Passed NCLEX, some tips

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Alright, I enjoyed reading these types of posts prior to taking the exam, so I'm making one for future test takers to help gauge themselves also.

For starters, not counting the Kaplan Live Review (as I did much of nothing productive but sit there and listen to the somewhat entertaining Indian instructor we had) I had exactly 24 days to study, most of it "wasted" by watching the World Cup and playing videogames o_O. So here's what I did.

The only reading material I used was Saunders NCLEX Review 4th Edition ... you know the blue book of awesomeness?. I literally did not pick up a single physical book besides Saunders. Saunders is a fantastic CONTENT book. I don't see any need to recommend anything else if you need to study content. Probably the best $44 I spent all year. HOWEVER DO NOT RELY ON SAUNDERS ALONE as you do not see Saunders type questions in NCLEX! It's very hard to translate Saunders test taking to NCLEX if it's your only frame of reference. You're shooting yourself in the foot if you know there's a source with exactly what you're going to see on NCLEX.

In that regard, I believe Kaplan Q-Banks questions best reflect NCLEX better than any other source in terms of style and difficulty. In light of that, here are my Test Trainer Scores.

Diagnostics: 62%

T1: 61%

T2: 63%

T3: 44%

T4: 55%

T5: 63%

T6: 67%

T7: 55%

Readiness Test: 65%

I do believe ~ 60% is a good indication you are ready to go. If you're constantly getting above 65%, why haven't you passed yet?

My general daily studying was comprised of doing at least 100 - 200 questions a day (Q-Bank) and somewhat reading the Saunders book on topics I knew I was weak on (OB and that holy annoying developmental tree!).

Some general tips and comments.

It's worth it to read all the OB chapters in Saunders. These types of questions are fairly straight forward on NCLEX and will remove a great deal of frustration because you have no idea if a Positive Stress Test is a good thing or not =(

Use the mnemonics for infection control. Someone had a post on it here on the forums. Learn it and dump it on to your little writing board as soon as you step into the room.

In terms of how to study for meds, looking back I think the Kaplan NCLEX Content book (it comes with the Live Review) had a pretty good listing of medications ... which I probably should have looked at .... Other than that, cardiac and antibiotics is the name of the game.

Don't be like me and expect any of the Kaplan Q-Bank questions to be repeated on the NCLEX in some sort of way.

I had 7 SATA out of 90 questions. Can you believe that? So it's not the end of the world if you don't get a barrage of SATA.

PVT worked.

Kaplan Live Review was okay, at least there's a guarantee. The $350 (group discount) was worth the Q-Bank. If you can just buy the Q-Bank I highly advise so. I don't really want to sound like a spokesman for Kaplan at this rate ... o_O The q-bank is a hefty $300 ... but if your school requires to take some sort of review it's worth it.

Good luck to future test takers! Now I join the world of ... "You're a new grad we don't want you world!" Woot.

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Specializes in Mother/Baby.

Thank you, this was exactly what I needed. Straight to the point. Congratutaions on becoming an official RN!!!!

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Thanks for the tips!

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Thanks for the tips I cant afford the kaplan class but I got the book, hoping the pass the second time.

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thanks soo much, and Congrats!!! I cant afford to buy the Qbank but is the book with the CD the same one they give at the live review? thats the one that I am using

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No, sadly, the book with CD is not the one you get with the live review... the course book is filled with outlines of content material in addition to the "decision tree" and test-taking strategies. Oddly enough, our university class made us buy the 2010 Kaplan Strategies book with CD, and it was nothing like the course review book. Maybe you can find someone who took the class who will let you borrow the book?

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:ancong!:

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Thanks for the motivation and, THE HOPE, which gives us all a fighting chance to know, This can be done with the proper tools, and the dedicated time. Once again congratulations!!!!! And thanks for giving the blind:smokin: some light

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

quite a few of my classmates passed on 75 questions and 1/3-1/2 were SATA. Yikes!

I mostly used Saunders, ATI and Lippincott NCELX 4000. Do you have any experience with the NCLEX 4000? I averaged 75% with all the tests/questions that I did with Lippincott, from high 60s-high 70s with ATI and averaged around 75% again with Saunders. I think I've done almost 6000 questions between the three. And my last couple rounds (Lippincott and Saunders) I scored in the 80s. I am hoping that that is a good sign as I sit for NCLEX tomorrow.

Anyways congrats on passing! Thats great and what a relief it must be!

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Congradulations.

Stupid question maybe but what is a SATA question?

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Specializes in Oncology.
Congradulations.

Stupid question maybe but what is a SATA question?

SATA = Select all that apply

I know, confusing when you first see it, I remember wondering what people were talking about the first time i saw it!

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Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.

Congrats! I also just passed!

I would add the following for med questions:

If you have no idea what the med is, and the question is something like

"The nurse knows teaching has been effective for ( medication) when the client states...."

don't panic! you should be able to rule out many with common sense

for instantce, I had one where I had NO idea what the med was, but two of the choices I remember were something like " I should take this with grapefruit juice" and "I should always lay down for half an hour after taking this"

I couldn't think of ANY med where we would recommend those actions, in fact the only thing I have heard about grapefruit juice is I know there is some medications wher eyou have to avoid it

Combine that with the fact that that it ended in "sin" making it a cardiac/BP med, and I was able to pick the right one

see what I mean?

You can all do it!

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