Failed NCLEX for the fourth time. HELP!!!!

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I failed the NCLEX for the fourth time. I had my dream job lined up and ready to go. I am lost to how to go about it for the fifth time. I have taken Kaplan and Hurst. I am redoing the Hurst review in May and then testing again at the end of May. I would really appreciate any advice and prayers. This has been financially straining to my family. I must pass this time. Thank you in advance!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Make sure that your state's BON will allow a 5th attempt.

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Yes they do. I would not have posted asking for help if they did not. I asked for positive advice. Thanks

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I failed the first time also. Passed this week in 75 questions.first time I took the exam, my test anxiety kicked in and I believe that had a lot to do with how poorly I did. I took 265 questions and still failed. I knew the material and took Kaplan and I don't think it helped with my confidence.

I started studying immediately after I didn't pass. Here is what I used:

NCSBN LEARNING EXTENSION - these Re the people that right the test.I signed up for the 8 week program and followed their curriculum recommendations for the 8 week program.Did as many questions as I could, I li,ed it because they really do work the questions like the test.

Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX-RN review. -Read the chapters that went with the NCSBN program. The two together made a great tool and I used them to write my own notes.

Saunders 2016-2017 Strategies for Test Success, 4th Edition - This to me was one of the best books. I liked Kaplan's decision tree, but this made it clearer and easier for me to select the best answers. The practice questions and rational were awesome!!!

Lastly, I you tubed many of the electrolytes and concepts that I had a hard time mastering.

I went back to exactly how I studied in Nursing School. EVERYDAY I worked on something, and I do best creating my own notes and repitition. The most important thing is believing you can do it. For me,the work I put in gave me the cinfidence. Everytime I started to get nervous during the test,I code my eyes, took 3 deep breaths and treated it as I had just started the test. Don't look at the time or the number be of questions. Just breathe and treat each question as if it is the only question you have to answer. ANXIETY will get the best of you. You got through nursing school so you can pass this!!!!

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To be honest, I think a lot of it is nerves and anxiety. I obviously have no idea how you studied, BUT I found positive affirmations really helped me in the week or so leading up to my test. Today I swear that I probably would not have passed if my friend didn't make me recite positive affirmations to myself morning, day, and night. I am a little superstitious so I waited until a day or two before my test before I wrote out my name with RN at the end. I forced myself to keep reciting these positive sayings until I was blue in the face.

Next, I think you have well prepared for this exam. As I said before, I have no idea how you've studied, but you have had more than enough questions for practice. Stick to what you are used to from nursing school and do things that are familiar to you. Go back to the basics. Watch some youtube videos of patho that you had a while back. For me, reviewing basic med surg diseases with the appropriate pharm categories helped me feel not so overwhelmed and helped bring back some old information.

Not passing does not mean you are going to be a bad nurse (a hospital wouldn't hire you if they thought otherwise). But I think if you regroup yourself and try to start believing in yourself and think positively, it will lead to a positive outcome. I kept telling myself that "if" was not in my vocabulary anymore. It wasn't IF i was going to pass the test, it was I AM passing this test.

Good luck!!

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Hi, I'm sorry that you are going through this and please do not give up. Honestly, it may not be content that you are having trouble and really know your knowledge but possibly improve on reading comprehension? Knowing that NCLEX focuses on conceptual, metacognitive and procedural knowledge that requires strong reading comprehension skills. If reading comprehension is possibly lacking then reading the rationales will still be confusing. I have not taken the nclex but have ran into many trial and errors in my study time that lead to believe I needed to improve my reading comprehension FIRST, learn how to dissect NCLEX questions second, THEN content. Just by improve reading comprehension alone can also improve your retention a lot more. Take your time and build on each like a pyramid level. The second part is believing in yourself and positive affirmation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I failed the first time also. Passed this week in 75 questions.first time I took the exam, my test anxiety kicked in and I believe that had a lot to do with how poorly I did. I took 265 questions and still failed. I knew the material and took Kaplan and I don't think it helped with my confidence.

I started studying immediately after I didn't pass. Here is what I used:

NCSBN LEARNING EXTENSION - these Re the people that right the test.I signed up for the 8 week program and followed their curriculum recommendations for the 8 week program.Did as many questions as I could, I li,ed it because they really do work the questions like the test.

Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX-RN review. -Read the chapters that went with the NCSBN program. The two together made a great tool and I used them to write my own notes.

Saunders 2016-2017 Strategies for Test Success, 4th Edition - This to me was one of the best books. I liked Kaplan's decision tree, but this made it clearer and easier for me to select the best answers. The practice questions and rational were awesome!!!

Lastly, I you tubed many of the electrolytes and concepts that I had a hard time mastering.

I went back to exactly how I studied in Nursing School. EVERYDAY I worked on something, and I do best creating my own notes and repitition. The most important thing is believing you can do it. For me,the work I put in gave me the cinfidence. Everytime I started to get nervous during the test,I code my eyes, took 3 deep breaths and treated it as I had just started the test. Don't look at the time or the number be of questions. Just breathe and treat each question as if it is the only question you have to answer. ANXIETY will get the best of you. You got through nursing school so you can pass this!!!!

Thank you so much nurse826 !!!! I have everything you suggested and will try that route! I will definitely keep you posted! Thanks again :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
To be honest, I think a lot of it is nerves and anxiety. I obviously have no idea how you studied, BUT I found positive affirmations really helped me in the week or so leading up to my test. Today I swear that I probably would not have passed if my friend didn't make me recite positive affirmations to myself morning, day, and night. I am a little superstitious so I waited until a day or two before my test before I wrote out my name with RN at the end. I forced myself to keep reciting these positive sayings until I was blue in the face.

Next, I think you have well prepared for this exam. As I said before, I have no idea how you've studied, but you have had more than enough questions for practice. Stick to what you are used to from nursing school and do things that are familiar to you. Go back to the basics. Watch some youtube videos of patho that you had a while back. For me, reviewing basic med surg diseases with the appropriate pharm categories helped me feel not so overwhelmed and helped bring back some old information.

Not passing does not mean you are going to be a bad nurse (a hospital wouldn't hire you if they thought otherwise). But I think if you regroup yourself and try to start believing in yourself and think positively, it will lead to a positive outcome. I kept telling myself that "if" was not in my vocabulary anymore. It wasn't IF i was going to pass the test, it was I AM passing this test.

Good luck!!

I definitely say "what if" and other negative things. It is so hard to be knocked down so many times. I refuse to give up and will definitely try using more positive affirmations :) I AM GOING TO PASS!!!! Thank you!

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Maybe some remediation classes would be in your best interest.

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Hi, I'm sorry that you are going through this and please do not give up. Honestly, it may not be content that you are having trouble and really know your knowledge but possibly improve on reading comprehension? Knowing that NCLEX focuses on conceptual, metacognitive and procedural knowledge that requires strong reading comprehension skills. If reading comprehension is possibly lacking then reading the rationales will still be confusing. I have not taken the nclex but have ran into many trial and errors in my study time that lead to believe I needed to improve my reading comprehension FIRST, learn how to dissect NCLEX questions second, THEN content. Just by improve reading comprehension alone can also improve your retention a lot more. Take your time and build on each like a pyramid level. The second part is believing in yourself and positive affirmation.

I never thought about it that way! Thank you so much for your insight!

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The irony of it all is the MOST HELPFUL resource was the test taking strategies. The way I did it was read the book, took notes, and did all the questions in the book. It will help you realize that sometimes we are not reading the questions correctly, meaning, we really have not understood what it is asking you for before you pick an answer. When I took the test the 2nd time, it clicked and it made it easier. We are so programmed to look for a right answer when we take tests, that we pick an answer before you even finish reading the question. For NCLEX, the question is where you have to be careful and critically think. The answers are usually all right, it's a matter of picking the answer that goes with what they are asking, or what the solution to the event is.

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I just passed in 75 questions and did my training in NZ 27 years ago ! I failed once before with 265. YOU can do this ! Visualize yourself passing , only talk as if you have passed ! I used 1 month of UWORLD questions 49$ Amazing ! Read every rationale ! Just like Nclex questions ! I memorized the main normal blood values and electrolytes and wrote them down on scratch board BEFORE I started exam ,,!! Much easier to check board for normal value when those questions come up !! If I can do it you CAN xxxxx

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