I decided to write this post, based off of the many comments, and posts I have read in this particular forum. Let's get to it....
The NCLEX exam is very important; some of us have spent many years to get to this point. The countless hours put in to study, to pass exams, and to of course graduate, and be able to be approved to sit for the NCLEX. Some of you begin to look for the best resources to use to begin to study, even spending hundreds of dollars on the best review program. You schedule your exam between 2 weeks, and even some as far out as 3 months just to make sure you have covered it all, memorized as much as you can, made the highest scores on your question trainers...only to get to your exam date, stressed out, terrified, afraid, and already defeated before you've even taken your exam. You're in front of your computer screen, with your heart pounding out of control, you screaming in your head that you believe you've already failed, this exam is way too hard, and maybe I should have studied more....
Does any of this sound like you?
As soon as you get to your car, you cry your eyes out afraid of what happens next. Some of you do the Pearson vue trick, and some of you are too afraid to check your status. Many of you go home and cry for a while; some of you go on to find out you actually did pass the exam, and some of you find out you failed...
What happens next?
Some of you logon to allnurses and begin to search for a secret way to pass, plead with others to figure how you can pass next time, what you can do differently this time around.
Here's one thing I do know that will help you pass your exam, and that is to change your mindset. You cannot go into one of the most important exams you need to become licensed, feeling frazzled, overly anxious, upset, and not knowing if you studied enough, wanting to run away from the exam, and already thinking and believing you have already failed. I mean really how can you possibly pass the NCLEX exam with this mentality? You cannot!
Here is the advice I will give first time NCLEX takers and those having to retake the NCLEX
Change the way you think, your thoughts are powerful, and they can have a monumental effect on your life. Every day you must tell yourself that you can pass your exam, not only think it, but speak it into existence. Print out your name with RN or LPN/LVN next to it with your test date and time on it and post it throughout your home. Instead of dreading the day you have to take the exam, how about be excited about it, be excited to know the day you go and take your exam, is the day you will become a licensed nurse! While you sit down to take your exam continue to tell yourself you are going to pass your exam. Think about what the question is asking you, because you know the answer, don't spend a great deal of time on the question, answer it and move on to the next question. Also realize you are going to have to critically think through each answer.
YOU CAN PASS YOUR EXAM!!!! I hope this will help some of you.
