An NCLEX story for 2007

ORNURSETOBE

65 Posts

First of all...

I PASSED!!!

:monkeydance::balloons::biggringi:nurse::rotfl::roll

:Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody::Melody:

Just found out and it is truly a wonderful feeling.

I wanted to share my story with those of you who have been a lifeline for me these past few weeks.

I started school a while ago only taking 2 prereq's per semester. Then I took a year off to have a baby. Then 2 months after having her, she died of SIDS. I, of course did not know where to turn. I decided I had a great job, with excellent pay and I would be content to stay there.

I always wanted to go into the OR, but I had every intention to let that dream die. Until fate stepped in (in the form of my job), which decided to do some restructuring. I had been sitting on the fence about school and this pushed me on the side I needed to be on. I finished my prereq's and started my nursing classes. I definately was not the smartest one in my class. I struggled with just about every class to meet that 80. My best classes was fundamentals, peds, and psych. I needed to prove something to myself and those professors that stood strong that those who barely passed would not pass the NCLEX the first time. It is not that I did not know the material, it is just that I had a difficult time in school. Trying to maintain a full time 40 hour a week job, a husband and 2 children. But I made it.

I am here to tell everyone that you can work a full time job, throughout the entire course and pass the class. First semester, I worked a minimum of 56 hours week. Second and third semester, I worked 48 hours every week. I did not cut my hours back until the last semester. I still did 32 hours. It can be done if you want it bad enough. Even studying for the NCLEX, I went back to working 56 hours a week, plus reading Saunders at work and answering 75- 100 Kaplan questions every day.

Now it is time for me to start my new life and career. Day shift so I can spend time with my family. I have been working overnights for 14 years.

What I found this weekend when I was so stressed, was that you guys were a bigger support to me than my husband. He does not understand why we are all stressing so hard. He will never understand. Today will probably be the first good sleep that I will get in a week.

Maybe Kaplan did help me, I am not sure, but when I left there I thought that the questions were to easy and that I was getting knowledge and lower level questions. Maybe I felt that way because I had prepared well.

Update:

I just told my husband I passed. His words " I had no doubt that you wouldn't". I just love to hate him :)