Advice/Help

[RoxNJ]

I'm very embarrassed that I let this happen to me. I graduated from my LPN program May 2014. Till this day, I have not sat down to take the NCLEX. I've had some financial and family obligations that I need to take care of first, and I'm now just getting the opportunity to really sit down and study for my boards. As I go through my NCLEX study guides and answering the questions, I'm getting nearly every question wrong. I'm beginning to feel I lost all the information I learned, and feeling very discouraged about this. I'm thinking about how long it will take me now to prepare for the NCLEX - Months? A Year? I feel I have so much information to relearn. I am extremely discouraged and lost about this whole process and experience. I have no idea how to go about handling it. I need some guidance...

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

First off, I would check with the BON of your state to be sure that any time limit one has to take the NCLEX has not passed. Then I would go back to your school, and ask if there is a refresher, if there's a test prep class, if there is any study groups. If there is not a study group, see if you can start one. Even on social media, there may be any number of like minded graduates who need feedback and a group to study for the NCLEX.

Meanwhile, keep looking at and taking the tests. You may find that there is 1 or 2 specific subjects that you are rusty on--if so, read your notes from class, if you highlighted your text book look that over--that type of thing.

Whatever you get wrong, make an index card that you now carry around with you and look at a few of them a day. That also helps.

And be sure that you are looking at the question at face value--meaning do NOT look too far into the question. And go with your gut. Do NOT change answers unless you are quite sure that you checked the wrong box--otherwise, lots of times we get the answer wrong by changing our original ones.

If you feel like you are completely lost, see if there are some classes that you can "audit" (sit in on) at your former school.

Best of luck!