Hey all!

I'm scheduled to take the Nclex in 2 weeks. It's been about 9 months since I graduated and was not able to take the exam due to personal circumstances. I have been on and off studying for a while but only seriously studying for the past 20 days or so. I'm so nervous and I don't know if I'm ready... I've been doing practice questions and scoring in the 60-70% range. Anybody out there that can relate? I'm looking for any tips or suggestions you can throw my way.

Thanks in advance

I am soooo there with you...I take it in less than 12 hours and only started studying this week!!!! OMG talk about stress. I will let you know how it goes.

Keep plugging away at it and before you know it test day will arrive! Good luck!

Lots of infection control/precautions, got about 8 meds, 2 math (very basic), rest were varied but most of mine were endocrine..probably because it's my weakest and least favorite subject. I'm hoping for the best, got fingers, legs, eyes and everything else I can cross, crossed. Goodluck to you when you take yours!!!*wine

@ chellexlalani: Thanks a bunch for your tips & the luck! I know I'll need it. Hopefully you kicked butt!! I can feel your pain with the Endocrine...lots of tiny details to remember. What were you getting on your practice exams? I'm so unsure if I'm scoring high enough or not...eeks.

@caliotter3: Thanks for the luck! Can you suggest any study material that you've found beneficial? I've already used Kaplan study material as well as Exam Cram books.

These are my results for the Kaplan question trainers:

Question Trainer 1 57%

Question Trainer 2 76%

Question Trainer 3 58%

Question Trainer 4 59%

Question Trainer 5 61%

Question Trainer 6 57%

Question Trainer 7 62%

ATI predictor test, 97% chance of passing, Kaplan my percentage was 62% (I hear 65 is whats acceptable ) and NCSBN diagnostic 75% . On the NCSBN website I was getting 80-90% on the lessons. If I had to choose between the two I would choose Kaplan. My test stopped at 75..its nerve-wracking, I wish I knew already :grn:

Thankyou soooo much. You've been so helpful. I got a 97% on that ATI predictor too but that was 9 months ago before graduation. I wish I still had the codes so I could retake and see where I"m at now...

Do you know if NCSBN has free practice exams? so far I've found Kaplan to be the best too.

I"m sure you did great. When do you find out? Everyone I know who got 75 questions passed so the odds are in your favor. One of my friends just took the test 2 days ago and yesterday she found out she passed with 75 questions. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

All of the anxiety, insomnia, and worrying are part of what makes finding out that you passed (and you will pass) so much sweeter. Did you know that almost 90% of first time NCLEX-RN takers in the United States pass the first time? Odds are in your favor!

I started studying about 5 weeks before my exam. I took a review (Mark Klimeck---who holds reviews in Ohio) and studied from the books he provided. I also did hundreds and hundreds of practice questions from Exam Cram and Saunders. I only looked up the rationale when I got a question wrong. Lastly, I signed up for the 3 weeks NCSBN online course at http://www.learningext.com. I ONLY did the questions...I did not read the outlines they provided. By the way...I thought the questions from NCSBN were GREAT preparation for the NCLEX. They really make you think and provide excellent rationale.

Focus on the big picture. Don't focus too much on the details. I believe (after taking this exam and passing) that they are looking for a SAFE nurse with good nursing JUDGMENT. Sure...you'll get a few pharm questions with medications that you've never heard of...but you'll mostly see questions that are testing to see what kind of judgment you have. The NCLEX isn't looking for a nurse that knows the obscure medications as much as they are looking for a nurse that knows priority, delegation, safety, isolation precautions...

Keep doing those practice questions and by the time you sit down for the exam...answering NCLEX question will be like second nature.:)

So I found out a couple of days ago that I passed! Yay! I'm officially an RN!!!!!! :w00t::w00t::smiley_aa:clpty::hpygrp: on to the next one... Goodluck to you!

@ chellexlalani: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! How was your testing experience. Any helpful tips?

@ Emily: Thanks a bunch for your words of encouragement. My test is soooo soon & because of some family reasons this past week I barely got any studying done. Most of my time went to driving to and from the airport. I'm so so nervous. I've done about 2500 questions collectively but I still don't feel ready enough.

Hi! I just took my exam this week & found out I passed yesterday. I have never been so excited, but I have never been so nervous either. I think you will be just fine. You have done a tone of questions, and if you have learned anything from those questions & their explanations, then I think you'll pass. It is a rough exam, & I was for sure I failed it, but I hear everyone feels that way. I took about 90 questions, and I studied hard for about a month. I truly dont think youll ever feel prepared for the NCLEX. There is just so much in nursing that you cannot possibly know everything right off the bat, eventually, maybe. Right now, just make sure you know enough about the processes of the body. That way, youre able to think of which of the four answers may be wrong, in order to determine which one may be correct. Thats the best you can do. I was always weak in the pharmacology area & studied & studied it. I still ended up with 10 drugs I had never hear of on the exam. Buuut, I was still able to think about the question and which answer sounded correct according to the name of the drug and the questions I'd answered. With the amount you've done.. dont worry, try to get rest before the exam, & know that you have done the best you could have & you will do great. Good luck!

@ Starkyss: Congratulations on passing! and thanks a lot for your encouragement. Truly needed a heaping spoonful of that! I usually try to recall and think through the questions before even looking at the answer choices to get an answer. If I have no idea about the topic of the question (as in the case of meds I've never heard of) I just make the best possible guess. I find this to be the easiest for Saunders Comprehensive Review CD because I think it gives pretty unrelated answer choices. ATI and Kaplan have very close answers

My exam is sooo soon & I haven't done much content review. Just questions. When I don't know something I look it up. Got any helpful tips for last couple days before taking the test?

Thanks! I finally feel like I can relax...

What youre doing sounds perfect. I used this website- http://libtc.utmb.edu/nclexrn3500/mainMenu.do;jsessionid=1D6E4F24D79707A143799E5916159482 - See if that link works, if you go to Review, then Nursing topics, you can choose what areas to cover & I learned a lot from this site. The questions are more similar to NCLEX style than other resources I used. The answers are all similar, like you mentioned you like, & it provides great explanations as to why the wrong answers are wrong. That's what I always found the most helpful.

Definitely just keep doing questions, you'll learn about the content that way anyway. My only advice is to relax & try not to worry about the exam or the outcome... all you can do is be prepared & do your best. If you worry about how you'll do, it will only hinder your performance. Use the time after the exam to worry about how you did! Good Luck!!