devastated.

laurenlovesdogs · Jul 15, 2008

I am 100% positive that I failed.. no I havent officially found out yet though... but I know. I had a migraine throughout the exam and my heart was racing the entire time. I only had one math question and it was like an I & O question. Tons of pharm and select all that apply questions.. Didnt recognize hardly any of the meds and definitely felt like a only knew a handful of questions, if that. Preparing for the worst. I know everyone says they failed, but I really am sure that I did..I'd bet money on it if I didnt have to save it to retake it again. If it shuts off at 75 you either did really good or really bad, and where I didnt know most of the stuff (of course it was alll stuff I didnt focus on in my study). I find out on thursday..so I will let you know, thanks for all the support and advice. I am just in despair right now.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 16, 2008

I failed the NCLEX-PN exam.. the thing is.. I wasnt even close. The computer shut off after the minimum number of questions. I did so well in nursing school, all A's and B's and on all the practice tests.. But I didnt recognize any of the drugs and there were a ton of pharm questions. Where do I go from here? It sounds dumb but I just feel like giving up.. I wanted to be a nurse more than anything. I really thought I'd pass so I sort of waited til the last minute to study and crammed some.. But I knew all my lab values and read a Kaplan book on NCLEX format.. I never did well when I overstudied in school...I am so devastated, dissapointed to tell my family, my husband, co-workers, my new job, my friends.. I let them all down and myself. And my instructors. I cant take it again for 90 days and at this point I am so discouraged I cant imagine going through this again. Its supposed to be minimum competency.. I did well in my clinicals and my studies.. how did I fail so miserably? Any wordsof encouragement out there? I've been crying non stop and I just feel like laying in bed and never getting up again. I worked SO hard this year. I have a new job I'll be starting and now I will have to work as an MA 40 hours a week for the next 3 months and try to figure out a way to study better for NCLEX. I NEED HELP!!! I'm so sad.

I am 100% positive that I failed.. no I havent officially found out yet though... but I know. I had a migraine throughout the exam and my heart was racing the entire time. I only had one math question and it was like an I & O question. Tons of pharm and select all that apply questions.. Didnt recognize hardly any of the meds and definitely felt like a only knew a handful of questions, if that. Preparing for the worst. I know everyone says they failed, but I really am sure that I did..I'd bet money on it if I didnt have to save it to retake it again. If it shuts off at 75 you either did really good or really bad, and where I didnt know most of the stuff (of course it was alll stuff I didnt focus on in my study). I find out on thursday..so I will let you know, thanks for all the support and advice. I am just in despair right now.

Have you ever heard of the saying "Do not count your chickens before they hatch"? Well, that is what you are doing here at the moment. I am not trying to sound harsh at all. However, you will NOT know for sure until you get the results, and MANY, including myself did better than what they thought they did. Most people walk away saying "What was THAT??". NCLEX is usually nothing like school exams or practice questions...they seem to have a world all of their own. I can see you thinking you failed, but announcing to your family, instructors and friends without proof is torturing yourself, and possibly for nothing.

There is no guarentee that anyone will pass the first time. The percentage is high for most to pass the initial time, and for now, try to keep that in your mind. My experience, for example, was that I knew most of the medications, but many questions were literally insane to me...things I never saw. Seven or eight 'pick all that apply' in a row. And, when it shut down at 85 (NCLEX-PN minimum questions), I thought the computer was broken! I remember walking out in the rain, smoking three cigarettes back to back and then, to this day, I do not know how I traveled home...was it the train and bus, or a cab? I just remembered turning my key in the door and running upstairs to cry on my poor, bewildered husband. And, I cried the entire weekend. I didn't tell anyone that I took it, though.

I remember going back to work that Monday (I worked as an aide) and just resigning myself to be one the rest of my life, and I was too afraid to even call for the results, only to discover that I did pass that same night. Then, I felt silly and didn't even believe that I passed because I was told that people who take NCLEX on Saturdays have to wait three business days before receiving their results and that was to be on Wednesday. I called Pearson the next day and asked them if my ATT number belonged to someone else until my turn was to come on Wednesday. The man laughed at me and said that no two people have identical ATT numbers and it was, in fact, mine. I still called on Wednesday morning to see again, and it still said I passed. Then, and only then did I start telling people. I had my license in the mail exactly a week after passing the test.

