Failed the nclex... how to get remotivated

lawelane · Feb 21, 2008

I also failed the first time I took the NCLEX and I really thought I will nail it cuz almost all my friends are consulting me to teach them the content and everything. They really believe on me cuz of my good grades when I was in college. February 4, I knew that I didn't passed! I was so depressed. I didn't cry upon seeing that I did not pass! What causes me to cry? I found out that only 2 categories, INfection control and Health Promotion -- that I failed. And i almost passed! But then I look at the positive aspect in life... maybe it's not yet our right time to pass now, and I knew that I didn't give my best shot. Just imagine that i've been so bored so I stepped here in America, that I'm always used to have a study-pal in my college years. So, what I did... I keep on using the internet during my wee hours of studying and I took it for granted that I was so confident in myself. But look at me now, worrying again on this NCLEX thingy for the 2nd time around. But guys, let's take it positively, there are many of us who failed, much smarter than us, and they, themselves have studied a lot. LEt's nail it on the 2nd time!

jenrn2008 · Feb 22, 2008

I also failed the first time I took the NCLEX and I really thought I will nail it cuz almost all my friends are consulting me to teach them the content and everything. They really believe on me cuz of my good grades when I was in college. February 4, I knew that I didn't passed! I was so depressed. I didn't cry upon seeing that I did not pass! What causes me to cry? I found out that only 2 categories, INfection control and Health Promotion -- that I failed. And i almost passed! But then I look at the positive aspect in life... maybe it's not yet our right time to pass now, and I knew that I didn't give my best shot. Just imagine that i've been so bored so I stepped here in America, that I'm always used to have a study-pal in my college years. So, what I did... I keep on using the internet during my wee hours of studying and I took it for granted that I was so confident in myself. But look at me now, worrying again on this NCLEX thingy for the 2nd time around. But guys, let's take it positively, there are many of us who failed, much smarter than us, and they, themselves have studied a lot. LEt's nail it on the 2nd time!

WOW you sound just like me!!!!! I was one of the top students in my class.... in fact i spoke to one of my friends yesterday (she doesn't know i failed)... and she kept telling me to take the test b/c I am so smart and she knows I will pass. She said that the dean of the school keeps mailing her to take the test b/c she is a high-risk student. I told her the dean never emailed me and she says "of course not because you are an A student" Little does she know that I have already failed the exam :cry: . I actually graduated with a 3.6... I only got 4 B's and the rest of my classes were A's... that is more of a reason why I am embarrased!!! Like you I was overly confident.... i studied, but not as much as I should have... and now i have to stay another 6 weeks studying for the exam AGAIN!!!!! I am trying to just get over the whole thing and stop worring... I only have 6 weeks and I can't spend most of that time being sad about what happend in the past.... I am going to buy the Kaplan question.... do suzannse plan (when I find out who she is and what the plan is),. and also try the Hurst review... they have a 98% passage rate....

We didn't pass yesterday, but we will pass tomorrow and that is what we need to focus on. :wink2:

AGE2GROW · Feb 24, 2008

I know how you feel. In the state of GA you have to wait 90 days. I failed the first time in September and was scheduled to retake it in January, but I took it Feb 19 and passed. DO NOT GIVE UP. Take a break and begin to study in a week. I used Judith Miller DVD's, which gave me a quick review of info that I had forgot and then I went to the bookstore every other day and answered questions. When you are doing the questions, please read the rationales.

lawelane · Feb 25, 2008

Thank u AGE2GROW... My friend told me that Excell Review Center is the best and highly recommended review center so I've decided to go for it! Hehhehe... hopin' to have my luck and the right time for me this 2nd time around.

