's book at all - I found it was far too in depth, too drawn out/wordy (with information I did not find useful, and the way it was laid out was not that helpful) for me to make use of it, but their CD of questions was incredibly useful. And the Exam Cram book I enjoyed so much, I've kept that as a refresher which I still make use of!

Good luck with the rest of school!

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I agree with the above posts; Kaplan 2010-2011 edition was extremely helpful! Go through the book content first (NOT the test), use the disc & read each rationale on WHY you got questions wrong and/or correct, and then take the book test & (again) read each rationale on why it was wrong and/or correct.

I also used Virtual-ATI, which was somewhat useful. It took me almost 2½ months to complete. Plus: you had a good review on all nursing topics. Negative: you didn't get rationales on why you got answers wrong and/or correct.

Saunders disks were very useful. Again, use the rationales and the strategies on why you got answers wrong AND/OR correct.

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For me the Online Hurst Review and the LaCharity Book is a must. I passed in July with 75questions.

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I did the Online Hurst review and passed in 75. I think if you struggle at all with taking tests you might buy the Kaplan book and look at breaking apart the questions but that was not the issue for me. Most people I know did Hurst since it was less and EVERYONE passed on the first try. Hurst is mostly content review so you have the foundation to analyze a question. No review book is anything like the NCLEX in my opinion just trust you have been through school and reviewed and take a deep breath.

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I took the Sylvia Rayfield review course and then used the Mosby CD-ROM. I used Saunder's a lot during nursing school but did not use it to prep for NCLEX, just do to lack of time. I think it's a great book though.

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Specializes in Med-Tele, Internal Med PCU.

I did the Hurst in person Course and their CDs along with Saunders. We also had to take the HESI, which was a pain it provided a good tool as to where to focus your study efforts. I found Marlene(?) Hurst to be a hoot which really made the "study until your butt falls asleep" process a bit more tolerable.

Here was my approach: 1. Finished classes and had 1 week to prepare for HESI, I did Saunder's tests until I was consistantly >75% in all areas. 2. Graduation and 1 weeks off, then attended Hurst and worked through their review. 3. Did Saunders review of my known weak areas, ending with repeated Exams with additional practice using their "type of question" focus. 4. I then repeated the Hurst tests and listened to their rationales and test taking strategies. 5. My last 2 days were spent relaxing and resting, I did look up things that came to mind, but did not "study".

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I took my NCLEX exam last Wednesday & Passed :)

I used Saunders, Kaplan Strategy Book, Kaplan Question Trainer and NCLEX flashcards I bought from Barnes & Noble --- Hope that helps !

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How much longer you got??? I wouldn't start worrying about it already. Worry about graduation and stuff first. Most people(and every IS different), only need 2-3 weeks to study and review. You should still know a lot from school and not need 3-4 months of hardcore studying. But anyway I liked Hurst and the LaCharity book.

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