NCLEX Experience

After graduating last October, I've become a constant allnurses.com lurker. I've read threads upon threads about others' experiences with the NCLEX, not just on taking the exam but how others prepared and how it felt after. While I am well aware that no one experience is ever exactly the same, it was comforting to me to read about what may or may not happen (Fear of the unknown? Of that, I AM GUILTY.). I told myself that I would share my experience after taking the NCLEX despite my results. So if you're someone who can relate, here's yet another perspective. This past Monday was my D-DAY and here I am 48+ hours later and $7.95 poorer (THE best $7.95 I've spent ever to this date), unofficially an RN! And despite still being in a state of shock, I wanted to share my experience.

Pre-NCLEX

A month of review time seemed like the right amount for me to prepare accordingly. After browsing threads and from the advice of classmates who'd already taken the NCLEX, I decided to use Hurst, LaCharity, and Kaplan but also utilized Saunder's online questions (that comes with the 6th edition book) towards the end of my review period.

Hurst - The first thing I did was Hurst to REFRESH on content. I chose to write-out the lectures whilst listening since I retain things better that way.

Lacharity - As you may have already read on countless of other threads is a great resource for tackling those prioritization, delegation, & assignment questions that YOU WILL GET on the exam. I would do a chapter, correct it, read and understand the rationales then move on. After finishing all the chapters, I put the book aside and used my other resources. After about 2 weeks I redid the chapters but this time not by answering but verbalizing the rationales that I had studied before.

Kaplan - NCLEX-RN (Strategies, Practice, and Review) + Question Trainers

I read the strategies book cover to cover, and treated the practice test in the book as a mock exam only it was paper & pen, but I sat down in silence for the 265 questions with a short bathroom break squeezed in there. I highly recommend the Kaplan strategies book, I felt it helped me from second-guessing myself so much which is something I have done since high-school. The Kaplan question trainers that I received from a friend helped me with eliminating answers and identifying what the questions were really asking.

Saunders 6th ed. - I completed the actual book during my last trimester in school so I used the code that came in the book to do questions, focusing on the alternate-format questions especially SATA questions that we all love so much, NOT.

The last few days before my exam, I looked over the 35 pg. study guide that floats around on here and reviewed lab values and medication classifications. The day before I couldn't help but do about 100 questions from the Kaplan mobile app on my phone to ease my nerves, I did not however sit down at my laptop (which was a 1st in over 3 weeks) assuming I'd be staring at a computer screen for several hours the next day.

EXAM DAY

My exam was at 1 pm, I didn't pick necessarily pick it as it was the only time available that was around a month from when I scheduled my exam. I woke up around 9am since my nerves didn't allow me to sleep all that well the night before. I got up and had a rather healthy breakfast of yogurt, fruits and toast and got ready. I was dropped off at the testing site about 45 mins before my appointment as I walked in I gave myself a mental pep talk, "Alright, here we go. You can do this." And before I knew it, I was being scanned into the testing room. As I sat down I said a little prayer and started the tutorial. "Your NCLEX Examination will now begin." 1...2....3...4...5...16...24...35...42...45...48..53...60...62...65...68...70...73...75. "You can now take an optional break." 2 hours in and I was at question 75, either it kept going or it would shut off. Well I took the break. I went to bathroom, took a sip off water and a few minutes to breathe deeply. I re-entered the testing room said a little prayer and 76...78...(mentally thinking: "Ok, I'm still in this.") 80 and the screen went blue. "Your exam has now finished, please raise your hand for TA, etc." NO!!!! My first thought was my computer malfunctioned! But then the survey screen came up and it began to hit me that that was it, that was all I was going to get. I left the testing room in utter disbelief there was no way that I passed that in 80 questions. I left the testing center and sat in the lobby of the building where it was located shaking in fear. I knew I was answering the questions to the best of my ability but it honestly felt like most of the time I was answering by slightly educated guesses? Honestly, I felt like I had not passed. I wanted more questions, I wanted to see answers that I knew for certain but no it was done.

Post-NCLEX

I went home after the exam and slept, when I woke up it was already dark out and despite not having eaten since breakfast I couldn't bring myself to get or make dinner. So what did I do? Allnurses.com, "how many questions did you have on the NCLEX?" "passed in 80?" "failed in 80?" spent hours searching threads. The next 48 hours were going to be a b*%#!. I decided not to do the PVT trick because it probably wouldn't have eased my anxiety any less plus I couldn't part with another $200 just yet (salt to the wound). I kept to myself most of yesterday and this morning when I checked Pearsonvue about 41 hours after it finally had allowed me to purchase the quick results. As I hesitatingly put in my cc information, before clicking to submit. I said a little prayer, "If it be in your will." Status: Pass. & what happened after that is more for a Filipino drama scene haha but yeah so there it is, my experience.

If you're reading this and preparing for your exam, keep at it and study hard, you've come this far and trust me when you see the words PASS. Oh it feels GOOOOOOD.

If you're reading this and you're waiting for your results, breathe.

Last little bit, believe in yourself and believe in what you know. This exam is not a walk in the park, it may make you feel like you have learned nothing but as long as you answer each question to the best of your ability and don't allow the test to get to you then you'll do great. After you leave the testing room, then you can cry, panic or cry-panic as I did.

The best of the luck to all of you.