How I passed NCLEX

Hello fellow Nurses:

NCLEX where to even begin?!?! I made a promise that if I passed boards I would write an article to help nurses who are preparing to take what I like to call "the monster," also known as the NCLEX. For starters I have horrible test anxiety and I don't mean just sweaty palms, I am talking respiratory alkalosis status. As cliché as it sounds taking a few deep breaths and drinking a glass of water was helpful at times. One mistake that many of us (yes, myself included) commit is not having a proper schedule or organizational system in place to help with time management to ensure all necessary topics are covered. So the first step is to determine how much time you have to prepare for "the monster," and formulate a study plan accordingly. Remember to take a look at the test plan that the NCSBN has available for free on their website to confirm that you cover all topics listed.

Once you have a plan in place it is important to decide what study aid you are going to utilize. Everyone learns and prepares differently for exams so determine whether you want to use a question based review or a content based review. I personally did not like Kaplan nor do I think it helped me in passing boards. I used the NCSBN learning extension (3 weeks online) and strongly believe that it was one of the major reasons I was able to pass boards. NCSBN provides content which is divided into categories and plenty of review questions during and at the end of each section.

Practice makes perfect is a concept that can be applied in preparing for boards. Try to do a minimum of 100 questions a day. Reading the rationales at the end is the most crucial part. When you read the rationales you will get a better understanding and remember certain key points about a topic (I caught myself during the test remembering key points about certain topics). There are many websites that also offer free nclex questions to practice.

-It is illegal to share any questions or information about the NCLEX-

KEY POINTS EVERY NURSE SHOULD KNOW: (FOR SCHOOL AND SUCCESSFUL NURSING CAREER) ALL OF THE INFORMATION BELOW WAS STATED IN MY BOOKS

*Patient safety is the most IMPORTANT!

-make sure you do not harm the patient nonetheless implement something that may kill them

-in any field of nursing you need to know side effects and complications

*Values

-ABG's, vitals, lab values, calculating doses, apgar, glasgow coma scale and cranial nerves are a few examples

*Proper techniques

-catheters, IV's, blood, vaccinations, medication administration, communication, and PPE

*Assessment before implementation (most cases)

-Kaplan says you need to check if further information is needed if it is not then you implement

-check the patient before the machine

*Inspect, Palpate, Percuss, Auscultation except abdomen which is inspect, auscultate, palpate, percuss

*Correct Delegation

-a nurse CANNOT delegate what she "EATS" : an RN CANNOT delegate Evaluating, Assessment, Teaching, or UNStable patients

*Verification

-right patient, right time, right dose, right medication, right route

*Acute problems are usually more important than chronic

*Prioritize

-always know which patients need to be seen ASAP and those who can wait

-In emergency situations assess which patients are able to be discharged safely

-my books said if an RN is triaging at an emergency site (not hospital) you treat those most likely to survive first

-ABC (airway, breathing, circulation)

-discharge can only be done by the RN and are not an emergency

-consent needed before surgery or certain procedures

-evaluate if the s/s are expected for a specific disease

-call MD (if there is a change in values to harm patient, once all necessary information is assessed and gathered for orders, clarify medications, do NOT call if patient has an expected finding that is not harmful)

*Transmission precautions

-standard, contact, airborne, droplet

*Medications

-category, purpose, side effect, adverse effect, and doses

-nursing school taught me betablockers "lol",

-Insulin: remember RN draw up the regular then the NPH

-Digoxin always check pulse first

*Positioning

- low fowlers, semi fowlers, high fowlers, sims, trendelenburg

-when to elevate or immobilize body parts (elevate veins dangle artery)

-spine injury do not move the patients head/neck

-proper assistive devices a teacher taught me (cane opposite affected leg)

*Body functions and what each organ does/produces

*CPR

Take your time during the exam and remember to breathe! You passed nursing school so you can get through the NCLEX as well :) Go dressed comfy, make sure you have all needed documents, and eat a good meal before. Do not panic when you finish almost everybody leaves thinking they failed (I thought I did), that is a normal thought. I have heard that the Pearson Trick is not working as effectively through some other nurses. I personally did not try the Pearson Vue Trick.

I will be posting another article about mnemonics that help me with nursing on a daily basis :)

I hope this helps!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!