Hello! I'm going to take the NCLEX RN on the 19th. I am really nervous about the test considering things have changed after April 1 on the NCLEX.
For those of you who have taken the NCLEX - RN, what is the exam like? What percentage of questions were select all that apply or the dreaded drag and drop? Where there drug calculation questions?
As for me, I am studying probably 3-8h a day with the saunders question cd, ATI online, and kaplan. Sometimes I read the book, but mostly I'm doing the questions and reading the rationales. I feel discouraged because I feel like I average anywhere from like 65% - 80% correct in my practicing questions. I wanna strive for an 80% and up but I don't always make it there. I know it is impossible to know everything about nursing before going into that exam, but I am so terrified to fail because I have a job lined up and I would lose that opportunity. I mostly get the select all that apply questions wrong in my practice.
How prepared did you all feel before going into the exam? How much percentage of questions did you get correct while practicing?
I took the NCLEX on June 6, and passed with 75Q. About 15 SATA, 2 exhibits, 1 med cal, and 1 picture question (but it was still multiple choice). I used Kaplan to prepare, and it was very helpful. The exam looks like you are taking Kaplan still. Same setup, same colors, same question types.
Here are my kaplan scores:
Diagnostic- 66%, readiness 66%, QTrainers: 1 - 67%, 2 - 68% 3- 59%, 4- 66%, 5- 69%, 6- 66%, 7- 59%. Only did 15% of QBank (I wanted to test ASAP) and I was averaging 68%.
I felt very confident for the exam. I felt prepared although still nervous. When the test shut off at 75q, I felt I passed. However, I still had a bit of doubt until I did the pvt trick and also when thhe quick results said I passed!
Don't stress too much about the alternative question types. Just do your best. You will be fine!
Also, look at SATA as a true/false. Does the answer apply? If not; leave it out. If so; include it. Not sure? Does it fit a pattern? If so; include it. If not, leave it out. If not sure at all..don't include it.
Lastly, I know it is hard not to stress about NCLEX, especially when you have a job on the line..but just try to leave that out of your head during the exam! You will be fine:)
I'm so glad I created this thread to talk about the exam. Thank you all for your responses, you have all helped me in tremendously decreasing my anxiety towards the nclex. I feel after hearing about your experiences with the test, I feel I am on the right track. From looking at what my strengths and weaknesses are on studying, my strengths are management, delegation, psych, teaching and from looking at what I get wrong is typically content based, specifically peds and oncology meds I have trouble in. Prioritization questions don't seem to be my issue, it is content because I swear I was never taught somethings in nursing school that questions banks have questions about. Did anyone ever feel that way?
Prioritization questions don't seem to be my issue, it is content because I swear I was never taught somethings in nursing school that questions banks have questions about. Did anyone ever feel that way?
Oh yeah. Big time. I didn't do the Kaplan questions or anything, just the Hurst ones. I consistently scored between 97-103/125 questions right on their practice tests, or about 70-80%. I passed in 75 questions with a TON of SATAs, 3 ECG strips, 3 med calcs, 4 drag and drop, and 1 hot spot.
You're going to feel like that on the NCLEX, too, since it's a CAT... I took a pharm course and I felt like I knew my stuff, but the NCLEX picked really fidgety pharm questions for me. I knew I passed when I walked out of there because I knew there was no way I would fail with questions that difficult. So, don't feel anxious about not knowing everything. I'll betcha anything there isn't a school in the world that went into the level of detail I got on some of those questions, and if that happens to you it just means you are doing very well on the test, so chin up and don't be anxious! :)
i took it june 3rd. i thought it was pretty hard. i had 75 questions total and passed. i had 20-30 SATA 1 math problem, 1 ECG strip. i used hurst review and PDA by lacharity mostly.. those 2 helped me tremendously![/quote']
20-30 SATA's!! Holy moly!!
What does it mean when you get that many questions of that kind?
What does it mean when you get that many questions of that kind?
It doesn't 'mean' anything good or bad. The SATA are just an alternate format question, just like the drag/drop, hot spot, etc type of questions.
What is contained in the SATA is the key. Is it a lower or higher level question. Lower level questions being content/recognition, higher being application/analysis.
I took the NCLEX on May 18th. I had 75 questions. I was very confident going into the test because I did a lot of Saunders questions and I did Kaplan. My scores were consistently over 60 on Kaplan and my HESI exit exam was in the top 96 percent and that gave me added confidence. I just took my time on the test and made sure I understood exactly what the questions were asking and read all the answers before I selected one. I had at least 30 select all that apply and 2 put things in order questions and one math question. I felt that most of my questions were at the harder level and I was certain that when the machine shut off that I had passed the test. I thought that taking the NCLEX would be the hardest part of my nursing journey but for me it has proven very hard to find a job as a nurse and it looks like you have already passed that hurdle. I would just say keep doing questions and you will do fine on the test. Just take your time reading exactly what the questions are asking and be sure to read all the answers before you pick the right one. Good luck to you!
I had about 20-30 SATA and tons of conference and tones of meds ! Just to name a few ! I have everything ! 260 and I pass !
Congrats!
So from what I am understanding is that if your questions remain at the harder level, that is a good thing...to many at remain at the easy level is not?
MLB4
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I took the NCLEX on June 6, and passed with 75Q. About 15 SATA, 2 exhibits, 1 med cal, and 1 picture question (but it was still multiple choice). I used Kaplan to prepare, and it was very helpful. The exam looks like you are taking Kaplan still. Same setup, same colors, same question types.
Here are my kaplan scores:
Diagnostic- 66%, readiness 66%, QTrainers: 1 - 67%, 2 - 68% 3- 59%, 4- 66%, 5- 69%, 6- 66%, 7- 59%. Only did 15% of QBank (I wanted to test ASAP) and I was averaging 68%.
I felt very confident for the exam. I felt prepared although still nervous. When the test shut off at 75q, I felt I passed. However, I still had a bit of doubt until I did the pvt trick and also when thhe quick results said I passed!
Don't stress too much about the alternative question types. Just do your best. You will be fine!
Best of luck:)