Best study guide for NCLEX-RN?

willdgate · Jul 7, 2006

Saunders is the best for the N-clex, it explains it all.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 7, 2006

I am using the review questions from the made incredible easy book. I heard Saunders is good.
I also have a KAPLAN book from 05-06
Then I am also using ATI practice tests....
I still feel like I know nothing....ahhh
my test is the 19th.

Each has good points and not so good points; everyone here will tell you that their system was the best (assuming they passed!). Everyone naturally believes that the review they used to pass IS the best.

Fact is, whatever gets the info into your head so you UNDERSTAND it instead of memorizing it is the best.

For what it's worth, the general consensus around here seems to be that Saunders is best for content review, but the questions are too simplistic to be representative of the NCLEX exam. Kaplan questions are definitely harder; some people like it that way because you are constantly trying to do better (no one aces kaplan!).

Me, personally, have reviewed content with Lippincott and Saunders; their questions bolstered me up a bit because I always scored higher with them. :)

Kaplan, I'm taking the full course, and the questions are more in line with the critical thinking you need to apply for nclex. But you can't do that without knowing the content in the first place, right?

At this point, you're so close, focus on ONE plan. I dropped both Saunders and Lippincott last week so I could concentrate on one style of questioning. Conflicting rationales sometimes between all the different books!

If you need more content review to understand the disorders, etc in the first place, go with saunders and lippincott. If you are getting high scores there, concentrate on your critical thinking stuff with kaplan.

Best of luck to you; I test on the 19th, too!!! :uhoh3:

Paleobug · Jul 7, 2006

When I first started reviewing for the NCLEX, I started with Kaplan. I did one practice test and scored 57%. Then, I started using Saunders and getting scores from 70-90%. I took another Kaplan practice test and my score went up to 65%. I definately think that the Kaplan tests are harder. I also used Mosby's, which is more content, and I scored around 75% on it's tests.

RNLisa · Jul 8, 2006

Gosh I am scared now. I took the meds pub review course, was told that we only need to study out of that review book, and do 3000 min. practice questions, and we will do just fine on NCLEX. Reading that everyone is doing all kinds of review books scares me. I have done Saunders CD all throughout nursing school and did do all the quiz versions today (10 questions each section) I got 80 to 90% of them right in each quiz and never did the quizzes before, used to just do the study version of the CD. Am I doing enough???

PsychedRN · Sep 13, 2010

Saunders is by far the best book for content. I didnt believe people when they told me to buy it since my school always stressed Kaplan. I wanted to do everything i needed to to pass the first time so i bought the book and i have to say i dont think i wld have passed without it. It simplifies all the hard to learn topics. BUT Kaplan is necessary to learn the technique to answering questions. Its format is much closer to NClex style questions and it makes you comfortable with answering questions NCLex questions.

caliotter3 · Sep 13, 2010

Hope the OP has been practicing nursing for the past four years.