EXAM is SOON! Advice APPRECIATED!!

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Hey everyone,

Just want to say how encouraging it is to read how many of you guys are passing the nclex on the first shot. I am scheduled to sit for my exam in 10 days, and I feel this overwhelming sense of helplessness coming on. I have been studying for about 4 weeks -- although, I have to say it probably took me almost an entire week just to figure out what the best way to study even was. I overloaded myself with preparation materials (as most of us do) and got real obsessed real quick over which practice questions are as similar to the NCLEX as possible because I have noticed that the levels of difficulty in different review books are quite noticeable.

My materials are:

Saunders Comprehensive review 6th edition. --> This review is very detailed, and most helpful when i want to clarify a topic. You simply just can't read this book cover to cover, but its a great go to reference. Their online questions though I find almost too easy....and not sure if I should just end my time with those questions because I feel they aren't challenging enough.

Exam Cram 3rd edition. --> I love this book. It is not as detailed as Saunders but good for a quick, no headache version of a subject for a fresh reminder. This book comes with a cd of questions which are moderately easy, again...should I keep at it?

NCSBN --> might be the holy grail of NCLEX review. I had high hopes for this program because of their affiliation with the actual exam. They have so much content, and their practice banks are really helpful. I battle between spending my remaining days reviewing content or just going through their banks because I will not have enough time to complete all the modules...

Kaplan Qbank --> whoa. Talk about scary. I can only hope the NCLEX eases up a bit and is not like some of these Q bank questions because that would devastate me.

Anyway, I guess what I am struggling with the most right now is should I spend these last 10 days on content still, or just bombard myself with questions everyday. What has been a good strategy for you guys??

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I had a similar experience the week and half before I was supposed to sit for my exam! I started freaking myself out due to the low scores I was getting on Kaplan so I understand what you're going through. My advice would be to just do questions and review rationales from here on out and spend some time focusing on stuff like EKGs and popular hot spot/image type questions. If you can review as many SATAs as possible, do so because unfortunately you'll get thrown a fair amount of those. I had so many SATA questions that when my exam shut off at 76 questions I was slightly sure that I'd failed until I got home and got the good pop up haha.

Taking the NCLEX-RN felt like working on Kaplan's QBank so my advice would be to stick to Kaplan.

I know it's probably not the greatest advice but seriously, don't spend too much time covering pharm. The meds I was thrown weren't even in recognizable drug classes so I was guessing blindly and I still passed. I have every confidence that you will pass as well!

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So good to hear you passed!! Thank you, fingers crossed for a productive last week of studying ...

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Can u please give me example of hot spot and image questions...

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Hi Aimee, you have all the materials above that you need to pass. At this point, you should read no more content, just do questions/read rationales. Review EKG strips/know treatments for them. Review some infection control data. Stay calm & relax and go into this exam from a critical thinking and safety perspective.

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It looks like you are going to PASS. You studied content and are doing questions.

Do not worry about low scores on Kaplan...what matters is you do all the question trainers and Qbank questions and understand all their rationales.

Make sure you know content very well.. and do tons and tons of questions... you will pass.

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what is good website or book for ekg's and their tx? thank you for your help!!!

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paradios2014 You should look for EKG interpretation book.

I passed NCLEX two days ago. To prepare for NCLEX, I did not know EKG very well so I read a book called rapid EKG interpretations.

It helped me.

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help please

CAN SOMEONE TELL ME IF NCSBN NCLEX PN REVIEW IS VERY GOOD,DO you find those questions on the test

NCSBN --> NCLEX review. I had high hopes for this program because of their affiliation with the actual exam. their practice banks are really helpful.

Because I only focus on this one.

I have pass my nclex soon

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