How's everyone doing?? I know a lot of you are nervous regarding if you will ever get that letter in the mail that says that you have finally successfully passed the NCLEX. A test that has taken up about 2-3 months, or more depending on how many times you have taken it, out of our lives. A test that is preventing you to finally fullfill your life long dream of becoming a nurse and truely making a difference in this crazy world we live in. A test that seems to have no end. Well, I just recently took it for the third time on Nov. 1st. I walked out after having taken 75 questions in an hour and thirty minutes, feeling, to be quite honest, very satisfied. Obviously the fact that I only took 75 questions this time around as opposed to the 265 I took the first two times was a huge relief. I was also feeling good about it because the majority of the questions were priority questions, which I was told by my instructor that you would not see much of if you were not performing above the passing standard. Anyways, I got my results and I PASSED!!! Finally after 5 months I can start up again in the ICU, which I will be doing in about a week. But the point of this is not to brag about me passing, it's to help you all out there. I know how it feels to fail, you feel like your whole world has crashed down upon you. You feel like no one understands, and it really is a dark place. I have to say that this website can give you the hope and confidence that you need.
I would like to offer some advice to all of you out there that are going to take the NCLEX in a couple of weeks or so. I've been working on prep for this test so long I feel like I could teach a class.
1: Go through a review course that is specific to the NCLEX (i.e. Suzanne Plan, Kaplan, Martin's Review Course, NCSBN.) I used Kaplan and NCSBN.
2: Find someone that has already taken the test, has successfully passed, and is willing to offer you their study materials for a few weeks. This really helps.
3: Try to find someone that has taken the test, friend, relative, or co-worker, that is willing to meet with you once a week to review questions. Believe me, people are willing to do this for you because they see how much you want it. And they actually enjoy it to because it helps them remember what they thought was lost info. Bounce rationales off of each other.
4: Work on about 100 - 150 questions a day, making sure that you read all of the rationales. Even if you get the answer right, read why you got it right, and all of the rest of the answers rationales. You may see this questions again worded differently.
5: Keep a Medical Dictionary at your side the whole time you are working through questions, if you don't know a word, don't hesitate to look it up, trust me this helps. Also, keep a notebook handy to write down key information that you may feel neccesary to remember.
6: Before bed each night, read over this material, it will be easier to retain if you review each night.
7: Most importantly, try your hardest to keep a positive attitude. Always tell yourself that you are going to pass. Sounds corny but I think it really helps. Your attitude is everything, know that you will pass and you will if you have done your homework.
8: Day before the test. Work on a few priority questions, these are the questions that will pass or fail you. This will get you in the right mindset, don't do too many though. I'd say about 25 is enough. Look over lab values, just take it easy today. Make sure that you map out your route to get to the testing center. Get at least 8 hours of sound sleep.
9: Day of the test. You should wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. Eat a light breakfast, something that will hold you over just in case you do have to take 265. Make sure to bring a beverage and a snack (granola bar, protein bar) something that will give you an energy boost. NO CAFFEINE TODAY! Caffeine makes people anxious and when you are anxious, you tend to be forgetful and unable to focus. Show up about a half an hour early. Take the pic, give your finger print. When you get to your computer, take a deep breathe, say to yourself, I will succeed, throw in your ear plugs, and get it done. Be sure to read through the questions slowly finding the scope of the question, this should be done before even looking at the answers. Eliminate two answers and then say to yourself which one of these is the safest, for me and my patient. The answer should be obvious. ABC's ABC's ABC's ABC's
Whoa that's a lot of info. Hopefully you read through all of this, and if you did, I hope that it helped. If one person was effected by this thread then I am satisfied. Good Luck to all of you.
Adam T. RN :welcome:
