Taking NC1 exam this thursday.

JKohler · Jan 28, 2005

I passed NC1. It wasn't as bad as I thought. It wasactually easier tahn the practice exams I took. I'm so relieved, now it's on th NC2 in 8 weeks!!

Jo Dirt · Jan 28, 2005

I passed NC1. It wasn't as bad as I thought. It wasactually easier tahn the practice exams I took. I'm so relieved, now it's on th NC2 in 8 weeks!!

I was wondering how you did. I took NC 5 last night and bombed it. Made a D. It wasn't really surprising, I shouldn't try to make excuses but I've been feeling burned out and depressed again lately, haveing a whole lot of trouble concentrating and I think my Lexapro isn't working as good as it used to.

The testing man knew it wasn't good when I walked out and said "I should have stayed home tonight"...:stone

Went ahead and signed up for NC 2 today, even though I am not feeling like I can study any better for that than I did NC 5 (I waited until Wednesday night to go through the study guide). Didn't know enough about fluids and electrolytes and the renal system. Bright side is that I know exactly what to study now... :rolleyes:

JKohler · Jan 30, 2005

I was wondering how you did. I took NC 5 last night and bombed it. Made a D. It wasn't really surprising, I shouldn't try to make excuses but I've been feeling burned out and depressed again lately, haveing a whole lot of trouble concentrating and I think my Lexapro isn't working as good as it used to.
The testing man knew it wasn't good when I walked out and said "I should have stayed home tonight"...:stone
Went ahead and signed up for NC 2 today, even though I am not feeling like I can study any better for that than I did NC 5 (I waited until Wednesday night to go through the study guide). Didn't know enough about fluids and electrolytes and the renal system. Bright side is that I know exactly what to study now...[/quote ]
Reply from BikerNRS.............How'd I do that?
How much studying and time are you taking with each exam? I've decided to give myself 8 weeks each. I get the content guide and figure out exactly how many pages I need to read out of all the required books each day. I do this reading 5 days a week ( weekends a no-go) 12 hr shifts no time. So far it's only been about 20-25 pages a day. Enough to keep me busy for at least 4 hrs/day reading and taking notes. SO far it' seem to work but then again I have only taken one exam.. I still have time to play if needed, movie e.t.c. Hang in there.

eborgelt · Jan 30, 2005

Congrats on passing NC1. I take it tomorrow morning at 9am. Nervous, but hopefully all will go well.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jan 30, 2005

How much studying and time are you taking with each exam? I've decided to give myself 8 weeks each. I get the content guide and figure out exactly how many pages I need to read out of all the required books each day. I do this reading 5 days a week ( weekends a no-go) 12 hr shifts no time. So far it's only been about 20-25 pages a day. Enough to keep me busy for at least 4 hrs/day reading and taking notes. SO far it' seem to work but then again I have only taken one exam.. I still have time to play if needed, movie e.t.c. Hang in there.
I think you're being wise. I did the same.. allowed myself 6-8 weeks, regardless. I was in no hurry and I know myself well enough to know that I need plenty of time to thoroughly digest the material in order to retain it.
The last week or so I would spend just going over all my own notes I made as I went along.. all the really important stuff. I categorized my notes as I studied.. according to material, etc. and then just hammered away at these for a week or more before I went to take my exams.
Seems to me that nearly all my NC exams were 160 questions each.. but that was two and a half years ago. I do remember my neck being quite stiff from sitting there so long in front of that computer, all rigid with tension...
So glad all that is behind me !
Wish you guys the best ! :) :balloons:

Jo Dirt · Jan 30, 2005

I am starting to wonder if I am bipolar or something. At the end of November I finally got up the nerve to take NC 1 and, using the EC study guides I spent about a week studying. It felt so good to see a B on that test I went wild, I took A&P two weeks later and made a B. Then a week later I took Microbiology and made a B, then a week after that I took NC 3, made a B. Then a week and a half later NC 4. Made a B.

I was high as a kite and full of enthusiasm and energy at first but after NC 4 I started to feel like I was losing steam. To be honest, I fiddled around and didn't study at all for NC 5. I just could not get motivated, and my concentration level was nil. Looking back it really isn't a hard test, but if you don't go over your fluids and electrolytes, the renal system and the psychiatric disorders in the study guide you may as well stay home, because they ask some pretty detailed questions on that test.

Talk about embarrassing. I am a hero where I work, because there are several poor girls there who have been struggling to pass their tests, two of them have failed recently and I am letting them use the notes I made for myself when I was studying. Now I have to face them and tell them I'm really just a big loser.

JKohler · Jan 31, 2005

Congrats on passing NC1. I take it tomorrow morning at 9am. Nervous, but hopefully all will go well.

Just remember 3 hrs is a lot of time for an exam that has 160 questins. I was able to carefully read the question 2-3 times, go over the answers and choose one. When I was done answering all the questions...I still had and 75 minutes left!! So iwent and took a potty break, stretched my back and went through the whole test again making sure I was happy with the answer I chose. BREATHE... :)

kimlpn · Jan 31, 2005

LPN--

Take more time with the preparing. I thought 5 was difficult mainly because of the content being somewhat dry to me. This is how I order the exams in level of difficulty...CPNE,2,1,5,4,7,6,&3. Cpne hardest and 3 easiest for me. Just pick up where you left off and dig in. Maybe try taking 7 while you are wating to retake 5. NC7 is basiclly nursing history, laws, different nursing delivery models...I actually kind of liked it. Everyone falls off the path at some point--get back on and you will be done soon.

Kim