Failed Nclex PN 4th time very upset, I don't know what to do

Glenna, LPN · Jul 9, 2012

Stop and take a deep breath, hold it for a moment or two, then exhale. Okay, good. Now let's look at what's going on here. You were able to passing and graduate from your LPN program. This proves to me that you are fully capable of passing the NCLEX-PN. You have done the reviews and from what it sounds like from what you have written, you also have successfully passed those as well.

Before I say anything else, don't compare yourself to other people. Who cares if someone else is at a different point in their lives that you have not made it to yet even though you maybe around the same cohort. It will take you however long it takes you to make it to your goals. Focus on you, not them. YOU, not them. They don't pay your bills, you do things on your own time. :-)

Now to look at another angle, what is going on in your mental state while taking your NCLEX? Is your mind wondering? Are you fully understanding what is being asked for you? Do you feel that you must answer right away? You do have five hours to take the test after all. Take as much time as you need. If someone else in the room is getting up, and leaving and you feel that pinic like that you need to hurry up, ignore them. This is your time, it takes however long it takes.

I know that the NCLEX is different for everyone. But, when I went in to take my NCLEX-PN last October, I told myself, I'm going to pass, I'm going to pass!! It took me 2.5 hours and the test shut off at 86 questions. I had a mix of emotions, some of the questions I felt great about, others so-so, and some made me want to break down and cry. I passed.

Tell me more about your mental state while taking your NCLEX. If you tell yourself I'm going to fail, this become and self fulfilling prophecy. I learned this the hard way. My dad would always say that to me and I wouldn't believe him growing up. Finally one day I told myself, I can, I am, this is going to happen, and it helped me. Have faith in yourself, you have come so far. You can do this. Keep practicing those test questions. I used Saundars...mostly the disc on study mode so that I could see the rationals. While I was practicing the test questions I would pretend that I was taking my NCLEX.

Remember, you can do it, you can do it, you're going to make this happen. Have faith in yourself, you've come so fair. Don't compare yourself to other peoples accomplishments. Your day of glory will come.

mmichel26 · Jul 9, 2012

thank you so much for believing in me. I get nervous when taking exams and I always seem to second guess myself, I have to stop doing that. Your absolutely right I have to learn how to answer questions and to narrow down to one. I have studied the green saunders book, i have exam cram 2nd and 3rd edition, and I also have the kaplan pn book. My brother just purchased Nursing made incredibly easy. We went to the lpn program together and he is also having a difficult time passing. I heard the the lippincote book is very similar to the nclex but I do not want to purchase another book, its really the same material right. So i guess I just need to study more and like you said do questions. I was thinking of joining a study group maybe that would help.

Glenna, LPN · Jul 10, 2012

I totally understand where you are coming from about the nerves getting the best of you. But this is your time to shine now. It is time for you to have a little talk with that voice in your head. Be like listen up, stop telling me I can't, it is time to say I CAN! Have you been talking to any of your old classmates about what they have been doing to help them study for their NCLEX?

I honestly don't think you need to buy another book. Just keep thinking postive. Make sure you are fully understanding a question before going onto the next question and take your sweet sweet time during your NCLEX. During this test, it is all about you, and how you're going to rock it. All I did to study for my NCLEX was reviewed the exam cram book which gave me tips on how to answer questions. That book became my bible on how to answer questions, then I used the saunders disc only on study mode. I hated the saunders book, it made my stress levels go up. Practice questions everyday anywhere between 100-200 a day. That is what I did for three weeks and it was perfect.

