DESPERATE for help & advice!

soonnursetobe · Aug 8, 2014

Hi hbanga sorry to hear that. I wanted to ask you why do say you should not have restarted Kaplan again. How many times did you do the Kaplan course? Did you do all the qbanks, sample tests, watch videos and read the content book? I took Kaplan course and failed the first time.I actually ran out of time on question 224. When I got my CPR I got "near passing" in all categories. From my understanding, in this case the problem is not lack of content but strategies to answer the questions. I know for sure that anxiety got the most out of me during the exam and that contributed to the bad results. Anyways, I called the nclex experts from Kaplan and they suggested to stick with Kaplan so that is what I am doing right now. Also all my friends have passed the exam studying from Kaplan only.I am studying every day and I feel I am going to pass this time.

May I ask how many questions did you get in each exam? what does your CPR tells you? These are things that you need to consider in order to prepare for the exam.

plastic100% · Aug 8, 2014

I will keep preaching DAVIS Q&A CD READ THIS DO THE QUESTIONS YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

soonnursetobe · Aug 8, 2014

Hi plastic100% have you taken the test yet or you are just preparing for the first time with this material?

valx92 · Aug 8, 2014

I found that I obtained strategy tools better by doing Hurst review than by doing Kaplan, but I found Kaplan's questions closer to the NCLEX questions. If you get the Hurst online course you get access to all different videos that are broken down by topic. I'd watch a video from Hurst then I'd go over to my online Kaplan review and do the focused review questions on that topic. I did that for all of the topic videos then after I was done reviewing all of those, I started Kaplan's question trainers and touched up on things I thought I needed help with after each. I did a bunch of Kaplan's q bank questions throughout as well and I passed the NCLEX on the first try! I found it helpful to have two different strategy tools rather than just sticking to one because they both had different advantages!!

Also sounds like you had a lot going on right around the time you took each test! Make sure you're giving yourself plenty of time to study before you take it! Good luck!

plastic100% · Aug 8, 2014

Hi soonnursetobe, this will be actually my second time taking my RN i took my first in Feb, i have had alot of personal issues and plus i have to work. My former classmate gave me davis cd so i can download it in my computer. This cd is good it has SATA on each category you choose , you can also customize your test thats another thing i like about davis. I am following the NCLEX test plan to study, i am almost through with all the questions. What i do is do questions then once i am done write my rationale whether right or wrong. Then study the rationale on my free time.The mistake i did is i took the test too soon and did not really study for it. Davis has harder questions this will prepare you, i feel more prepared compared to the first time.

kfostercma · Aug 8, 2014

That is really bad luck. I am deeply sorry to hear that.

I only used Kaplan for study prep, and that was because the cost was included in my tuition. I am not a model student, and I passed the NCLEX at 240 questions which tells me I was probably "skirting the line" and in danger of failing at any moment. But if it helps you, here is what I did:

I did all of the trainer tests. I remidiated all of the trainer tests. I spread them out between a period of six weeks, and I did trainer #7 a full week before I sat for the NCLEX.

I did new Qbank questions in in one content area and in groups of 20, several times per day. I remidiated the tests right away, and periodically (say, once or twice per week) I would have Qbank design an INCORRECT ONLY test, and I would select all test content. THis gave me a gauge on whether the remidiation was sticking with my memory. I worked in such a fashion that I had no new content questions left by the time I took the NCLEX.

There is an alternative format question quiz, I can't remember where on the website (I think it is called practice test #4 or something) that has all SATA, ordered questions, and hotspot questions. Do that one a couple of weeks before you sit for the exam, remidiate it, then take it again a week before the exam. See how much you retain.

On test day:

Plan on sitting for the full six hours. This piece of advice is straight from Kaplan, it is good advice.

Don't worry about how many questions you are answering. There is a rumor that sometimes Pearson Vue will randomly select some students to take all 265 questions even if they have already passed. It probably isn't true, but I have just planted the seed of doubt! Mwahahahaha! Seriously though, passing is passing, don't worry about how many questions it takes to get you there.

Understand that you have taken the test before, so you know what to expect. That is a huge advantage, use it!

If you feel like you have gotten to the point that you just want the questions to be over...stop answering them. Take a little break. You don't necessarily have to get up and ask the proctor to let you take a break, just quietly meditate or something. It really helps you regain your focus.

When you are prompted to take a break after two hours, take the break! Even if it is just to wander the halls. Get up, stretch. Take your mind off of the exam for a moment--or tell yourself "hey, I've got this. I've studied my (insert body part here) off for this..it's mine!" You'd be surprised at how much positive self talk might boost your odds of success.

I wish you good fortune, and a great career!

kfostercma · Aug 8, 2014

Also, I second what Valx92 says about Hurst. I did not use the program myself, however a coworker of mine did. He passed the test in 75 questions, as did many of his classmates who also used Hurst. I agree fully with Valx92 that Hurst has better content review, but Kaplan has questions that are very similar to what you will see on NCLEX. If I hadn't passed on my first try, I would most certainly have dropped the $300 I think it is for the program.

Plus they have Southern accents, which are pleasing to my ears :)

One more thing about timing: I think Billy Shakespeare put it best:

Brutus:

There is a tide in the affairs of men.

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

On such a full sea are we now afloat,

And we must take the current when it serves,

Or lose our ventures.

Julius Caesar Act 4, scene 3, 218–224

Essentially, what The Bard is saying is that you should try to work yourself to a peak performance level, THEN take the test. It would do you no good to study really hard, and wait a month--just as it would be devastating to sit for the exam before you feel ready.

Don2014 · Aug 9, 2014

My advice: Remember that NCLEX is more about how to pass a test than nursing skills. I had to learn a completely different set of skills (in addition to nursing) in order to study and pass NCLEX. This is where Kaplan excels. I was not the candidate who had the computer shut off at 75 questions. Instead, it shut off after 175! It found my weak spot and drilled away for over 3 hours and every other question was SATA! Which is a skill we never learned in college. Actually it was the opposite. In classes, we had time limits on questions and had only seconds to think about the answer. If this was your experience, it may be difficult, but - SLOW DOWN. Use the whole time that the Kaplan clock gives, and try not to race it. Shoot for 65% on the Qbank.

There is on this site a great "check list" of topics. I recommend it highly. I felt beat up, literally, after 3+ hours of NCLEX and passed. It's more of a mental challenge than a question of your nursing abilities. But you CAN do it!!

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2014

The only mistake I'm seeing for the OP is too many major life events occurring during test time. Let things settle first of all before trying again. Any major life stuff put it on hold. Refocus before trying again.

hbanga · Aug 10, 2014

I got 75 questions each time! And my CPR is a mix of near passing and below passing! I dont know what to do!

hbanga · Aug 10, 2014

is it similar to nclex questions?