Third times a charm!

Nursing Students NCLEX

Published

I have waited so long to write this on allnurses.com!! I finally passed the NCLEX. It has been a rough road needless to say, but I did it with the help of my faith, husband, family, and amazing tutor!

My Story:

I graduated in May of 2013 with a job offer in step-down cardiology at Vidant Hospital and started working with HURST. I first took the NCLEX when I learned that my mother in law was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. Lets just say I wasn't emotionally ready for the exam. It took me 5 hours and 45 minutes to complete 265 questions. Can't believe it all came down to one questions. The weird thing about this exam was that I did the pearson vue trick and got the "good" pop up like 10 times even up until the day before the results... Well that didn't work out to well.. considered I failed. But I am a religious person and I do believe that everything happens for a reason. I figured that reason was because I interviewed for a position on a step-down cardiac floor at Duke University.. (MY DREAM JOB!)

After not passing the first time I did the HURST remediation course. I don't mean to talk bad about the hurst program but I can tell you right now that was not for me. And I pretty much set myself up for failure with my second attempt. The computer shut off at 75 questions... AHHHH I hate admitting this but I didn't pass that time. I was definitely upset after this attempt and it really hit me because I had to tell Duke that I failed the nclex this time. But luckily there were willing to give me another chance!

I took a lot longer in between the 2nd and 3rd attempt. I started reviewing the beginning of October with a tutor. I finally sat for the exam Nov 6th with a projected start date at Duke Nov 18th. So this was it! I made sure to pray about everything and I kid you know this exam was definitely in God's hands. It took me the full hours and the computer shut off at 200 questions... I thought for sure that I failed because WHO RUNS OUT OF TIME...? well.. ME! But when I did the pearson vue thing again I got the good pop up so I know I had a fighting chance! I had my husband check because I was too scared... and it said PASS!!!!! You have no idea how excited I was. It has been a rough road with reviewing, and my family dealing with my mother in laws illness. It was just a blessing!

I just wanted to put my story on here because I know there are other people out there struggling and I want them to know they aren't the only ones and their time will come! Everything happens for a reason and whether you believe in God or not it will all work out the way it is suppose to and I truly believe that. And I am living that truth right now. I look back on it and I am thankful that I failed because it has given us so many more memories with my husbands mother before we move away.

Good luck to all the students reviewing!! I know you can do it!

Specializes in Cardiology.
Thanks I'm a 3rd test time taker also, how much was this tutor? Also was this the only study material you used?

My tutor was $40 an hour.. seems kinda expensive but it worked for me!! And at that point in time I need something to work! I used her testing material as well as a book called prioritization, delegation, and management. You can get it on Amazon - its a work book. And what they don't tell you is that if you score 50-60% on the chapter tests you are doing good. I was thinking I needed a 75% for a while and then my tutor mentioned that to me and I felt a whole lot better! Some of the chapters I scored even higher than that and that helped my confidence!! haha

I also did the Kaplan review for NCLEX 2014 book from front to back. I was told I needed to score 60-70% on those questions and you need a 70% on the final test!! If you don't get those I would advise just doing more questions.

But my tutor stressed doing questions so that is ALL I did.. I did NO content review the 3rd time, and to be honest I think that was the difference in my scores!!

Best of luck to you - Let me know if you think of anymore questions!

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Specializes in Cardiology.

I friended you to send you a message - I am not thinking I am allowed to give her name since I originialy had it in the post and it looks like they took it off...

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Specializes in Cardiology.

She mentions this but didn't stress it - We mainly found testing taking strategies that worked for me.. for example she showed me that I could read the questions backwards as in reading the answer choices for 4 to 1 and then reading the question. This way I was focused on those for answer choices before reading the question so my brain wouldn't "make up" an answer. And it really worked for me.

Another big thing was labeling each answer choice by topics and elimination like answers and picking the odd man out. I have found this EXTREMELY helpful - I found myself picking answers I would have originally crossed off and now I am getting them right!

I hope this helps!

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Specializes in Cardiology.
Awesome story! Hurst remediation didn't work for me either. I focused on questions, my lab values and prayed. I passed my second try.

CONGRATS!! That is awesome!! Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Just keep you head held high - and make sure to deep breathe! That was a big thing that saved me. every time I got stressed I would deep breathe and before each test I would do the same! If you need any help just private message me!! Best of luck to you!

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Thanks for your tips that the tutor gave you. I am getting ready to test the third time and have gone back and forth with getting a tutor. I have worked with a tutor in the past with other subjects and found it to be very helpful. However right now I cannot afford one. I took the Hurst live course back in May and did the remediation. I liked the strategies you have about answering questions because I think that is where I go wrong. I tried to PM you but I am unable. If there is any other info your tutor gave you that you think would be helpful I would definitely appreciate it. Maybe your can private message me. Good luck with your career and thanks again!

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