Filipino Nurses who passed the NCLEX without the help of Review Center

ilovetiggerdear, LPN, LVN · Jun 26, 2008

1. What are the materials that you used?

SAUNDERS Comprehensive Review 4th Ed and Kaplan Trainer

2. How many hours per day did you study? how many questions did u answer per day?

Hmmm. It varies but usually I just study 4-5 days a week, 2-4 hours per day. Average of 100 questions per/day but I only started answering questions 2 weeks before the exam and only after finishing the SAUNDERS book.

3. How many days or months in total you studied before taking the exam?

2 months

4. What are the specific strategies that you used or the the test taking skills you applied during the exam?

MASLOW's ABCs. Read the questions and choices 2-3 times before clicking NEXT.

5. Take one or take two?

Take ONE! THANK GOD!

gabrield, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2008

hi guys,. i am losing focus on review for nclex,. too much on my head! i already have now my eligibility to register at pearsonvue, the problem is i am not yet prepared to take the exam, and now i am currently a trainee for 3 weeks at a primary hospital that will soon absorb me as a staff,. and another conflict is by september 1 i will also scheduled a training for 2 months at a tertiary hospital,. any suggestions on what should i do??i will appreciate all of your inputs.. thanks!!GOD Bless to us all!! :saint:

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 29, 2008

hi guys,. i am losing focus on review for nclex,. too much on my head! i already have now my eligibility to register at pearsonvue, the problem is i am not yet prepared to take the exam, and now i am currently a trainee for 3 weeks at a primary hospital that will soon absorb me as a staff,. and another conflict is by september 1 i will also scheduled a training for 2 months at a tertiary hospital,. any suggestions on what should i do??i will appreciate all of your inputs.. thanks!!GOD Bless to us all!!

You have posted this question in the International forum. Could you please just post the once as per terms of service and give time for people to answer

nefarious · Jun 29, 2008

1. what are the materials that you used?

1/4 of compre saunder's + cd, kapplan strat

2. how many hours per day did you study? how many questions did u answer per day?

8 hours---200-250/day

3. how many days or months in total you studied before taking the exam?

1 month

4. what are the specific strategies that you used or the the test taking skills you applied during the exam?

elimination!!!!!! prayers, critical thinking and common sense

5. take one or take two?

1 @ 75 :)

good luck on ur exam on aug.:)

mrsinister · Jul 26, 2008

this is a goofd forum. i get lots of useful information

crazytwistedmind · Jul 27, 2008

did suzzane plan and all the question trainers of kaplan before i took the test and i passed at 75... i repeated all the qts for like 5 times just to make sure that the concept got through my mind.... it is very important to answer in the computer...

i failed at 76 the first time i took it cuz i purely relied on the MERGE hand outs... which didnt work for me... you really need to anwer the test questions in the cds.... because if you just rely on review centers hand outs it really doesnt work... though the urc and merge hand out also helped me in the 2nd try... you just have to know how to maximize your resources

diapersprinkles, MSN · Aug 1, 2008

thank you for posting your responses to this thread. this is very helpful especially to those people (like me) who can't afford to enrol in nclex review centers. thank you so much!

hotfudge · Aug 1, 2008

i used saunders 3rd edition... though i also used lippincott, mosby, springhouse for more test questions after i finished the cd of saunders...

i went through the book (saunders) 3x... "first, second and third reading" (i learned this from my professor in nursing school)...

during my first reading, i read everything (from introduction up to the last chapter) and highlighted important words/phrases/sentences... i also answered just the quiz at the end of each chapter...

on my second reading, i only read the important points (the things that i highlighted)....and since this is my second time to go through the book, i was able to highlight (again) just the more important words/phrases (using a different color of highlighter,of course). for each chapter that i finished, i answered the exam (per subject) on the cd....

the third reading was quite easy. this time, just a quick look on a page of a specific chapter, i already know the essential things being discussed. after every chapter, i answered around 75 to 100 questions of different subjects on the cd... during this time, i started being conscious of the time i spent to answer the 75 to 100 questions

then, i answered the comprehensive examination at the end of the book...

