Studied for 6 days, passed NCLEX-RN in 75 questions

Students NCLEX

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From my research, there are a lot of people on here that totally freak about the NCLEX. All throughout school, up until I took it, and now that I've passed...it was never very important to me and everything about it was anti-climactic after all the talk during school.

Like the article says, I did even start studying until I got my date for boards. I graduated May 7th, I got my ATT on May 22nd, and signed up to take the test May 30th. I started studying on the 23rd and put in 6 days of studying, about 4 hours a day. I am a quick reader, but in this time I pretty much worked through the entire Saunders book. I briefly reviewed things I didn't know, skimmed over the things I did, and then most importantly I did the questions.

I do not necessarily recommend the "I guess I care but not really" attitude like I had, but taking the test as soon as you can is probably just as important as the amount you study. I was in an Accelerated program, and all we did was take exams (including HESIs, meh). So the NCLEX ended up just being another exam. I was not nervous. I tried to focus, but I ended up guessing on some and just saying "Whatevs". My exam then shut off at 75 questions and I found out later that I passed. Yay.

I was hesistant about taking it with little studying, and searched these forums for a few hours, and no one really seemed to say it worked. So I thought I would post my experience, saying it worked for me. Saunders book, iced mocha, 4 hours a day, the week before. Then just got it over with (in 30 minutes, too).

Good luck to everyone, and try to chill if you've got your panties in a wad about it. You're probably better off than you think.

heartNICU

82 Posts

Specializes in NICU.

Thanks for posting this. I'm glad I'm not the only one with this same kind of feeling towards NCLEX. I should be getting my ATT this week, and I plan on doing the same thing-- Saunders book plus re-taking my ATI comprehensive practice tests. Glad it worked for you and congrats!

any tips..what types of questions were on the test? dont give out the answers or actual questions. .what resources helpd you as well..

CONGRATS

ok come on it had to be more than that... i mean just the saunders book. wow your'e good and u have a good memory.. did you use the ALL NURSES guide.. come on you had to have used more than one book.. You're genius....lol i need help

A~L~B

104 Posts

First, Congratulations to you! I had the same attitude as you about NCLEX. I graduated May 4th, got my ATT on the 16th and took the exam on the 17th. I figured that the worst that could happen is that I would fail. But I didn't. I did well throughout nursing school and got well above the recommended score on our halfway and final HESI exams. Even if I would have studied for months I don't think I would ever have come across most of the questions I was asked. Especially not the 30 SATA questions!

mommyof2Tees

664 Posts

Patti_RN

353 Posts

Specializes in ..

Congrats on becoming an RN. You seem proud that you were successful with minimal studying. This makes you a great test taker. It's not to say those who studied madly for weeks--or even years, then passed, or failed are lesser nurses. I'm also a great test taker, so my comments aren't motivated by jealousy or bitterness (I passed with maybe even less review and 75 questions). Instead, I offer encouragement to those who may have failed (once or several times), those who passed after a couple hours and a couple hundred questions, and those who have yet to pass. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses--sometimes a person can absorb or memorize information more easily than another, some become so anxious about formal tests they do badly. These differences have little bearing on the quality of nursing care one delivers. So, to those of you who will sit for the NCLEX soon (or again), prepare the way you need to in order to give yourself the best opportunity for success. Once you pass, you're an RN whether it took 30 minutes and 75 questions, or a few attempts at the test. Good luck to all!

Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

congrats to you!!! i cant wait to be in your shoes!! :)

nurse671

373 Posts

Congrats to you! That's the way to do it.. take the test as soon as u can after graduation. That's something I wish I did but yeah can't bring back time. :) congrats again.

phoenixrn

72 Posts

I'm a good test taker. I downloaded NCLEX study questions onto my Itouch. There were 1000, and you could bookmark the ones you got wrong. I studied them until I had 0 wrong.

I passed with just a few questions over the minimum required. But I tell you this: after that screen went black, I started crying. I was CERTAIN I had flunked. Within a few minutes of the start of the test, the questions that were coming at me were so strange, specialized and bewildering, I was guessing for the majority of the test. It would repeat questions about specified topics, like pancreatic cancer... really!

I did the Pearson Vue trick, which made me feel a little better, then checked the BON site a few days later to find out that I was licensed. But that car ride home after I took the test... one of the worst moments of my life. I felt like I'd let the entire world down.

To this day, I have no idea why or how they structure that exam. I guess there are levels of intensity... if you clear the easy levels quickly (and pass!!) they still have to zap you with enough impossible questions to reach the min. number of questions.

NP Sam

476 Posts

Specializes in Peds OR as RN, Peds ENT as NP.

Congrats on passing the test! Like you, I am also a good test taker. However, everyone is different and I would not recommend the "whatevs" way of thinking because someone reading this might think this same way will work for them. NCLEX is just NCLEX. Good test takers get knocked on their butt during their first job on the floor just like every one else :). I don't work bedside but still...

delilas

289 Posts

That's how I was too; but I know a good portion of my graduating class was not the same. There are a lot of people who are simply not good test takers, and anxiety over the test is not unexpected for most people.

I went through hell the morning of my exam; I got to the center only to find out that my license was expired (silly me) so I wasn't allowed to sit for it. They let me run over to a nearby DMV, only for me to find out their system was down and I couldn't renew my license. I sat in those uncomfortable plastic chairs for 6 hours until the system came up.

And then I took the NCLEX in 40 minutes, and passed!

But to each their own. I spent a lot of my time tutoring my classmates, and I think teaching others is a great way to teach yourself and lower any anxiety. Congratulations on becoming an RN!

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