by brwnsuga83

Ok so I am getting more and more nervous with each passing day because the day of my NCLEX-RN exam is quickly approaching (March 4th)...[sigh]. I have been studying and now as the date is getting closer I am very worried. I don't feel fully confident in any area (maybe psych), pharm just isn't my friend and I am overwhelmed just thinking about the meds. Does anyone have last minute review tips so I can stop driving myself to insanity? If you took the test and passed did you feel this way the week before? I need answers ASAP plz because my heart's pounding and I really NEED to pass this time...I keep dreading the idea of having to take this exam a 3rd time
Thanks.

Re: I test in a week

you are not alone...I'm sure many people get anxious as their boards day approaches. Have confidence in yourself. If you have studied and practiced questions, you will rock the NCLEX For last minute review, I'd say know your lab values and know how to recognize Endocrine disorders. As for Pharm...do the best you can, but don't worry too much over it. Try to use strategies to eliminate options for pharm questions. Most importantly, relax the day before and the day of the test.

Good luck to you!!!

Re: I test in a week

A couple weeks before my test everytime someone would bring it up I felt as though a 200 lb man was sitting on my chest. My sister's friend has been a RN for 7 years so I asked her about her NCLEX experience b/c I too was very nervous espec. about the meds. She told me the first time she took it she was so nervous going into it that when it didn't shut off at 75 she excused herself for a break and went into the restroom and threw up all over the place. So she ended up leaving and had to reschedule. She said all the studying in the world could not prepare her for that test and she did not know anything about the meds. Everytime she got on that she didn't know she chose a gi symptom cuz let's face it most meds do something to the gi tract! She said it is all about going in there calm.Having that convo really clamed me down. I also stopped hyping up the NCLEX so much. I looked at it as any other test I took in nursing school that I passed. I def. was nervous going in there, not overly nervous but what I consider to be a fear of the unknown b/c no matter how many q's you practice they are not that much like the nclex q's.I also took her advice and when I had no idea what the med was I picked the gi symptom. Good Luck! I'm sure you'll do great!

Re: I test in a week

Thank you for the word of encouragement. I'm really trying not to think about my test day because it's really making me sick to my stomach! (sigh). I'm doing Lippincott right now and my average on 5 tests is only 61%. I'm studying very long hours and I think I'm just tired now. As I'm doing questions I keep thinking "oh no, another topic I don't remember/didn't review". I know the NCLEX-RN doesn't give the same questions as the book and I'm sure their questions will be harder than the ones in Lippincott and now I'm getting even more nervous

Re: I test in a week

Keep a positive attitude and stay calm. The NCLEX doesn't expect you to know every topic, they just expect you to be able to get to the answer. I used the Kaplans book more for the content than for the q's. It really taught me to ask myself q's when I look at the answers. And remember always go for safety. Ask your self when you get a question is this safe? even if you don't know the topic you know what is safe! And remember ABCs..I told myself that everytime I answered a question. Just keep doing questions and make sure you read every rationale. It really pays off. I had a med on the test I never would have known if it hadn't been on my prac exams and if hadn't read the rationale i never would have been able to answer the SATA q on it. Stay calm and be positive. You can do this!

Re: I test in a week

Thanks again

Re: I test in a week

Thanks again

Re: I test in a week

I'm in the same boat as you. I'll be taking my test the same week (ekkkk). From what I've heard from my friends that took the NCLEX is that with medications you can never be prepared. They are going to through medications that you're totally oblivious about. They are going to ask you for side effects that are not common. I guess the only thing you can do is practice and use those critical thinking skills. I'll be praying and probably flipping coins @ that moment.

Good luck! You can do it! Think positive! You can only prepare so much for a test that incorporates so many disorders and diseases, there is just too much.

Re: I test in a week

hello brwnsuga83..I'LL be taking the test also on march 4..Goodluck to both of us..Im doing some pratice questions and analyzing its rationales....

Re: I test in a week

Originally Posted by genuinepnai

They are going to ask you for side effects that are not common. I guess the only thing you can do is practice and use those critical thinking skills...

Hello everybody. All this critical thinking will take time. Do you have any idea how long can we think on each question? Like 2 minutes maximum? Will the computer shut down because it’ll become tired to wait?