GENNY0616, yeah we are somewhat alike... Hehehhe... iM motivated enough havin' u guys here in forum, someone to talk to or someone to encourage me. I hope we'll be goin' to make it the 2nd time around.

mrscurtwkids4 · Feb 25, 2008

I, too, didn't pass the test the first time through. I first attempted it July of 2007. I was so bummed. I felt I let my husband down and my 4 daughters down, as well as myself. But I looked at the big picture of everthing else that was going on in my life at the time and thought to myself, no wonder I didn't manage to pass the first time through. I had a lot fo things going on that distracted my attention from the exam. But I made great use of the 45 days that I had to wait to retake the test. I made use of the online NCLEX review course that my employer graciously paid for and studied like it was a full-time job with overtime...lol. I tried to recount some of the types of questions that I had during the first exam and focused on the type that I felt I was weak in. You can kind of tell the ones you are weak in, especially when you keep getting more and more questions that are similar during the test. So I concentrated on them and practiced as many of those types as I could. I also reviewed all of the basic information that you would commonly be tested on. And the second time through, in September, I passed. I am now a Registered Nurse on a telemetry floor and continuing to learn more and more everyday at work. More about the information that you need to know to treat your patients medically...and more about the emotional/mental knowledge you need to be a trully great nurse. Just as each patient teaches me something new, each new experience during the journey of becoming a nurse taught me a multitude as well. Mostly it has taught me patience, tolerance, compassion, and never give up! You will get there!!

wishiwereanurse, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2008

:typing After recieving the dreaded huge envelop last January, I :crying2: for a moment...then picked up my Saunders again and started reading. Like you I fell into a depressive state, with the weather making it worse because its so cold and bleak and I cant go out and cheer myself up. I just moved here in california from the Philippines and I havent got any new friends here...so I havent got a support group. I only have my family around and they think I must be pretty dumb because I failed NCLEX. Yep, it's like the toughest of times for me. After a while, when you go through the grieving process, you get angry...and I got so :angryfire I just told myself to screw it all and not think about what people say about me, came out of hiding and told everyone I am not ashamed that I failed, that I have nothing to be ashamed of. I know myself better than anyone else, and I know I can be a great :nurse: . So everyday, or when I start feeling down, I tell myself I am being initiated, I am being tested for what I can endure, because nursing is not for the weak of :redbeathe, and I can do this.

This too shall pass. Good luck to us.

lawelane · Feb 25, 2008

MRSCURTWKIDS4, thank you for the encouraging words u said... Yeah it's good that u really make use of ur time, that 45 days left to prepare for the 2nd take. What did u do then? Then u went to any review class or just an online course and do the self-review? I would also like to know what's the best book for u to recommend me. I bought Saunder's cuz they said it's very good. And some says, it's Mosby's! And now i'm confused!!!

Wishiwereanurse, yeah wer goin to nail it the 2nd time. Wer u in CA? Same here, wer on same boat... From Philippines...

mrscurtwkids4 · Feb 25, 2008

I didn't go to any review classes. It was a little hard to get away with 4 daughters at home to take care of. I did the online Kaplan review. Listened to all the instructional videos that is on it, practiced all the tests that it offered, and wrote a lot of stuff down (I'm one of those that remember things better after having written it down).

I think the best thing I learned from the first test to the second is to look at each individual question and what it's asking. You don't necessarily have to know the answer to the question. You need to figure out if you have enough information from the question to be able to pick an aswer that is an action for your patient, or if you need more information in order to do something for your patient (assessing vs implementing). I think I went into the first exam looking at trying to pick the "right" answer rather than looking at the questions as whether I need to assess or implement. Also, when picking your answer...remember your ABC's and pick answers in that order or importance. I think this made the biggest difference in passing it the second time through. Best of luck!!!

