my NCLEX 2017 Experience

Hey everyone!

I figured I would write about my NCLEX experience in 2017 since I didn't see that many written this year!

Nursing School

I was an average nursing student, mainly B's throughout my entire nursing school career. Don't get me wrong, I definitely worked very hard and studied numerous hours for all my nursing exams but I was no straight A student. My college made us use an NCLEX type prep class called ATI. They integrated it into our grades. In my personal opinion, this was no help to me. It VERY content focused. Each week is a different subject (ex. Maternal Child Health, Med Surg, Peds). You take an exam in the beginning of the week and what ever questions you get wrong, your ATI "preceptor" sends you short answer questions that you have to find the answers to in the ATI book. It doesn't help you break down the actual question. Buttttt I had to use it because it counted as a grade.

NCLEX Prep

I invested in the In Person Kaplan Review (even though it killed me spending the money)! About two weeks after my graduation was the 4 day In Person Live Review. Let me tell you now....its QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS. Which looking back now was very helpful even though at the time I was thinking "I could just be doing this at home." The first day they go over the decision tree and then you go right into answering questions broken up into the NCLEX subjects. (Managment of Care, Physiologic Adaptations, Safety and Infection Control, etc.) Each day we did two subjects. It was a BIG help having the instructor there while answering the questions. He was there to help you break down the question and point out the reasons why you may not have gotten it right or wrong. After the 4 day review your on your own to make your own study plan. You have 7 Question Trainers, 2 NCLEX Practice Exams, and a Question Bank (approximately 2,000 Questions) and multiple content videos. The day after the In Person review, I made myself a study calendar. I scheduled my test 5 weeks after the live review so I based my NCLEX study plan off of how many days I had until the NCLEX. I was working two - three days a week so I designated those as my off days. I scheduled one Question Trainer a week and then 75 Questions from the QBank on the other days. Let me tell you right now, I wasn't super strict with my study plan. I went on a weekend vacation, I was a bridesmaid in a wedding, and some days I just flat out didn't feel like studying. Don't kill yourself over sticking with the schedule! As long as you get it done!

These were my Q Trainer Scores:

Q1-60%

Q2-53%

Q3-57%

Q4-65%

Q5-62%

Q6-61%

Q7- didn't do! oops

Qbank Average: 58% (didnt finish Qbank)

Readiness Test- 71%

As you could see my scores increased into the 60's and ultimately 70's over time and I firmly believe that's because I did the Qbank in between trainers. I took my Readiness test 4 days before my NCLEX (late..i know!) they tell you to take it 1-2 weeks before your scheduled test day. After seeing my Readiness score, I felt a lot more confident. I did at least 75 practice questions every day, for the 5 days leading up to my test day. I know they tell you not to study the day before the test, but I did 100 Questions the morning before the test and I felt that it put my anxiety at ease.

Leading Up to the NCLEX

I scheduled my NCLEX at a Pearson Center that was 2 hours from my house because it was the only location with the available date I wanted. I booked a hotel room for the night before that was less than a mile away from the testing center. I HIGHLY recommend this if you are able to do so. It lessened my anxiety about getting stuck in traffic and gave me a space that I was able to relax in. So the day before my test, I woke up, did 100 questions, watched some TV, packed up my things then headed over to the hotel mid-afternoon. Once there I drove by the testing center so I knew where it was in the morning and then went into town. I walked around the town, went into shops, and grabbed dinner with my boyfriend. We then hung out in the pool and hot tub for the rest of the night. Again, I HIGHLY recommend getting a hotel room the night before if you're able to do so. I put on a movie at 9 pm but didn't fall asleep until 11:30 PM.

NCLEX Day

I am the type of girl that needs literally 10 minutes to get ready soo I woke up at 7 am. Got ready then made my way down to the continental breakfast. I'm not that much of a breakfast person but made myself eat a yogurt and a muffin. I then left and arrived at the testing center at 7:30 am for my 8 am exam. I definitely recommend getting there 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time because of the amount of check in procedures that need to be done. When you enter the testing center you are given a number and have to wait to be called. When I was called the lady asked for my ID, confirmed that my name matched the registration and the test I was taking. I was then given a paper with all the rules, regulations and info about the exam and was asked to sit back down. We were then called back up one by one for the "official" check in. You have the palm of your hand scanned a few times, have a photo taken and are given a locker to put your belongings in (I brought a granola bar and a water bottle...left my phone with my boyfriend). They ask you to pat yourself down to ensure you have nothing on you and then you are escorted to a computer. You are given a white board and headphones (to be used as ear plugs). I took a cleansing breath then started the exam. The screen looked exactly like Kaplan's which helped quite a bit. It felt like I was just taking another question trainer in the beginning. I hit question 65 and that's when the anxiety began to creep up on me. I kept reminding myself to calm down and continued with the test. I hit question 75...answered it...then the screen turned white! It said something about Sample Test Questions but I got nervous and just clicked next without reading the whole page! haha. I began answering the questions but got confused because the question counter in the corner was going up so I thought maybe my test wasn't over but I could go back to previous questions so I was REALLY confused if they counted or not! I raised my hand and the proctor ensured me that they didnt count towards my exam, that my exam was over and that these questions were optional! She escorted me out of the room, I scanned my palms again and then I was free to go! I kept telling myself while taking the test that I wanted to take it in 75 questions but was completely shocked when it actually happened!! I got 15 SATA, 2 Picture, and 3 Put in Order Questions. Walking out of the exam I was calm but not confident! The more and more I thought about it, the more I started to doubt myself!

48 excruciating hours later.... I PASSED!! Such a huge sigh of relief!

I know this post was long but overall if you walk out of the exam feeling like you failed.. ITS NORMAL!! There were medications and diseases that I've never even heard of on the exam. IT'S OKAY! Work through the questions to the best of your ability. I am very happy I took Kaplan. I felt as though it prepared me well enough to the point where I felt confident going into the exam. It also helped me stick to a studying regimen. I feel as though if I just bought NCLEX prep books I wouldn't have been as motivated to study..but that just me!

Point is.. YOU CAN DO THIS. You got through nursing school, you will get through this as well!!