Failed, advise?

RGN1 · Aug 4, 2006

I'm so sorry for you and I'm surprised Kaplan did not work for you. You should try Suzanne4's program & work through that. Although it is a 6 week program you may be able to work it for you - try talking to her.

Did you do the Kaplan 5 day live course where you just go through question after question with rationales?

Maybe you rushed or took too long to think over your answers? sometimes you can talk yourself out of the right answer.

As for meds learn them in their groups rather than individually - know what

the main side effects are for each group rather than for each med.

If you were scoring well in Kaplan you must have the knowledge but maybe lacking in how to make that knowledge work for you.

I really hope you pass next time - plenty fail & go on to pass - just read the threads to find that out.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Aug 4, 2006

Great advice from RGN1, especially about studying your meds by class and not individually. While there are hundreds of meds, there are only a few medication classes.

onegirl2ny2 · Aug 4, 2006

Thanks, about Kaplan sometimes it does not apply at all like for the meds I know it cannot help much, but I would do each step and in the end I still would think it could be all answers or at least 2. Sometimes pateints all were infants with something respiratory and I thought how can I pick. I do not know how much I can say about the nclex but I had diseases I never heard of so I just don't know even how much I can study or what because I really studied. The meds I studied by their class and made flash cards with the class, drug names major side effects and if there is a major nursing action like drug levels, or check blood pressure. But I had some about taking with food or not and I could not remember! It just is strange I had at least 8 and my friend said she had 0. I cannot even think what to do I just cry, it is not a shock i did not pass because i felt it and while i sat there i was feeling i only knew like 5 for sure. That is bad and kaplan i was doing good I thought. confused.........

onegirl2ny2 · Aug 4, 2006

Sorry I forgot, my kaplan was 8 days including the diagnostic test day, readiness test day, and then going through both of those. The diagnostic test I was at the pass level and for the readiness test I was a few dots above it, which is not good but after that I then reviewed for 2 more weeks and then was doing all question trainers.

nimmo · Aug 4, 2006

Hi,tookmy exam and i failed. I did a review course and used the kaplan 2007 edition to help me in my thinking skills when taking the nclex. I think it did help me but i was too nervous while taking the exam so i guess that contributed to it too. I have scheduled for another exam in sept. 10th and am trying to look forward. Dont give up. It will just take a little bit longer to get what you wanted but i believe you can do it. I am kind of confused too on what review is best while it comes to prioritization and infection questions. Any help will be highly appreciated by all of us who dont want to fail again.

RGN1 · Aug 4, 2006

Thanks, about Kaplan sometimes it does not apply at all like for the meds I know it cannot help much, but I would do each step and in the end I still would think it could be all answers or at least 2. Sometimes pateints all were infants with something respiratory and I thought how can I pick. I do not know how much I can say about the nclex but I had diseases I never heard of so I just don't know even how much I can study or what because I really studied. The meds I studied by their class and made flash cards with the class, drug names major side effects and if there is a major nursing action like drug levels, or check blood pressure. But I had some about taking with food or not and I could not remember! It just is strange I had at least 8 and my friend said she had 0. I cannot even think what to do I just cry, it is not a shock i did not pass because i felt it and while i sat there i was feeling i only knew like 5 for sure. That is bad and kaplan i was doing good I thought. confused.........

Sometimes you have to say things to yourself like "if I could only do one thing & walk away what would that be" to help decide what to do.

Even studying the drugs in classes you can work out about taking meds. Basically nearly all drugs are taken on an empty stomach in ideal circiumstances so just learn the very few aren't - if the drug you're being asked about ISN'T one of the few then pick the answer that shows no food. Some classes cause drowsiness so are taken usually at night - some cause insomnia so are taken by day etc. Also do a good old fashioned "odd man out" - if two or more answers basically say the same thing then those won't be the correct one e.g. if one answer says 1 hour before lunch & another says, 2 hours after & another says on an empty stomach - well you can bet you bottom dollar the correct answer will be the only answer you have left!

In other cases remember Maslow & your ABCS. I actually wrote them out on my wipe sheet before I even began. They will help guide you to the right answer in most cases. A word of caution - don't ALWAYS get bogged down in airway it's sometimes a distractor, make sure you read the answers carefully.

On the phone questions picture yourself making that call - who would you truly want to call first -who is really the most unstable patient who needs your help? The guys on the CCTV at my test centre must have had a good laugh watching me pretend to put the phone to my ear, mimic using a walking aid & yes - doing percussion on myself just to make sure what sound it made!!! :lol2: Not to mention all but getting down on my knees to pray at times!

