My NCLEX story: I'm finally an RN!!!!

Ok guys, I promised I would post once I passed so here it is! Sorry it's long but thanks for reading!!

I graduated from an ADN program on 12/12/14. I was told by the DON for the school that she would send an affidavit to the BON on that day so we can get our ATT's sooner rather than later. I celebrated the rest of the weekend and took a Hurst live review the following week and continued studying content until Jan 2. I took a day off here and there to celebrate holidays but for the most part I studied daily from about 8am-6pm. I wanted to test in the second week of Jan so I patiently waited for my ATT.

Then I got some bad news. On Jan 2 I called the BON to check on an address for my transcript and they happened to ask my name. They said that they have received nothing from my school! I was furious, as were most of the people in my cohort. The school was closed until Jan 7 so there was nothing that I was able to do but wait it out. Finally, on Jan 7 I called the school to find out what was going on. They decided to "wait on it", whatever that meant. If I wasn't afraid of retaliation from the school I would have unleashed my anger on the them, but I kept calm and waited it out. They finally sent the affidavit to the BON a week later and they sent our ATT's practically instantaneously. I have to admit, the NV BON has been superb in this whole process.

So once I was finally able to schedule, the first available was on Feb 2. I was annoyed because I wanted to test much sooner but I kept on studying and doing practice questions. Every time I took a break from studying I checked the Pearson website for new dates. Soon after, I was able to schedule on Jan 24. I kept doing Saunders and Hurst practice questions daily (about 200-400/day) until last week. I finally finished all of them and checked Pearson one last time for a sooner date. Jan 21 popped up! I quickly snatched it up and I was thrilled. It was only a week after the time I originally wanted to test!! For the rest of the weekend I finished up the LaCharity Prioritization, Delegation and Assignment book. I was finally ready! I was averaging about 75% on all of my practice tests and I felt ready.

The day before my exam I did not study at all. I went shopping, got my nails done and relaxed with my family. I made myself a nice dinner and went to sleep by 9pm. I woke up bright and early at 5 am and patiently waited until it was time to leave. I was scheduled to test at 12:00. On my way there I stopped at Starbucks for a snack and tea. I knocked over a basket full of coffee mugs (who the heck stacks heavy breakable stuff in a weak basket?!?!) and broke several and got flustered. I quickly got the heck outta there before they charged me for the broken merchandise.

I arrived at Pearson at 11:30 for my 12:00 test. I sat down at the computer at about 11:45 (I'm not sure because they sealed up my analog watch in with my phone). My first question was SATA and it felt like at least half of them were after that. I lost count after 25 or so. One math. No drag and drop, hot spots, audio or anything like that. Lots of prioritization. After I answered number 75 I hit "next" and my screen went blue. I let out an audible gasp and raised my hand. The proctor came over and she was pointing to her ears and my ears. I had forgotten that I had earplugs in! She said "congrats, you're done!" and escorted me out. When I got to my locker and checked the time it was 1:15pm. I think only about an hour and a half had passed since I sat down at the computer. On my way home I got lost in circles not once but twice in a city I've lived in for almost 30 years, in a neighborhood that I knew like the back of my hand. I was so frazzled! Later that evening, I went out to dinner with my mom and checked the BON website 80000 times since I left the testing center. At about 7pm my crazy brain decided to do the PVT even though I knew I was supposed to wait 24 hours. I couldn't help myself! I'm not gonna lie, the 4 martinis that I had at dinner might have played a role in that. Maybe. Hehe. I got the good pop up and I was happy so I took my frazzled crazy self to bed and slept like a baby.

This morning rolls around and I checked the BON website from the moment I opened my eyes at 5am, even though I knew the BON was closed. I kept checking more all morning, nothing. My friend from school who tested out of state (for a better date) the same day as myself got her temp RN that morning. I was waiting and waiting and getting more impatient. Finally, a little after noon today and less than 23 hours after I left the testing center, my name popped up on the BON website with "active" next to it!!! I was finally an RN!!!

So now I have to find a job! I have a few leads and I hope they pan out. Thank you for reading my story. I very much enjoy reading all of your stories so keep them coming! Congrats to those who have recently passed and good luck to those who are still waiting to test!!!