Students NCLEX
Published Jan 15, 2017
This is just to help anyone who was in my spot a few days ago. Preface: I consider myself an average nursing student, def. not at the top of the class but still smart and passionate about nursing.
I took the kaplan prep course after hearing so many good things about it and signed up to take my NCLEX. However I felt I did not get a chance to do enough content review like I wanted to. I went in for the NCLEX anyway. During my kaplan studies I made a 67% on the Session 7 nclex practice test and made in the 50's - low 60's on the other trainers, and a 61% on the readiness exam. My total days of studying came to about 17 days. Kaplan scared me at the end making me think I did not give myself enough days to study. I really just did questions but would google things I wasnt sure about such as certain diseases or procedures.
My goal was to pass in as little questions as possible. But sadly that did not happen, once I got past 75 q's I took my second break just to breath, have some water and refocus. After 100 q's I took some deep breaths, hoping I would be done by 150 q's. After I got to 151 I knew I was in it for the long haul and sure enough I got ALL 265, talk about mental torture! I kept praying to God to just make the test end and get me out of that testing room. Not to mention that everytime a scheduled break happened my stomach dropped thinking the test cut off, that got my hopes up. I had almost 60 sata's and at some points I would get 3 & 4 in a row. I took so many breaks that the testing center employee asked me at one point, "Youre taking another break?". I knew mentally the breaks would help me, I would use the bathroom, drink some water, breath/move, & eat a small snack since I was there for almost 6 hours. I took my final break at 240 q's, not that I wanted to but I knew I needed to since these last 25 q's could be crucial. Kaplan teaches that if you get to 265 the last question determines if you pass or fail (above passing line and you pass), however I do not know how true this is. My last question was very simple but was asked all throughout kaplan q trainers and they claim all of their q's are passing level. It was a simple question asking what a nurses response would be to a pt stating some fear/emotions about her health status so it was a psych question.
I left the test center scared for my life not knowing what to think, I cried on the way home, and felt sick to my stomach. Nothing about that test went how I wanted it to and I felt pure terrible. I googled my last question to see if it was passing level but had no luck finding an answer, then I saw a few testimonials of people passing with 265 that felt they failed but also saw many who had to retake. In my head I thought they thought they failed but I REALLY feel I failed. I prayed to God over and over. I kept having bad thoughts of seeing the words failed by my name, dreading how awful it would be to step foot back into the testing center and going through that torture again. I was terrified but knew it was a complete toss in the air and a 50/50 chance of how I did.
GOOD NEWS!!! I passed it and shed so many tears of happiness and relief, but also sympathy for those who do not pass the first time because that could have just as well been me and I really thought it was going to be, I just had such a strong feeling. So no matter how strong the feeling is that you failed, or how easy your last question was, just know that you cannot predict the fate the NCLEX has for you. Its so hard to tell how you did on it, it is like trying to read a book in a language you do not speak.
Some extra info/tips:
- I only used Kaplan and did all 7 q trainers, the diagnostic & readiness. I unfortunately did not have time to do the qbank or focus on the content book, but I would highly reccomend doing that.
- Embrace the decision tree (on as many questions as you possibly can)
- I had so many priority questions on who I would see first, only one math calculation, I lack in pharm and felt I barely had any pharm questions
- Know your basic lab values but dont stress over it
- PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE QUESTIONS!
- When you sit down at the testing center before you even begin the exam jot down some tips such as the steps of the decision tree, tell yourself to think if I could do one thing what would it be, a bible verse, a mantra, reminder to deep breath (5 breaths) every 30-40 q's, reminder to sit up straight and answer confidently. This will help you so you don't get caught up in the test and forget all the things you intended to do during testing.