Failed NCLEX, should I become a CNA?

Nurses General Nursing

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I continue to fail the NCLEX while my date to begin paying my student loan nears. I am to begin paying my loans off in September (2015) and with this recent failed NCLEX attempt, the next date I could retake it is at the beginning of September. There is a CNA course offered nearby that is well known and highly spoke of by employers. I could take the course and find a job quickly and be able to begin paying off my loans, which would in turn require me to study for the NCLEX while working. Basically, I have exactly enough money to be able to either pay for the NCLEX review course, or the CNA course.

I am simply wondering if anyone has an opinion on whether I should devote another set of weeks to studying for the NCLEX (since I have a great friend who offered to pay my loans for a bit until i'd take the test), or is it better to be an adult and realize I have no money and become a CNA, and just study when I can (also possibly losing some nursing knowledge as time goes)? I feel like having my whole day to study for the NCLEX is fantastic and it's an opportunity I shouldn't give up… however, i'd be making no money and not that the thought of me failing again is in my mind, but it is something that is a possibility and i'd be naive to not have a plan if that did happen again…

Thank you for any help/insight/personal experiences on this topic!!

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Pls study your nclex exam. Good luck

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Why would you need to take a CNA course? You are a graduate nurse, you KNOW CNA skills.

Studying all day is NOT the way to learn anything. Identify your weak areas, go from there.

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Specializes in Neuroscience.

You state that you continue to fail your NCLEX exam, so I wonder how many times you have taken it. How did you study before this recent exam? Was it all day, or just a few hours a day? If it was all day, I'm not sure how continuing to study all day will help you.

I think looking over the NCLEX forum will help you develop an idea of what might work best. Figure out what NCLEX prep you will take, and have a better plan in studying. As for becoming a CNA, you may have just enough money for an NCLEX review course or the CNA course. If you fail this time, you won't have enough money for anything. As a CNA, you don't have to work 24/7, and there will be time to study throughout the week, plus you'll be gaining some insight into nursing. However, that has to be your call. Only you know your finances and what upcoming bills you have. Don't forget you also have to pay to re-register for the NCLEX as well.

I think we could provide more help if we knew how you studied this last test.

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study for the Nclex. you have graduated form nursing school so dont give up. Becoming a CNA I feel would just be a distraction. but don't study all day all the time, what are you struggling with, start from there. what are you using to study with?

do you have the Saunders comprehensive NCLEX book its a really good one. and I don't know what review courses they offer in your area; but I did the HURST review and it was amazing.

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As a graduating nursing student you should be able to take the CNA States test without taking the class. If you want to work as a CNA for a little bit till you pass the NCLEX it might not be a bad idea if you need the money to start to pay off the loan.

But agree with the others and study for NCLEX and pass it as soon as you can so you can start looking for a nursing job. Good luck I hope you pass the next time

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Also consider that the facilities you apply at may not want to hire a graduate nurse as a CNA. They will put in the money and effort to hire and orient you as a CNA, just for you to turn around and become and RN. They then have to fill your position again shortly after. Most facilities wont want this. It couldnt hurt to apply, but I definitely wouldnt waste money on a CNA course. You could probably just challenge the exam without taking the course anyway.

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg, Telemetry, Dialysis.

Just wanted to throw out there that you also have options for your loans...there's deferments, forbearances, and also now you can apply for something called an income based repayment plan. I did that when I was unemployed and my payment was $0. The interest will continue accruing so this is definitely not a good long term plan but it could certainly buy you a little breathing room for now.

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Exactly what odaat said. Defer your loans. It's easy to do. You GRADUATED nursing school. You got this. My opinion is to use the time to study. It sounds like you need a different study technique. (Or anxiety during testing, I guess.) Answer lots of NCLEX questions on each body system and READ THE RATIONAL for both why the answers are right and why the other answers are wrong. I learned the most by reading the rationales at the end of the book I used. I swear by this book. The newest edition is

Lippincott's Q&A Review for NCLEX-RN 11th edition.

It separates the questions into categories. Example: A whole chapter of questions on ortho with the answers and rationales in the back for why the answer is right, and why each of the other answers are wrong. I can't emphasize enough to read the rationales. I knew one of my weak areas was ortho. So I was able to go straight to the ortho chapter.

I can't recommend this book enough. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE and survived nursing school with

Pearson Reviews & Rationales: Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN.

It gets to the nitty gritty of what you need to know and takes out all the fluff that is in nursing text books.

I took the Lippincott book and made a goal in my mind to do a certain number of questions a day. And when I felt I was weak in a subject area. I read about that subject in Pearson's Review.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

You can do this. Don't be defeated. Buy some used (cheap) NCLEX study books and answer as many questions as you can every day. Do thousands of them until they're coming out of your ears. Eventually, after answering enough of them, you'll get a feel for what they're looking for. Do 20 or 30 questions at a time and break down into areas (renal, cardiac, etc). If you get questions wrong, go back and read up about that question and area until you understand why you got it wrong. Keep doing that until you're averaging 80-90% on those practice exams and then retake. You'll make it.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Why waste money on a CNA course when you could use that money to take a NCLEX review course or make a payment towards your loans?

If you are that desperate for money and do not want to defer loan payments, apply to jobs that do not require special classes (restaurants, bookstores, etc).

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Your nursing school should be able to count as the CNA course and there is a test in most states. The one I did was written and practical. First semester nursing school counted as the CNA program

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