Failed 3rd Time HELP!

i agree waht everyone is saying on here. i am also a failure of the nclex for than the times that you have taken it. i know my potential better than anyone else and im going to that testing center in 2 weeks. i feel really good about it though. i dont know why.. but i know i can do this. i really know it..!its just i feel pressuured right now and im working full time.. so its a bit tough on me.. i have no kids, married to a lvn also and he is depending on me so that i can fianlly get my lexus and like what my name says.. luv2shop19mall. im hoping this will be my xmas present tomyself; pls keep me in your prayers.. i really want to pursue this career.

Stay Strong and ever give up. I'm not. I also didn't pass

I used the green saunders book with cd to study for the nclex. I was working as a gn at that time, and I took a week off from work to prepare for the test. I went through the book chapter by chapter taking the test after each and if I did not get something correct I read that section to find out the rationale for why my answer was wrong. After I got through all of the book, I started with the cd, just doing question after question, and again looked at what I answered incorrectly, and went back in the book, to understand why my answer was wrong, and the rationale on why their answer was right. After I got through all of that, I did the end of the book test. I had taken the kaplan review as well right after I was finished with school, but I think the saunders book is what got me through the first time.

I wish you lots of luck, I know plenty of excellent nurses who did not pass the first time. I' m sure you'll get there. Just remember to try to understand why something is right or wrong. Lightning Bug RN

Wow, so much has been said. But it's so hard to pick up your ego when they send you that report. I failed and was below average. I feel that I missed 90% of the questions given to me. I think I missed questions that were easy. I don't know what happened. I feel drained out, when I start looking at my Kaplans medication flashcards and also when I read Saunders. So what is good plan for me. Since I failed I look at the book and read a little, but haven't done anymore questions. I know I want to pass this test.

Does any body know the number of times you can take this exam over? I thought you only had 3 tries and you were out.

When I was reviewing for the NCLEX, I devoted most of my time to answering practice CDs. Have as many CDs as you could and if you run out of CDs just repeat the others. Practicing a million times is important because it makes you familiar, confident and exercises your critical thinking. Make sure that you read the rationale and if it's not clear to you at first, get a notebook and scribble down short notes, then go over it again before sleeping. If the next day you cannot anymore recall what's inside your notebook, then reread. I was hesitant about answering CDs at first because I thought that it would be better for me to finish reading the whole book first. However, I realized that a good way to be able to do both is to answer about 200 questions first (they say that you should have at least 2-3K before you test) and when you are on your "break time" from answering questions, read a couple of pages from your book. It worked for me that way because I only had two options---to answer CDs or to read my lesson. Later on I discovered that I was already able to answer around 10K and was able to read my book three times before I tested. But if you feel tired, relax a bit. Don't you think that it's better for you to know one chapter by heart than to just "kinda know" five? Good luck!

My friend you are not alone.....I also failed 3 times. It is not a great feeling..i just received my results 10 minutes ago via mail and i know exactly how you feel. I too have tried kaplan review 2X, ATI online review, saunders, mosby's, Davis, all these reviews help, but for some reason...i did not pass. The only thing i can tell you and myself is to "TRY AGAIN" we fail when we give up...so don't give up. Take a deep breath and "try again!!"

I'm nearing my 3rd NCLEX-RN test (awaiting my ATT) and the 1st two I had 265 questions. I did much better on the 2nd - according to the results of the performance reports I received. This correlates well with how much I prepared pre-tests and my confidence pre, during, and post-tests.

Because I've recently (Aug and Oct 2006) taken the NCLEX and the sheer number of questions I answered in doing so, I feel qualified in stating that Suzanne's plan is effective and inexpensive. Having the basics reasonably mastered/understood is an obvious and her plan allows testers of various levels of knowledge to gain this by using the book (step 1) and then doing the CD questions (as per her instructions she'll e-mail you after step 1) routinely.

I've found that she's right about a key thing --- it's not the question and your attempted answer (right or wrong) so much as it is reading the RATIONALE that follows. Knowing why you were right or wrong in a brief paragraph seems to do wonders to one's NCLEX abilities! Doing a certain number of questions daily (not too few or too many) seems to be important too. Too many and recall is hindered. Too few and you'll likely not have enough exposure to the huge range of info possible on the test.

I guess I'm not impressed by statements of statistics regarding the NCLEX, like "The odds are in your favor regardless of the number of questions answered."

The majority pass on the 1st attempt. Still, many do not. I had no trouble passing classes in public school, the military's electronics programs, my electronic/computer career post-military, or in my general and nursing courses in college. Still .... I failed the NCLEX not once, but twice. As an individual, reading statistics of the entire population regarding my chances in passing does little to help me. They don't state what important common factors are entailed, like amount and type of study prior to testing.

As an individual honestly reflecting on the past, I have a good idea of what went wrong for me. Much of the "needed" info provided and tested on in college was not "understood" and/or retained well enough to utilize it months later. My study habits to enhance this deficit were poor at best. Basically, I failed due to a lack of effort. Why I lacked this effort is easy to rationalize at a glance (moved to new state, started ICU internship, living with in-laws), but it's the results that count. My priorities were way off and I overestimated my abilities....."I'm a good test-taker." I really am (in general) but that only goes so far. Sure, as a 1st time test taker, you have an 80's% chance of passing if you have some "things" in common with those whom are successful and that's obviously more than just being a 1st time test taker. Failing could just be bad luck for some, but as individuals, we should surely be capable of a self-analysis regarding our knowledge, abilities, and other factors in taking the NCLEX. A raging argument with a spouse prior to the test is likely NOT good, for example.

In reality, we have a 3rd test ahead of us and the resources to pass it with readily available. The resources out there are likely all pretty effective if the effort (regular, concentrated effort) is given. My preference is using Saunder's according to Suzanne's plan and I'm fairly pleased with my effort to date using this material. I certainly don't want to fail again for many, many, many reasons.

LET'S PASS THIS THING and move on!!!

this was the one of the nice things i've read in this website... it encouraged me to try and move forward... i also failed for the first time... and i hope i can make it the next time i try again... thank you very much for sharing... i think maybe i too overestimated my abilities... i think there is so much confidence in me that i think made me fail the exam... disappointments are really piling up in my life right now... but in life we have to move forward even if it is one of the worst thing that ever happened to you...

I was wondering if anxiety is a problem for you. Some people can go into a test practically knowing all the answers and fail. Having said that, I pased the NCLEX last July. I had studied some of the Kaplan book and Lippincott's online course (which I would NOT reccomend), but after taking the test I didn't feel that either was very helpful. Most of the questions were things you just can't study for: prioritizing, beyond the ABC's and accuity, picking the least harmful diet out of 4 that seemed equally bad etc.

So I guess what I'm saying is, anxiety can get in the way of the complex thinking process you need to answer these questions. When stressed, we can usually still come up with facts we've memorized, but but any "higher" level of thinking becomes nearly impossible. If you do have a problem with test anxiety you'd probably get more out of learning how to handle that than you would answering sample questions.

Just recently I was looking at the board of nursing web site and found that they have an RN, PN review course. I read some of the comments from other test takers and they seemed to pass their Nclex. Does any one know abpout it personally. It has a 3 week review for $49 and a 15 week for $159. So do you think its a good thing. In addition I'm doing the saunders like they said to do.

Let's work it out for the better! I hope we all pass the fourth time!

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