I am happy to say I passed the dreaded NCLEX. :) I know there are multiple posts on here about how people passed but I told myself if I passed I would put up a post about what I did bc maybe I could help someone. This site helped me sooooo much so its the least I can do.
So I graduated May 2013 and was so excited. I wanted to take the NCLEX and have fun for the summer. I registered and received my ATT and I scheduled my test in August the first time. I was just excited that I graduated so i decided to take so time off which isn't bad but I think I took it too far. I didn't really study , went on a cruise. I bought the Saunder's book with me but I didn't really open it up :/ So the week before the test I reviewed on the Saunders CD took 1 test and got a 65% and said I would like wing it. (I don't know what I was thinking)I went into the test with a negative attitude and said to myself you are going to fail anyways bc you didn't study so lets just see what the test was like. I failed with 260 Questions. I was also antsy during the test and started just answering questions without fully thking. So I rescheduled my test for october.
2nd time i was sorta focused. I was just reviewing content. Did a few questions here and there. I wanted to pass. I also changed my date to a closer date and didn't tell anyone bc i wanted to take it without anyone knowing so I could surprise myself and my family if I passed. I failed at 130 Questions and this time it hit hard. It was October and it was 5 months since I graduated. I was surrounded by ppl who took the test once and passed and had jobs already. I was disappointed in myself. How could I let this happen. I graduated Nursing school with Cum Laude. I knew what I was doing wrong and I needed to fix it. I was too lax on myself I needed to change. So I said to myself this is the last and final time I am going to do this thing. I took myself seriously and scheduled again.
Third time- I purchased Kaplans classroom anywhere course. I went to the classes online did the diagnostic and readiness and all the qtrainers. I was averaging mid 50's low 60's and a few 40's. I also did every single question in qbank and all the sample test. My average in qbank was 58%. When I was done with qbank I went back to my saunder CD and answered more questions and I was averaging in the 60s. My test was scheduled for Feb. 5. I thought I was ready but guess what? I guess the Lord thought differently. On the day of my exam there was a bad snow storm and my test was cancelled. My ATT was going to expire the next day and I was freaking out bc the next test date available was March 6th. I called and luckily They were able to extend my ATT for two weeks so that meant I had two extra weeks of studying. I wasn't too happy about it bc I was tired of studying but I sucked it up and studied. I did all the videos that Kaplan offered. I took notes as well. I went over all the rationales. I did more questions on Saunder CD (I like kaplans better tho) I went in on Feb 27 the first thing I did was pray and then I wrote my name on the little white board they gave me with RN behind it. I stayed positive during the whole test even when I went passed 75. I said I was still in the game. I prayed again and the second time I prayed I answered two more questions and the computer shut off. I was confident I passed. I did the PVT and got the good pop up.
Tips:
1) Don't just wing the NCLEX like I did the first two times. Anyone can pass the first time. YOU HAVE TO STUDY.
2) STAY POSITIVE. Don't be a negative Nancy. Speak what you want into existence and it WILL happen.
3. Whichever study method you choose stick to it. Don't try to do like 6 at a time. Stick with one or two and do it to its entirety. Don't try to learn everything bc you cant. No one can. Focus yourself. I knew I couldn't read the whole Saunder's book. I would read one section and be overwhelmed and get really tired and unfocused. Think God for Kaplan I don't know what I would do without them. (I didn't really use the decision tree. I just did lots of questions and the rationales. If I didn't know something I googled it or used the Saunders book to see what it was)
4)Pray. It helps a lot.
5)Surround yourself with supportive people. My family was very supportive an pointed me in the right direction.
6)Print out the study guide that has been floating around here. It helps. I read it about 3 times before the test. Also, I came on this site for inspiration to give me hope. Every time I saw someone stating they passed I was like that will be me one day.
6)DON'T EVER GIVE UP. You CAN do it!!!! You got through nursing school didn't you and we all know that isn't easy. If you got through four years you can do this and don't listen to anyone that says you can't not even yourself bc you can.
Sorry for the long post. I also ate oreos before every test I did. Even before the NCLEX I guess the sugar helped.
You CAN DO IT!!!!!!! DON'T GIVE UP YOU ARE AN RN!!!!!!!
