Overwhelmed about NCLEX!

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I graduated December 2013 and knew I would need a bit of a break from studying but time flew by and it is now almost March! I have really cracked down on my NCLEX preparation this past week but find myself needing more content review than I anticipated. I am using Saunders Comprehensive Review, Kaplan Strategies, Practice, and Review, and Kaplan online resources.

Being that content is my priority right now, I want to make sure I focus on info that is absolutely necessary for NCLEX. I'm worried about overloading on too much content and not balancing the right amount of time for doing enough practice questions. My plan is to utilize Saunders for its content but its overwhelming to think that I may need to go through the entire thing.

Anyone have advice on specific areas to focus on? Also any advice on blending all my resources together so that they flow and compliment each other?

Any and all tips are greatly appreciated!

I graduated WAAAAAY back in 2011 and just took the NCLEX exactly two weeks ago. I was LOST with content not having reviewed it for years. I used Saunders also. When would you want to test? I gave myself 3 months of studying. I tried dividing the book up into about 45 days which is reviewing less than 30 pages per day. Also, many of the pages are questions so lots of times, I found myself reviewing more than I had anticipated because 5-7 pages would be questions. Then, I spent time each day doing questions. I used TONS of different sources. Here is my review of the sources I used - https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/just-got-good-904324.html

After the 45 days, I did 100-200 questions a day and reviewed the topics I wasn't getting correct. By the last two weeks before my exam, I was answering close to 300 questions.

Good luck to you! If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me!

Specializes in Telemetry/ICU.

Please read the book! Know your content before you can apply it! I read about 90% of the Saunders book and almost finished the 3000 plus questions. Also utilize the Nclex 3500 or 4000 for a step above Saunders questions and finally Kaplan for the ultimate (Much harder than the nclex). PDA book is a must have as well for priority questions too.

"Fear is sickness. It will crawl into the soul of everyone who engages it. It has tainted your peace already......"

I was in the same situation... but one thing I learned while studying is that I knew a lot more than I thought I did.

I ended up focusing more on the practice questions because content review is VERY time consuming.

But while doing the questions, I always made sure to review the rationales. When I found a question I knew I was weak or unsure on, I would go back and review content for that subject until I understood it, then move on.

Of course, you'll have to play around with different methods of study and resource utilization before you find what works for you. For the first week or so, I was so overwhelmed and didn't even know where to start. It takes a bit of trial and error to really become efficient, since studying for the NCLEX is different than studying for a regular exam...

Good luck to you!! Take a deep breath and know that you can do this!

I took NCLEX today (got the good pop-up, PTL) and I was very nervous and unsure. I felt so stressed that my menses came on early, during the test. I'd already rescheduled once because I felt unprepared. I did Kaplan review, but fell off from the study plan; I also kept doing badly on the QTs and QBank. Well, after actually taking it, I realize that NCLEX is like childbirth...there are some basic similarities, but every experience is different. I passed with 75 questions, and I have to say just doing Kaplan helped. If you do all the Question Trainers and about 75% of the QBank and Sample Tests--I think you will be good. Decision Tree, love it/hate it but used it...a lot. Best to you!

Specializes in Operating Room.

Thanks everyone! and congratulations on passing to you all!! No set date yet but would really like to take the test end of march/early april...... I think I am finally getting into serious study mode. Can't wait to call myself a fellow RN!

I graduated in Dec 2013 too. Took NCLEX today. I only did questions. I never went back to review content. I am working full time and have a family so I did not have much time. I think questions are sufficient. I think I actually wasted my time studying. I think the exam was really hard, but nothing that I studied in particular would have helped. Good luck, you will be fine!!

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