Just took the NCLEX

mthornton · Jan 13, 2006

Hello. I took the NCLEX this morning and it shut off after question 105. Like most of you, I feel that I did extremely poorly and I'm stressing while waiting to see if I passed. My only consulation is that maybe I passed otherwise the questions would have kept coming until closer to 265. Do you think I'm right with my thinking?! :)

ccjacquelyn · Jan 13, 2006

Thanks tdstines and nursemomruns. I really appreciate all the support and helpful info. I talked to a couple of my other classmates who took the test yesterday as well and it sounds like we had very similar tests. The only difference is whether or not I answered the questions correctly! Thanks for the advice and I'll definitely keep everyone posted!

tdstines - one of my good friends from nursing school is also from kentucky and she's told me about how much you can get in KY for your money compared to CA. the standard of living is high in LA and OC (orange county), but i love southern CA and couldn't imagine living elsewhere. let me know if you ever make a trip or vacation out here and i'll give you some helpful tips!

Have a great weekend everyone!

studentnurse74, LPN, LVN · Jan 17, 2006

yes and I looked it up.. My instructor had told us to remember the last question. Usually if you get it right your doing pretty good

How do you know if you got it right? Do you go look it up?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2006

Actually, the number of questions is significant.

If you answered 202 questions, this means that the computer was still unable to make a pass or fail determination once you answered that 201st question. Once you answered the 202nd question, the computer was finally able to determine, with 95 percent accuracy, whether you passed or failed.

The computer will continue to throw questions at the candidate until they finally are able to get far above (or far below) the level of competency. If a person passes with 85 questions, the computer was rapidly able to determine that the candidate was competent.

nursemomruns · Jan 18, 2006

Actually, the number of questions is significant.
If you answered 202 questions, this means that the computer was still unable to make a pass or fail determination once you answered that 201st question. Once you answered the 202nd question, the computer was finally able to determine, with 95 percent accuracy, whether you passed or failed.
The computer will continue to throw questions at the candidate until they finally are able to get far above (or far below) the level of competency. If a person passes with 85 questions, the computer was rapidly able to determine that the candidate was competent.

The number of questions by itself is not significant. The difficulty level of the questions is important in finding your ability level. If you answer all of the first 60 test items above a difficulty level that is called the "cut score" then the computer will shut off after the minimum number of questions (60 real items plus pretest items). If you answer a question above the cut score correctly, but answer the next one wrong, you may get a question below the cut score or you may get one that is still above the cut score, but just a little easier. It all depends on your ability. You do not have to get far above or far below the cut score to pass or fail. As many candidates that failed will tell you, they were "near passing" in areas of the test plan. So, the number of questions you receive is driven by the difficulty of the questions which is determined by your ability.

MikeyT-c-IV · Jan 18, 2006

I read alot of these posts in the past 24 hours. So I'll put in my experience with the NCLEX-RN. Now I really understand what everybody was talking about when they said you never really can tell how you did on the boards, I can certainly identify with that now. Anyway, So I took the test yesterday morning. I had 75 questions and swear that I blew it. To make a long story short, there was alot of material on the test that I don't recall learning about in school. To make it worse, I never had any "give me" questions, like math. I didn't have ANY alternate format items. Most questions were about disease processes, meds, and priorities. Anyway, I was half flipping out for about 24 hours. Then I broke down and called the board this morning and found out that I did pass just fine. What a great feeling.

Good luck to everyone else.

Mike

nursejack · Jan 19, 2006

Hello everyone, my name is Jack and I'm from California. I just graduated from an ASN nursing program and took the NCLEX-RN on the 10th. I only had 75 questions and have been checking the BRN website every single day. I felt confident walking out of the exam but am now experiencing a lot of self-doubt and "what if's", due to not seeing my name on the website. Can anyone who has recently taken the NCLEX-RN tell me what the average time is to post a new license on the BRN website? I'm driving myself insane, checking it 50 times a day. It is simply difficult not knowing one's fate.

From what I've read so far in this forum, it seems like a few of you are in the same boat, waiting to hear results. I did not know you can call the board and get results over the phone. I do not think that is possible in California. I did try calling to see but the recording just says "due to high volume of calls, your call cannot be answered at this time, please try agian later". Great! Can anyone give me feedback or advice on post-NCLEX issues, with the exam stopping at 75 questions and no word via internet or regular mail in about 9 days so far? Thanks!

ccjacquelyn · Jan 20, 2006

Hello everyone, my name is Jack and I'm from California. I just graduated from an ASN nursing program and took the NCLEX-RN on the 10th. I only had 75 questions and have been checking the BRN website every single day. I felt confident walking out of the exam but am now experiencing a lot of self-doubt and "what if's", due to not seeing my name on the website. Can anyone who has recently taken the NCLEX-RN tell me what the average time is to post a new license on the BRN website? I'm driving myself insane, checking it 50 times a day. It is simply difficult not knowing one's fate.
From what I've read so far in this forum, it seems like a few of you are in the same boat, waiting to hear results. I did not know you can call the board and get results over the phone. I do not think that is possible in California. I did try calling to see but the recording just says "due to high volume of calls, your call cannot be answered at this time, please try agian later". Great! Can anyone give me feedback or advice on post-NCLEX issues, with the exam stopping at 75 questions and no word via internet or regular mail in about 9 days so far? Thanks!