17 days prior to my exam, i started my fourteen-day "mock-nclex" wherein i attuned my body and mind on what to expect during the actual exam day. since i took it in saipan, which has a 3-hour time difference from where i live (philippines), i woke-up, ate my meals, answered 265 questions (did other things, as well) and went to bed on "saipan time". i had to do this because the exam was scheduled at 7am---that was 5am in the philippines. i stopped reviewing 3 days before the test to relax and prepare for my trip to saipan....

over-all i spent around 10 weeks reviewing. 4 weeks for the first reading, 3 weeks for the 2nd reading, 1.5 weeks for the third reading, and 2 weeks for the "mock-nclex". i did this full-time! i disciplined myself to have at least 8 hours of sleep, exercise in the morning, eat the right food. i followed a strict schedule on what i should be accomplishing per day/week (number of pages/chapters and test questions).

i made sure to read the rationale per question...through this, i understood why some choices are better answers than others.... i also read the questions twice and took note of the "markers" ("except" "not" , etc.)... i have not forgotten, of course, to write some important values on big papers which i hang on the walls of my room and bathroom.

i took it once... 75 items for 2 hours and 15 minutes....

Lorodz · Aug 2, 2008

i used saunders 3rd edition... though i also used lippincott, mosby, springhouse for more test questions after i finished the cd of saunders...
i went through the book (saunders) 3x... "first, second and third reading" (i learned this from my professor in nursing school)...
during my first reading, i read everything (from introduction up to the last chapter) and highlighted important words/phrases/sentences... i also answered just the quiz at the end of each chapter...
on my second reading, i only read the important points (the things that i highlighted)....and since this is my second time to go through the book, i was able to highlight (again) just the more important words/phrases (using a different color of highlighter,of course). for each chapter that i finished, i answered the exam (per subject) on the cd....
the third reading was quite easy. this time, just a quick look on a page of a specific chapter, i already know the essential things being discussed. after every chapter, i answered around 75 to 100 questions of different subjects on the cd... during this time, i started being conscious of the time i spent to answer the 75 to 100 questions
then, i answered the comprehensive examination at the end of the book...
17 days prior to my exam, i started my fourteen-day "mock-nclex" wherein i attuned my body and mind on what to expect during the actual exam day. since i took it in saipan, which has a 3-hour time difference from where i live (philippines), i woke-up, ate my meals, answered 265 questions (did other things, as well) and went to bed on "saipan time". i had to do this because the exam was scheduled at 7am---that was 5am in the philippines. i stopped reviewing 3 days before the test to relax and prepare for my trip to saipan....
over-all i spent around 10 weeks reviewing. 4 weeks for the first reading, 3 weeks for the 2nd reading, 1.5 weeks for the third reading, and 2 weeks for the "mock-nclex". i did this full-time! i disciplined myself to have at least 8 hours of sleep, exercise in the morning, eat the right food. i followed a strict schedule on what i should be accomplishing per day/week (number of pages/chapters and test questions).
i made sure to read the rationale per question...through this, i understood why some choices are better answers than others.... i also read the questions twice and took note of the "markers" ("except" "not" , etc.)... i have not forgotten, of course, to write some important values on big papers which i hang on the walls of my room and bathroom.
i took it once... 75 items for 2 hours and 15 minutes....

what you read saunders 3x whoah! hats off and congratulations

yoo jin · Aug 5, 2008

1. WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS THAT YOU USED?

Saunders 4th Edition and Prentice Hall, plus the CDs with it

2. HOW MANY HOURS PER DAY DID YOU STUDY? HOW MANY QUESTIONS DID YOU ANSWER PER DAY?

If I want to study, I will. Sometimes It will be straight for 3 days, (of course sleeping in between) then most of the times I dont even want to see the shadow of the book.

I have days where I only answer questions, not reading lectures. For a day, about 300. Then next day, nothing.

3. HOW MANY DAYS OR MONTHS IN TOTAL YOU STUDIED BEFORE TAKING THE EXAM?

Actually, I havent registered for NCLEX, since Im not sure taking it would be an advantage for me right now (with the retro and all). I just made use of the books my aunt shipped for me.

4. WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES THAT YOU USED OR THE TEST TAKING SKILLS YOU APPLIED DURING THE EXAM?

Just breathe . And dont get hung up after a failed question.

5. TAKE ONE OR TAKE TWO?

Take NONE!

berryblush · Aug 6, 2008

Question: Since most of you used Saunders Comprehensive review, I want to ask if i should buy the 4th (latest) edition? I have the 3rd edition but my exam will be scheduled Oct-Nov this year (2008). Do you think I need to buy the new one? I need opinions... Thanks!

And also, is the Kaplan nclex-RN strategy book 2008-2009 edition out? Because i am thinking about buying the 2007-2008 edition. Thanks so much!! :)

Silverdragon102, BSN · Aug 6, 2008

The new edition will be up to date on new format style of questions