Above all learn a relaxation technique that works for you because you DO know your stuff you just need to apply it.

NJNursing, ASN, RN · Aug 4, 2006

Sorry to hear about your NCLEX experience. At least you now know what it's like and somewhat what to expect. I pulled a lot from my clinical experiences the help me through. I also took the Kaplan course and I didn't put a lot of faith into their decision tree. I tried to use their "if I could do one thing...." but it seldom really worked out for me. I did use their "ivory tower nursing" theory to help me. I, like you, also got a lot of questions where it came down to 2 people and I had to just scrutinize them really carefully. There would be one *smidgen* of a thing worse with one over the other and not always the obvious ABC's.

I had made charts of my weak points: ABG's, renal, endocrine, lab values. Of course there was like ONE question on all of that stuff which made me glad I had gone through virtually the WHOLE Saunders Comprehensive Review book in the 2 weeks leading up to the NCLEX.

Meds were also my weak point (like you with food and non-food). I posted this handy little med worksheet a couple weeks ago. You can find it here:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f197/those-who-need-med-help-170163.html

Take the time to be upset and then get back on the bike and pedal on when you're ready.

((((((HUGS)))))

tinta06 · Aug 12, 2006

I took the nclex and did not pass and I was wondering if anyone had any advise. It creates so many problems since I already had a job now I lose it, or as they put it can now work as an aide, but also it makes me miss the new grad program. So how does this work now I'll have to wait until the next new grad programs starts which is around February/March time? But now aren't they going to be biased against me knowing I failed.
I am confused since I did well in nursing school, always A or high B, I took the Kaplan course read the book they provide, watched the content videoes, and then did the question trainers. Iwould receive high 60s low 70s, which seemed bad but others I know claim they were still getting low 60s. Kaplan claims if you are getting 65s you are ready.
My topics were mostly psych and medications, but others I know say they did not even have one medication, I had at least 8 I can rename. And diseases I never heard of in nursing school or life.
Kaplan confused me because I could not make their "decision tree" work for most questions and it did not help. All people I know who have taken it now say Kaplan was not good because none of them used the tree it does not apply or could not work it right. So what should I use now, there are so many books by different people, and I know-I know nursing content I did well in school?
On the test If I saw symtpoms or a disease I was able to think it through what it is, the symtpoms, some causes or treatments, but the answers were either I thought they all sucked or all could be possible, or at least 2 were.
Also meds there are 100s how can you possibly know which go with food or not or what time of day to take them? I had a couple about teaching how to take and when, but not easy ones like MAOs.
Sorry so long any help? What should I do now I know study but for the approximately 2 months of waiting since what i did didn't work? I cannot stop crying to even think, I am in northern california also so I think I wait 45 days now once I reapply.

How about trying Saunders NCLEX review, especially CD. Good luck.

Nursing28 · Aug 12, 2006

sorry to hear. I had also failed with 265 questions. Kaplan...hmmmm....it didn't really helped me as well. I didn't really apply the decision tree. Every test is different. Some of my classmate got similar questions on the exam as Kaplan. 3000 questions that they have sucks. Every test is different. I think if you are lucky then you will have similar to Kaplan. Anyhow. they sent me a report on the areas that I was tested. Everything was "near the oassing standard" except for the peds. That I was below the passing standard. Okay so I am using that and studying harder. Good luck

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 13, 2006

sorry to hear. I had also failed with 265 questions. Kaplan...hmmmm....it didn't really helped me as well. I didn't really apply the decision tree. Every test is different. Some of my classmate got similar questions on the exam as Kaplan. 3000 questions that they have sucks. Every test is different. I think if you are lucky then you will have similar to Kaplan. Anyhow. they sent me a report on the areas that I was tested. Everything was "near the oassing standard" except for the peds. That I was below the passing standard. Okay so I am using that and studying harder. Good luck

Nursing28...you posted a PLEASE HELP!! message on another thread, so I answered you there :) Hopefully it will help.

marie229 · Aug 14, 2006

For narrowing betwenn 2 good answeres and instructor once told me. If the one you picked was the only thing you did, what would happen? Like for example here's an easy one. If a pt began experiencing a transfusion reaction you should

a. stop the transfusion

b. call the doc

c. slow the transfusion

So if you only called the doc what would happen?

If you only stopped the transfusion what would happen?