*XYZ* · Feb 26, 2008

I am Sorry you failed. I failed the test twice already. believe it or not, my motivation is the fact that I can take the test again. lots of other careers & fields only allow you one time. let us embrace the fact that we have second chances & take advantage of it. keep us posted on how you are doing:)

lawelane · Feb 27, 2008

I also used the Kaplan online course but it didn't do well cuz I took it for granted that I only read questions and stuff but I didn't take much time for listening to videos... I easily get bored on online classes that's why I decided to go to CA, cuz i'm currently in NV, where I can be a student in front of instructors and they would really have to do lectures and everything, which I'm really looking forward to than just fo the self-review alone, boredom kills me. But thanks for the tips... Yes, Kaplan teaches you strategies on how to answer the question. But somebody told me (which I also agreed) that not all the time, u may apply the Kaplan technique. "U btter have to master the content not the question itself cuz if u do understand everything, even if u will be bombarded by lots of questions, u will not be panicked!" - that's what she said, and now, im reading all the contents again that failed me the first time, i'm focusing more on my weaknesses...

live2help · Feb 27, 2008

I failed the exam too... not once but twice... and i feel like a failure to myself, to my family and to everyone around me. I didn't know about this website until one of my friend told me to check it out. After reading so many posts, i realized that i am not the only one in this race. But i dont know anything anymore... many times, these thoughts comes in to my head.. like i'm the biggest looser in this world... no matter how much i try, how much i want to succeed in life, i'll never get there... i am failure...

i didn't know who to talk to, where to go for help... my parents don't even understand, people in the community don't understand, and i am avoiding friends and familes b/c i don't want anyone to talk about the boards.

I graduated last May-06. Found a job to work as a graduate nurse with permit since NY state took longer to give the ATTs. Worked about 3 months and began to love it, and that's when i finally had to take the boards for the first time since the time was running out and i didn't want to loose the $$$. Apparently, i failed the first time after 75 questions and i was so afraid to take the second time that i kept changing the dates from December to January to February. I didnt know where to start or what to study. I studied so much over the course of January and February. Finally last week, went to take the exam 2nd time, and got 265 questions. Right away, i felt like i failed and was upset over the weekend. I didn't even want to check my name. Before the exam, my parents were very supportive, but after the exam, i don't feel like that anymore. I don't blame them but the pressure is on now.. i don't have a job, my loans are due, and i applied so many places to find any kind of patient care jobs, and no one seems to want to hire. I am just tired, wants to give up but then again, i don't know what to do. Yesterday, i received the result in mail which i already knew i failed. so it wasn't new. I don't know why is it so hard to become a nurse and take care of patients.

I figured i'll come here and read all of yours posts and may be this will give me a peace of mind. I don't know how many more times i need to take this exam to pass. When ever i think about NCLEX, i hate it, i get scared and just want to shut the books, and turn the computer off. I'm sorry for writing all these, i just wanted to get it out of my chest that's all.

Thanks for reading this.

jenrn2008 · Feb 27, 2008

Live2help,

I understand how you feel.... I completely know what youn mean. When I got 75 questions the first time... I walked out knowing that I failed... I JUST KNEW! I wasn't all that suprised when I saw my result in Pearson Vue... My husband doesn't understand at all.. he doesn't even talk to me about the exam.... he doesn't ask me how I am preparing for the next test or when I will retake it... I think he is just so disappointed in me.... sad thing is that we were planning so MANY things! I just had a baby and we were planning to buy a family car and looking into buying a house etc... Now he doesn't talk to me about any of that ANYMORE... I feel like he is very disappointed in me!

But I realized that I am not doing this for him! I am doing this for ME! I went to school for 2.5 years to become a nurse and I can not give up... no matter who believes in me! At this stage in my life I have to believe in myself.... I will take the exam again....and if I fail I will take it again....and if I fail I will take it again.... and again and again!!!!! I am not giving up on this..... NO WAY!!!!

From what I have read, getting 265 questions means that you were JUST ON THE BORDERLINE.... you were very close to passing.... that should be encouraging.... you can do it.... PLEASE DON"T GIVE UP!

Right now I am working on Suzannes plan.... the first part of it gives you an opporunity to focus on your weakness in terms of content.... I look forward to the rest of her plan.....

Live2help, I know how you feel.... believe me.... but this forum is full of people going through the same things and MANY people have success stories at the end of the road....

Keep your head up

Genny