yes! it's true! i am officially an RN :) feels better than i imagined. this website has helped me so much along the way that i'd thought i'd share my experience here.
let me start off by saying i am NOT a first time passer... however do not let the first fail get to you! pass is pass! when i failed i ended at 265 questions but never let that discourage you. you have the education for it, all you need now is to study a little harder, maybe it was the content that was a little off, or the critical thinking skills you needed to work on but if you graduated from nursing school then YES YOU CAN PASS THE NCLEX =)
a few study tips:
materials i used;
- HURST review (worth it! but know your content well in detailed. this breaks everything down in simple terms, however VERY great to use for that core content.) i watched the online videos three times each.
- EXCELL review - if you're a foreign grad like me, it might be good to use. i'll admit, i took this the first time i attempted the NCLEX and failed however i did not make good use of what i learned.. this is great for content, but you also need to practice critical thinking skills.
- NCSBN - i honestly just needed more questions and was convinced this was good since it is from the makers of the test. i used this solely for questions.
- NCLEX 3500 - i used this since it was free, haha. i used ALL 3500 questions on this site!
- all nurses study guide - read this the weekend before my test (test was on a weds)
- know all your lab values and calculations! this is important because this is something you should know like the back of your hand! you will regret it if you take your test and see that all you needed to do was brush up on it.
i studied in total 7 WEEKS. i also took my test 2 years after graduation. i was working full time but in order to pass the NCLEX you need to stay committed. i woke up 2 hours before
work to listen to a few lectures and used the evenings after work to practice on questions. but also remember not to OVEREXERT yourself. i set myself to do 150 questions per day but if i was too drained then i wouldn't.
the weekend before your test TRY NOT TO STUDY! this is important as at this point, if you try your body isn't taking anything in. your really just reading up on stuff thats not going to go through your head since your so anxious about the test (if you're like me) try to relax, i got a massage the night before and was in bed by 9PM.
THE DAY OF. first off, don't let your nerves get to you. if you studied well enough, you should feel confident to take the test as best as you could. get to the testing site at least one hour before your test, and get some breakfast and/or tea to calm you down.
DURING THE TEST: don't be scared to take breaks. i took 6! lol if ever you're feeling antsy or overwhelmed raise your hand and take a break. and don't just use the bathroom. do jumping jacks, walk around anything to stimulate your brain and keep you motivated. i'll admit i used a few breaks just to give myself pep talks in front of the mirror hahaha. whatever you need to do to keep you motivated.
i passed with 265 questions! so it IS possible. if you get pass 75 questions TAKE A BREAK. regroup yourself and remind yourself to try your best with EACH question as it comes. i made the mistake of my first attempt to just speed through by 200 questions because i assumed i was going to fail.. but don't let the amount of questions discourage.. keep trying.
after the test, (at least for me) you will feel as if you failed, thats okay! i cried for an hour after! hahaha. i did the pearsonvue trick and got the good pop up 5 mins after my test, but since its not official results, i wasn't convince and believed i failed. waited for the quick results and passed! my license verification is officially on the BON :)
FOR SECOND TIME, THIRD TIME, FOURTH ETC TEST TAKERS, keep trying! don't give up! you graduated nursing school so you are capable! this website really helped me through my second attempt to pass so i hope i could shed a little insight/encouragement for those needing it too!
