Another Hopeful NCLEX Post (Passed with 265 Questions!)

[nstudenttoRN24]

I took my NCLEX Wednesday at 12:30 and had a license posted earlier this afternoon! I just wanted to give hope to anyone who was scared or worried about their test by telling you how I prepared, what I was feeling, and how I still passed!!

Things I used: Hurst Review, Kaplan Book, Pinterest, UWorld, NCLEX Mastery App, ATI Comprehensive book and app which I already had.

I wan to start by saying I took the ATI Comprehensive Exam 3 TIMES before I passed!!! Which was very hard and shook my confidence and self-esteem. You'd think I'd feel good going into NCLEX, but who does??

I started preparing maybe 3 weeks before and I was terrified that I didn't give myself enough time. I did two Hurst videos everyday and filled in all the blanks! I only did two Hurst Tests and my scores were a 59 and 56 out of 125, very low compared to what I saw on here and made me VERY nervous!

About a week and a half till my test I found out about UWorld and started using that! I didn't do a set number of questions or anything like, read the rationales, but didn't really take notes. Honestly I didn't feel like UWorld was some big lifesaver, it was extremely nitpicky and hard TO ME. BUT it did get me use to harder level questions, SATA, and just random questions content I wouldn't have thought to study. I really like NCLEX Mastery too and the ATI app was nice for when I wanted to test myself on sections by NCLEX area. Both is those apps are "easy" compared to UWorld. My percentages were 46% in UWorld, 58% in NCLEX Mastery, and 55% in ATI (but I did most of ATI during nursing school).

My parents bought me a Kaplan book which I didn't even really look over in depth until the day before my exam. It had really great strategies and broke down the different NCLEX sections! I also studied later that night, it honestly made me feel better. One thing I tried to remember while studying was to forgive myself if there was something I couldn't completely grasp or remember. It is A LOT of information, be nice to yourself!

I moved my test back a day because I didn't feel ready and had multiple panic attacks before my exam! I also had a job waiting for me and was so scared I wouldn't be able to start.

Test day... I looked over electrolyte imbalances, lab values, infection control, EKG, and a few other things. My parents took me to the testing center which was really comforting!

(I know a lot of people who did nothing the day before or day of, it just didn't work for me.)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not freak out when you see things you don't know or didn't study on the exam. It is going to happen regardless! You will have things you wish they'd ask that they won't! You might feel like crying or giving up. Your head may start hurting (mine did). Stay calm, breath, take your time with each and every question because they all count. I felt like I was failing the entire time and so did most people I know who took it.

I also did not do the PVT. I was too nervous.

265 questions does not mean you failed. PERIOD.

I say all this to say... Your study strategy can be completely unique to you AND what works for others (doing 200 questions a day, chilling all day before the exam, Hurst, Kaplan, whatever) may not work for you. What is for YOU will be for YOU!! The main thing I did to prepare for this test was PRAY every day and believe pass or fail that it was God's will and now I'm an RN!! :) Prepare to the best of your abilities, calm down, have faith, and know that test out! GOOD LUCK!!