It was a nerve racking three days, something I never want to repeat. But I did it, and it is possible that you did it, too! For me, that test was so insane that I started reading the answers and looking at the silliest one saying "It MUST be YOU, because this is too stupid to do in real life...this is what they MUST want to hear". After it was all over and I looked at how I chose some of the answers, I said to myself "If this is minimal competency, then, God help them, because I didn't know a freaking thing!". I pray that you passed, and best of luck to you. :up: :redbeathe

suzanne4, RN · Jul 16, 2008

You actually do not want to see math questions on the exam, so that is better for you.

All that write the exam get 50% correct and 50% incorrect.

Please just wait until you get your results, most that come out of the exam feel exactly as you do.

Best of luck to you while you are waiting and please let us know when you get your results.

I know the waiting is a killer but there is no way that anyone can second guess how they actually did on the exam. 85% in fact do pass the first time testing.

emilysmom,RN · Jul 16, 2008

Lauren

I took the NCLEXRN today, I know I failed it. I got all the questions and did get some math. I think about 3. I just know I failed it. I even paid and did Kaplan online and I have been doing 100 questions from Kaplan and saunders ever since graduation. I am not sure if the hospital I was accepted at will hold my spot, so that will be really bad if they don't.

I know exactly how you feel, the only hope I have is that another classmate who has the same grades in school as I did got the 265 questions and passed. I already contacted Kaplan for my refund and contacted my friends from school and my family. But there is a GLIMMER of hope until we know for sure.

GOOD LUCK

suzanne4, RN · Jul 16, 2008

All of you need to wait until you get your results, it is impossible to second guess what they will be.

Best of luck to the two of you.

Remember that 85% pass the first time.

PennyNickelDime_RN · Jul 16, 2008

I totally understand how you are feeling at this point but please just wait for your official results and try not to assume the worst...I know easier said than done. I took the Nclex-RN last week and I failed at 75Q. For me it is devastating. Not only do I feel humiliated because all my classmates that did early graduation passed at 75 and so far students that took it have all passed. So...that leaves me. I can't help but internalize the negative feelings. I did everything I was supposed to do as far as studying. School required we take Kaplan classroom and I did all the online portions Q-trainers and Q-bank averaging in the 60's. I don't know where I went wrong. I do have to say that I had the most strange test I have ever read about on here. It started out odd and remained that way. I did not get one SATA even tho I did get priority, delagation and a couple of infection control. I think what did me in was that I got 5 math calculations (not my strong suit). I'm pretty sure I may have gotten two out of those five right, but still can't believe that getting those math questions would determine a failing grade. Also, I keep thinking that in fact I only had 60 questions because 15 of them don't count that makes me feel all the more stupid. I hate this feeling. I have already reapplied to take the exam but my State is so slow and I have not received my new ATT yet from Pearson. I have also started studying again after taking off about a week. I have started using Saunders exclusively in an attempt to complete Step 1 of Suzanne's plan. So far so good.

I am fortunate that my new nurse manager suggested that I take a peronal leave instead of quitting my job. I am not CNA certified so I could not even work at a NA. I know I am fortunate that I can take this time off without pay although it will be difficult. I just feel so demoralized and like such a failure. I am almost paralyzed by the fear of failing the second time. If anyone has suggestions as to how to approach studying the second time around and how to bring about positive thoughts instead of feelings of inadequacy, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Good luck to all of you who have tested or are testing soon. Keep a positive attitude and don't assume you failed until you have results. Everyone walks out of the test feeling they failed and if they tell you different they are liars :)

Mimi2322 · Jul 18, 2008

You are not alone in this remember that. There are so many other who have not passed their first time. It doesn't make you a failure so don't even put that in your mind. It takes some time before you can let it soak in and then pick yourself back up. I know I didn't pass my first time either. I was a straight A student and passed all my practice tests. But I know that this is not the end and that I just need to keep plugging away until I get it. Just remember your not alone and that you CAN and WILL become an RN. Chin up my friend.

justme1972 · Aug 9, 2008

Lauren
I took the NCLEXRN today, I know I failed it. I got all the questions and did get some math. I think about 3. I just know I failed it. I even paid and did Kaplan online and I have been doing 100 questions from Kaplan and saunders ever since graduation. I am not sure if the hospital I was accepted at will hold my spot, so that will be really bad if they don't.
I know exactly how you feel, the only hope I have is that another classmate who has the same grades in school as I did got the 265 questions and passed. I already contacted Kaplan for my refund and contacted my friends from school and my family. But there is a GLIMMER of hope until we know for sure.
GOOD LUCK

Lauren, I really wished you would give us an update.

Here is another great example of someone who thinks they failed, and didn't.

I have yet to see someone post on the NCLEX discussion board, "Took my test today and I just know I NAILED that sucker!!"