Hi guys, this is my very first time posting in this forum and it may possibly be my last because I usually am not on social media too often. To tell a little info about myself, I recently passed the NCLEX-RN on 8/21 after having failed it the first time in April, 2014. To tell you I was depressed is an understatement. I graduated from an associate's degree program about 6 years ago but I became distracted with the daily grinds of life and raising 3 kids. Even though my spouse helped me, I became complacent with my LPN job and wasnt motivated to study. However this year I reflected on my life and I decided that at 38 years old I wanted to become an RN not just for my family but more importantly for myself. So I studied hard, I studied only 3 books: 1. the Prioritization and Delegation book by LaCharity which helped immensely with my exam which I would say was about 70% priority and delegation questions, 2. Exam Cram Fourth edition by Wilda Rinehart and 3. Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN by Mary Ann Hogan, it is an immense book about 1000+ pages but well worth it. I did not take any review class because I couldnt afford it but if you can more power to you.I bought these based on the advice I read on all nurses by a fellow nurse who wrote that the company that publishes exam cram and comprehensive review is Pearson, who also administers the NCLEX exam. Please dont be discouraged. I failed the first test at 75 questions felt depressed and even believed at one point that I shouldnt be a nurse. I was an A+ student throughout college and never failed an exam which is why I was so devastated. So I cried and moaned for about 2 weeks not wanting to even look at a damn study book and hating to have to pay 200 dollars again,then decided to study again. The second time I did things differently: I did not overstudy, I repeat do not overstudy, 2 hours a day for a month or so is quite enough. It will minimize your anxiety and I do believe the brain can become overloaded with too much info that when you take the test you feel like you dont remember anything. Number 2: do not study the day before the exam, I only studied the lab values from the exam cram book and side notes. Number 3: I prayed constantly before the exam, now I dont want to juxtapose my beliefs on anyone but I know that the first time I took the exam, I looked only upon myself and felt so cocky that I didnt need to look upon my higher power for anything. This time I prayed and left it up to my God. Whatever you believe in look to that for faith. Number 4: take your sweet time on each and every question, I hid the clock icon so I wouldnt panic and be rushed for time, the test stopped on 123 and I took a deep breath and said oh well, I know in my heart I did the best I could. So dont you dare feel dumb and that you cant do it, I did it and you can do it too. Just dont study from too many sources. Sorry for the long post I love you all.
I love you all.