Excelsior Advice- Lifespan 3

Nursing Students Excelsior

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Hi Everyone! This is my first time posting, but I've been reading posts on here for years.

I am a Psych Tech in CA, which has the same scope of practice as an LPN. My husband and I met in Psych Tech school, and have continued our journey to our RN Licenses through Excelsior since 2009. Now, we are almost done!

We have passed nursing exams 1-6, and Transition to the Nursing Role, and finised all general ed except for Microbiology. (Took Information Literacy at Penn Foster, and Anatomy and Biology at StraighterLine.com) We have even taken our CPNE Workshop, and are ready to finish the FCCA and take the CPNE.

But, now, we are stuck! Health Differences across the Lifespan 3 has been the worst. I have failed it twice, and my husband has failed it once. We passed all other exams easily, and are doing the same things to study for this one.

If anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it! Currently we use StudyGroup101, FlashcardExchange, and the textbook recommended by the school. We also have used the practice exams, but maybe not as much as we should have.

Thanks!

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I haven't taken it yet but here is what I tell everyone. Go to your nearest Bookstore with a nursing section. Buy a cup of coffee and work NCLEX questions on your topic. Redundancy is a big key in learning.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I failed this one once and recently passed it 2 weeks ago with a B. I memorized the practice exams.....seriously, every question and answer! I studied those exams religiously for each exam. I also used my Saunders (yellow one). You also should read the rationales, because they will also help you on the exam.

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Specializes in LTC.

Thanks for your advise for LS3 since i'm now studying for it. i have the pratice exams plus i read the med-surg text and took notes from the content guide, along with flascardexchange and Saunders NCLEX. I am also doing NCLEx questions from other books. The question i have for you Nervous1 are these enough to passon the 1st attempt?

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Specializes in Cardiac.

If you understand the practice exams along with the rationales and used the Saunders, I think you have a great shot. When taking the exam, one your first round thru, read the questions and the ones you are 100% sure on......like they look so familiar you know the rest of the question without really reading it completely, answer those first and leave the ones you are a little uneasy about. I did this and on my last exam, had 60 unanswered out of 130, that's over half so I was pretty sure I was in good shape based on that. But, read every question, slowly and more than once.

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Just curious, since you say you started in 2009, past the 2003 enrollment deadline, do you intend on getting your RN licenses in a different state?

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Specializes in ICU.

I also am studying for this exam (LS3). I have used the practice tests, and borrowed TCN module from a friend. I'm hoping that I pass this test. From what I hear, it can be a challenging exam. Good luck to all of us who need to conquer this one and move on to "The Beast" lol. I test on tuesday, so I will tell all you my impression after that...

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Hi caliotter3,

My husband and I enrolled when CA was still accepting endorsements on a case-by-case basis. Now that they have changed their policy, we plan to obtain our license in Oregon, practice there and maybe eventually Washington state. It wasn't our original plan, but after getting over the frustration of the policy change, we are actually excited about starting a life in one of the other states.

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Thank you for your advice! I don't have the Saunders book, but I am buying it right now.

Thanks again for your help!

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

I failed LS3 twice before too, what i used the final time and passed with a B was this:

TCN practice exams & answers and module

Chancellors Study guide for NC6 (equivalent to LS3) and audio *this helped the most for me!)

and DSLI LS3 study guide i had bought off ebay (almost identical to the Chancellor's one)

EC practice exams questions/answers and rationales

Spent 30 days straight reading those cover to cover, doing practice exams and re-reading rationales...third time was a charm and a B! =) good luck!

ps if i can figure out how to download my audio off my SD card i will send it to you!

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Specializes in homecare, rehab,sub acute.

I'm taking LS3 Monday 3/19 my last exam before I register for FCCA and CPNE. For all of my exams I have used Studygroup 101 and Vangonotes and I highly recommend them both. Studygroup 101 gave me so much info with many review, rationales, and practice exams it is well worth it the $ . I listen to Vangonotes will I sleep and drive to really absorb the info. Good luck to you and your husband

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Yeah, I know the value of vango notes when sleeping, it must have worked cause I got a B on Micro with it.

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