Do experienced nurses often pass on first try?

Silverdragon102, BSN · Aug 30, 2009

It can vary I was experienced and failed twice before passing and know others that passed first time. My problem was looking too much into the question and thinking as a experienced nurse where as the NCLEX is designed for a new grad.

Technicalglitch · Aug 30, 2009

I'm worried about the over-thinking thing. I also find, that while I have a relatively in-depth knowledge of some things, my brain has pruned back a lot of the stuff that I don't use that often, and the NCLEX is totally an overview, but a nit-picky sort of overview. Sort of like a little bit of everything, but very specific to tiny details, which is very hard if you don't work in that area, or have been out of school a long time. I'm even finding that some areas that I DO know are tripping me up- like child development, or lifespan type things, in terms of getting the exact terminology or age range correct.

I have a pretty good range of experience, but coming from Canada, our lab values and drug names are different, and I worry about being tripped up by that.

joycee8 · Aug 30, 2009

all of them said "answer the nclex thru the book not by experience", yeah silverdragon is right because new grad are using new books.....

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2009

The questions will not be the same as in the books. They won't even be similar, and you are expected to miss about half.

If you are a good test-taker you will be fine. Go with your gut and don't second-guess your answer. Stick with ABC's and Maslow. If you don't recognize the drug figure it out from the prefix or suffix and condition.

And relax.

:)

Technicalglitch · Aug 30, 2009

SuesquatchRN (or anyone else who has info), do you think the NCLEX review books are a good way to prepare for experienced nurses? I'm relieved to hear the questions won't be like in the books. I've got the Princeton Review book, it's not too bad, but then I've never written the test, either! I seem to get around 65% on the Princeton questions, with the exception of the GU section, but I worked in dialysis so that helped me there.

I've read about how the computerized testing works, it sounds interesting, and sounds like a reasonable way to assess competence, depending on how precision-finicky the questions are!

Is Kaplan a better book? I hear that one mentioned here and there as being "the" book.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Aug 30, 2009

I tried several books during my time sitting the exam and found Saunders comprehensive after my second and much preferred it to others. I also used NCSBN learningext

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2009

SuesquatchRN (or anyone else who has info), do you think the NCLEX review books are a good way to prepare for experienced nurses? I'm relieved to hear the questions won't be like in the books. I've got the Princeton Review book, it's not too bad, but then I've never written the test, either! I seem to get around 65% on the Princeton questions, with the exception of the GU section, but I worked in dialysis so that helped me there.
I've read about how the computerized testing works, it sounds interesting, and sounds like a reasonable way to assess competence, depending on how precision-finicky the questions are!
Is Kaplan a better book? I hear that one mentioned here and there as being "the" book.

I used Saunders Comp, as Silverdragon said. I just did questions over and over and over again. I would take a day or two off here and there and my scores would jump. I stopped studying when I was in the high 80s-low 90s consistently. I've was told here that 80s mean you're ready.

:)