by totally_lost

I've posted here a few times telling people about my experience. I failed the RN boards twice already, both times using Kaplan. I am scheduled to take my exam for my third time next week but I am sooo frustrated! I have been reading the Saunders book, only got about half way through, but I have also been doing LOTS of test questions scoring between 50-80% I'm all over the place with my scores so I just don't know if I am ready again! I picked out the subjects that I am weakest in (mainly pharmacology) but can't seem to score higher than 55% in that subject. I can't afford to fail again but I just don't know what else to do! This time around I've studied Saunders, Kaplan AGAIN, Lippincott review book and test questions but I still feel like I don't know that much! I should be scoring atleast 80% with as much as I have been studying but I'm not!! I just feel like I can't move on with my life, I'm never happy, this is all I ever think about and it's awful!!! I don't know why my brain just can't absorb this information! It's stuff that I am interested in and stuff that I want to remember and learn but my brain just won't let anything stick!!!! I hate it!!!! I feel like I could study for years and still not know anything!!! I'm just beyond upset! Part of me feels like I'm definitely going to pass this time because I've studied so much but then there's a part of me that keeps saying..."yeah that's what you thought the past 2 times as well" I just need lots of prayer cause I just don't think I can do this on my own!

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

It sounds like maybe you need a day off! Studying is important, but taking a day off to let your brain relax is important too.

Saunders gets pretty specific with pharm and I found it very frustrating using the book as there was way too much info for me to retain it. By the time I finished reading a section I'd forgotten most of it! I'm using Exam Cram and Mosby's mneumonic notecards for pharm and finding it much more helpful for content. The pharm section on the Saunders CD is great though as the rationales put the info in bite sized pieces I find much easier to digest!

When do you test?

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

Don't feel alone. No one can remember all this stuff. I just took the NCLEX yesterday and studying for it was overwhelming at times. About three weeks before the test after countless hours of study I finally realized that there was no way I could absorb that much information; especially with the piece meal approach I was using.

I decided to go back to the basics and learn A&P and better understand the lytes along with some of the disease processes. If you know the basics then you can better understand the disease processes. I never could remember all the various diseases e.g. cushings and it's effects i.e. hypo or hyper on the lytes. But I went back and relearned and in some cases learned what the chemistry of the lytes was and it's effects and then instead of having to remember all the effects, which is impossible otherwise, you can put it together if you know the chemistry.

It was the same way with pharm, I put down the flash cards and dusted off my pharmacology book and it helped me better understand the process far better. I only had a short time, and even though I am done I still plan on spending an hour each day reviewing the material, but I do think it helped. If you know the class of drugs and what it does and know the chemistry then it's FAR better to understand versus trying to remember bits and pieces of information. I only had a short time, but I really think it helped.

It worked for me, and I think going back to the basics is the way to go. NO ONE, at least none that I know can remember it otherwise. At least that's my opinion, for what it's worth - good luck

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

Have you tried the NCSBN website?

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

does anyone here used the nclex 4000 by lippincott and passed?

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

I used the book with 3500 questions, the NCSBN, exam cram and flashcards. The one thing everyone agreed on was answer lots of questions. So that's what I did and it worked. You can get many of the books and CD's at your local library.

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

I know exactly how you feel. I'm about to take for the second time and I feel the same way you do. I took Kaplan again. Yes take a break. I perform way better after I go out and see a show or completely get my mind out of the study books. One strategy which help me a lot is to read the questions and imagine myself there at the bed side and think of it that way; things become more clear and critical thinking gets better. I feel the same about studying hard and than feeling like you've learned nothing. I think eventually we all reach the point where you are above the line in passing knowledge until then you just have to keep trying. The good side of this is that you will become a better critical thinking nurse...

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by totally_lost

I've posted here a few times telling people about my experience. I failed the RN boards twice already, both times using Kaplan. I am scheduled to take my exam for my third time next week but I am sooo frustrated! I have been reading the Saunders book, only got about half way through, but I have also been doing LOTS of test questions scoring between 50-80% I'm all over the place with my scores so I just don't know if I am ready again! I picked out the subjects that I am weakest in (mainly pharmacology) but can't seem to score higher than 55% in that subject. I can't afford to fail again but I just don't know what else to do! This time around I've studied Saunders, Kaplan AGAIN, Lippincott review book and test questions but I still feel like I don't know that much! I should be scoring atleast 80% with as much as I have been studying but I'm not!! I just feel like I can't move on with my life, I'm never happy, this is all I ever think about and it's awful!!! I don't know why my brain just can't absorb this information! It's stuff that I am interested in and stuff that I want to remember and learn but my brain just won't let anything stick!!!! I hate it!!!! I feel like I could study for years and still not know anything!!! I'm just beyond upset! Part of me feels like I'm definitely going to pass this time because I've studied so much but then there's a part of me that keeps saying..."yeah that's what you thought the past 2 times as well" I just need lots of prayer cause I just don't think I can do this on my own!

I took boards this week (RN NCLEX) and passed on my first attempt. I wanted to share my thoughts with you. I am not sure if you have ever attempted to identify your personal learning style which will help you identify stratagies to learn. Check out this website www.vark-learn.com/

But I have found that I study better in a group or with someone (which happened to be my best friend) who challenged me. Group study allowed/forced me to talk and work through my questions answers and rationales. My friend and I did Kaplan Qbanks toghether, and talked about the question. Also, I too am a visual learner. WHile preparing for the exam whenever I had to answer a question about a procedure or disease process I was unfamiliar with I would google the information and look for pictures, cartoons, or whatever I could use to give me a visiual picture. In addition, I used Kaplan, Saunders, and my med surgical textbook to fill in the blanks. I would like to suggest, while reading your nclex practice questions that you picture exactly what is going on with your patient, picture yourself performing the task. I hope this helps....

Re: Beyond Frustrated!!!!!!!!

How are you studying the material? Do you take breaks inbetween studying? The reason why I'm asking is because when I started preparing for my boards I notice that I started to score low on the exams when I went a certain amount of time without a break. My brain started to hurt and I just couldn't focus, so then I started taking 15-20 minute breaks after an hour of studying and I noticed that my score started to improve. I also found that if I felt totally burned out from something going on in my life I wouldn't open the book or practice exams that day. I started the next day fresh and I started doing better. I hope this helps. Good Luck!