Can't pass NCLEX-PN!!!

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My girlfriend has taken the NCLEX-PN twice and didn't pass either time. She is too upset to go to forums such as this for help, so I am doing it for her.

The first time, she timed out before finishing. The second (on Monday) she went to 205 questions. I just checked the quick results and she failed. I was SOO sure she passed too. She is a native Spanish speaker and did excellent in school. She got nearly straight A's, but suffers from test anxiety. Sometimes, there will be one obscure word in a question that she doesn't fully understand, and that will cause her to answer incorrectly. I do not want to see her depressed like this again! The amount of time she spent studing both times is unreal. I have no real way to quantify it, but it was just about everyday for 2-8 hours a day for three months. Both times!! She has the Saunder's study guide, and I believe one or two others.

I know she knows the material as well or better than anyone, but yet cannot pass this test.

Please!! What can she do to pass this next time?????

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Perhaps your girlfriend needs to become familiarized with how NCLEX is scored. Perhaps if she's more familiar with how it works, some of her anxiety might be alleviated.

This examination is designed so that the vast majority of students answer only 50 percent of the questions correctly. This test works like a balancing beam: if you answer questions correctly, the computer throws progressively harder questions right back at you. If you miss questions, the computer spits out questions that it deems to be 'easy.' Therefore, your girlfriend should not feel forced to answer every single question correctly. She only needs to answer enough "higher level" questions in order to pass. Kaplan published a NCLEX-PN strategies book that may help her become familiar with how the test is scored, and how to tackle it with success.

Good luck yo you guys!

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Thanks for the help TheCommuter! However, I am pretty sure she knows how the test is scored. I have gone over it with her repeatedly. Where I believe the problem may be is the way it is scored. I am thinking that the computer is having a hard time determining her ability level because it cannot determine a correct confidence level of her abilities. I think that there are words in some questions that she doesn't quite understand due to her spanish background. The word may have nothing do to with the material, but it causes her to choose an incorrect answer. In other words, I don't think she will completely understand the question sometimes. She may answer some "easy" questions wrong, and "difficult" ones correctly. This would cause the computer to go to the full amount of questions because it would have a difficult time determining her level. If this is the case, is there a review that has questions written in the same manner as the test? Is there any good anti-anxiety techniques to practice? She says that the NCLEX is very different than the questions she has reviewed.

It is very frustrating because she has had a good job offer on the table, but cannot pass the test. They absolutely love her where she works and really want her as an LPN.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Has she studied using the Saunders Comprehensive Review? It is authored by Linda Silvestri.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

maybe she needs to gain more confidence in English (you mention problems with obscure words) Suzanne's program (all information can be found in the sticky titled New revised first tip) and helps both RN and PN. May also be worth looking at ways to help with anxiety which could involve things at home like pretend exam conditions at home whilst practicing

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Has she studied using the Saunders Comprehensive Review? It is authored by Linda Silvestri.

Yes. I believe she read every chapter, then answered all the questions, and reviewed the ones she got wrong. There was also a CD with many, many questions that I believe came with that book. She answered most of them. I know she didn't completely finish the pharmacology section though as that had 500+ questions. I know she has some other books too. I am not sure how much she used them. I can check with her as to exactly what her study habits were. In any event, she dedicated many hours to studying both times she took it.

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Yes. I believe she read every chapter, then answered all the questions, and reviewed the ones she got wrong. There was also a CD with many, many questions that I believe came with that book. She answered most of them. I know she didn't completely finish the pharmacology section though as that had 500+ questions. I know she has some other books too. I am not sure how much she used them. I can check with her as to exactly what her study habits were. In any event, she dedicated many hours to studying both times she took it.

Tell her to go to www.healthcareerconcepts.com Ckick on the study zone and request her free study guide! Tey have study guide especially for people who have failed the NCLEX.

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Specializes in My first yr. as a LVN!.

Read the new 08 file on the NCLEX, it really helps... and maybe she needs to sign up for a review course ... try the city and state youre in and type into google NCLEX prep course ... she needs one on one to make her more confident... testing anxiety is often times linked to not feeling 100% secure enough... once she 100% knows what to expect 90% of that anxiety will be eliminated. There will always be that little 10% anxiety lingering around because of course .. this predicts her future... try this file and you and her both read and check out a review class... good luck...

http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex/bulletin_08.pdf

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I am feeling the same way too, i talked to different people regarding the the only way to pass is to study how to answer the questions in the higher level. i just got my result and most i found out that i failed with almost near passing to each category and even i felt so crappy about it. i am still in for my next round for nclex...

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Nobody should give up. As long as one keeps trying, they are still in the game.

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JOJO I can understand perfectly your girlfriends feelings... I'm on the same way!! I'm a Spanish speaker and I fail the Nclex PN!! Is not easy when your first language is not english! Like her I'm a over qualified LPN nurse, but I didn't pass because I don"t understand all the questions... Sometimes an ONLY word makes me feel insecure about the answer... I study a lot!! like 1,000 questions in the NCLEX-PN cram book, but the exame is not the same english level! I'm upset too... I go to try again (my second time) so let's see... GOOD LUCK FOR UR GIRL AND FOR ME!! WE CAN DO IT!!!!!

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Has she studied using the Saunders Comprehensive Review? It is authored by Linda Silvestri.

Hi Commuter! That what you saying is a book specialy for study for NCLEX-PN or a web site? I study the Vue Pearson NCLEX-PN cram. Is that good too?

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