Now when you study, what is your environment like? Is it really conducive to studying? Do you study better when there is silence? Or when it is noisy? I think that a study guide might be helpful for you. Be with other people and talk about what is going on in your head and maybe they can help give you that encouragement to get your mind on straight to pass your NCLEX. I totally get that it's scary, I felt like I want going to puke the whole time.

cutegirl25 · Jul 10, 2012

hey where do u live? u want to study together? I live in california.

jagged777 · Jul 11, 2012

So I just took the nclex friday, My heart was racing and I got a headache while taking the exam. I was so nervous, i tried my best. This was my fourth time taking the exam. Im so upset, I knew i failed when my computer shut off at 85. The first two times i took the exam it shut off at 85, my third time it shut off at 119 and I almost passed but i was below in infection control, I was sure I was going to pass the fourth time, I knew everything, I studied my behind off. I even took review courses, I did the nscbn course online for 5 weeks. I was sure I was going to pass because those are the people who write the nclex. I don't want to give up, I want to pass so badly. My friends who graduated after me passed, I see all these people passing why not me, what am I do wrong. I thought the nclex was going to give me questions about diseases/disorders like i got before but I got all situational questions, and One math question, all the answers could be correct but only one is, i looked for key words but they all were similar. Sometimes I want to give up but I keep trying. Im wasting time at times i think i should have went to school to get my bsn and just take the rn nclex, i feel like i am so behind, all my friends are graduating with bachelors and I am not. I don't know what to do anymore, someone save me

Sorry to hear you didn't pass. All hope is not lost, its very doable. What books did you use and how did you prepare for it?

JENURSE03_RN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jul 11, 2012

i say know your content from and back. When that is out of the way, focus on test taking strategy. I did that and I passed the first time.

cutegirl25 · Jul 12, 2012

Sorry hun, I can't return ur private messages cause am not member but I just bought hurst review and then am going to do kaplan qbank and lacharity book. Where do u live, may be we can study together or on skype.

regnurse2bea · Jul 21, 2012

Keep at it girl! You have the heart and determination you will need to be a nurse. I had an instructor that had a few test-taking strategies that always helped me. 1) read the question twice to make sure you know what the question is 2) Take out the trash. They love to put stuff in there to confuse you that has nothing to do with the gist of the actual question or there is usually a few answers that don't even make sense. 3) Follow the nursing process. If it asks what would you do first it is the answer dealing with assessment etc 4) most answers that say always or never aren't the one because nursing has very few always/never things in it 5) follow the nursing process or ABC's (airway, breathing, circulation) rule when it is a prioritization question. Pharm your on your own. There is no rhyme or reason to that but again get rid of what you know it ISN"T and pick from what is left. Hopefully it narrows it to 2 and at least if you aren't sure you have a 50/50 chance.

GOOD LUCK YOU WILL GET IT THIS TIME

Anne36, LPN · Jul 21, 2012

I think I failed yesterday because I went and checked ,know some of the questions I got wrong. I dont think I felt confidant taking the exam and didnt pick answers I wanted to. I think I was thrown off because I didnt even know the answer to the first questions and I thought that was supposed to be an easy one. I started doubting myself when the answer bank was not what I was used to picking from. I got some questions that were like on a practice CD, but the answers were all different. I was getting to the end and couldnt wait for it to shut off because of my nerves. Im currently in hold mode and cant do pearson vue trick which just makes it so much worse combined with the fact that I was an A student and no exaggeration almost everyone of my classmates has taken the exam so far and nobody has failed it except for me.

Anne36, LPN · Jul 21, 2012

Also, thank you Glenna , that was very helpful what you said and I am still in shock right now, when I woke this morning thought it was all a bad dream. I dont remember last time I felt like this, its a sick sick feeling like a death in the family. I dont think Im ready yet, but I am going to work toward building my confidance up and trying to turn this around. I have to change my whole attitude and outlook to be ready to take this exam again.

NurseCrystalRN · Jul 21, 2012

Also, thank you Glenna , that was very helpful what you said and I am still in shock right now, when I woke this morning thought it was all a bad dream. I dont remember last time I felt like this, its a sick sick feeling like a death in the family. I dont think Im ready yet, but I am going to work toward building my confidance up and trying to turn this around. I have to change my whole attitude and outlook to be ready to take this exam again.

What if you passed this whole time and you don't even know lol that would be sooo awesome