Nursejack,

First of all, relax and don't psych yourself out by thinking about all of the "what ifs" - it will literally drive you mad. Secondly, I've heard through some Kaplan people that the BRN website is usually updated once a day at 3am, so it would be the best to check in the morning. Third, I don't think CA has the option of calling BRN to tell you your results. I WISH they would do that, but I think that's a luxury that some people from other states can enjoy. Lastly, the timing in which you receive your results may depend on when BRN receives your transcripts from your school. There is often a 2-3 week period where they are registering your transcripts. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason as far as how they post licenses as well. I found out earlier than some of my classmates who took it before me. It may be alphabetical, by testing center, by date, etc. who knows. But I'm sure you did better than you think. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised. Let us know when you hear the good news!

nursejack · Jan 20, 2006

Thanks ccjacquelyn,

Will do! I'll try to keep my chin up, but this waiting is cruel and unusual. Unsure of how to describe it......like a wound each day that doesn't heal, but worsens. I mean, how many people, in essence get paperwork confirmation BEFORE seeing their name on the BRN in California? None that I know of.

gchelak · Jan 22, 2006

I am so glad I found this site!

I took the NCLEX-RN yesterday and I too feel like I guessed at almost all of the answers. I had 75 questions in about 1.5 hrs and remembered some of them when I got home and found I answered some right and some wrong...:uhoh21:

All of my classmates that took the exam so far have passed- mostly with 75 questions. I have never been a good guesser so that worries me since most of the questions I think I guessed at. Some were easy because I had heard of it in school, some were really hard and there was no way to "think" through it. My state (TX) does have the online or telephone results so I will know by Tues/Wed if I passed. I have gone through the scenerio about if I don't pass many times since I am already working and would lose my job possibly because you can not keep practicing if you fail.

For those of you that don't have the luxury of web or call-in results: I have been watching my friend's results being updated on the BNE site and it takes anywhere from 4-5+ business days to show up. My friend that took her NCLEX on Tues the 17th is not updated although she paid the $7.95 and found out from the Pearson Vue site that she did pass.

Also: I took the Hurst review live (awesome) and they were saying something about the 60 question cut that someone one else mentioned. Apparently the NCLEX computer goes back to your previous 60 questions to determine its 95% probability pass rate. They said that one person didn't finish the exam before the 6 hrs were up (could you imagine sitting there that long?) and still passed because it went back to her last 60 questions. I know that the exam is scored by the computer AND by a person, and perhaps she was JUST there at the passing mark.

Anyway, I wish everyone the best and I know I feel like everyone else seems to feel after this exam: worried that I didn't pass! I hope I am wrong...

MCG25 · Jan 25, 2006

I know your pain, I just walked out this morning wondering what "what was that all about" I have never been so disappointed in my life. My test stopped at 75 but I felt uneasy throughout the whole test. I had alot of prioritzing, call backs and a ton on meds. I am so stressed out because I don't know how I could have prepared myself any different then I did. During nursing school we took the NLN and I scored a 92%. That sure was not the feeling when I walked out this morning. Reading everyone frustrations has helped me somewhat. It's going to be a long 48 hours.

nursemomruns · Jan 25, 2006

I am so glad I found this site!
I took the NCLEX-RN yesterday and I too feel like I guessed at almost all of the answers. I had 75 questions in about 1.5 hrs and remembered some of them when I got home and found I answered some right and some wrong...:uhoh21:
All of my classmates that took the exam so far have passed- mostly with 75 questions. I have never been a good guesser so that worries me since most of the questions I think I guessed at. Some were easy because I had heard of it in school, some were really hard and there was no way to "think" through it. My state (TX) does have the online or telephone results so I will know by Tues/Wed if I passed. I have gone through the scenerio about if I don't pass many times since I am already working and would lose my job possibly because you can not keep practicing if you fail.
For those of you that don't have the luxury of web or call-in results: I have been watching my friend's results being updated on the BNE site and it takes anywhere from 4-5+ business days to show up. My friend that took her NCLEX on Tues the 17th is not updated although she paid the $7.95 and found out from the Pearson Vue site that she did pass.
Also: I took the Hurst review live (awesome) and they were saying something about the 60 question cut that someone one else mentioned. Apparently the NCLEX computer goes back to your previous 60 questions to determine its 95% probability pass rate. They said that one person didn't finish the exam before the 6 hrs were up (could you imagine sitting there that long?) and still passed because it went back to her last 60 questions. I know that the exam is scored by the computer AND by a person, and perhaps she was JUST there at the passing mark.
Anyway, I wish everyone the best and I know I feel like everyone else seems to feel after this exam: worried that I didn't pass! I hope I am wrong...

If you run out of time for the exam (and candidates do), the last 60 questions that you answered are used for the pass/fail decision. All of the last 60 real items must be above the cut score (passing line) in order to pass. If even one question in those last 60 is below the passing standard, it is a fail. If for some reason a candidate does not answer 60 real items before time runs out, then it is an automatic fail. If you answer enough questions for a pass/fail decision to be made within the allotted time, this procedure does not apply. It is only for those that run out of time. The time allowed for the RN exam is 6 hours and for the PN exam it is 5 hours.