Failed the NCLEX at 149 Questions... Please help!!!

[Drahcir]

Last week I took the NCLEX for the first time and failed at 149 questions. I come to this forum in need help and advice in studying for the NCLEX for when I take it again.

Last January I took the Kaplan Review Classroom and utilized the question bank until May. I did not find this course as helpful as I thought it would be and did not feel prepared to take the NCLEX after my subscription to the Q Bank expired. Maybe it was because I was working a job with alternating shifts (day shifts, night shifts) and did not have a quite place to focus and study. I put off studying again until I quit my job and relocated with my girlfriend in September to another state into our own apartment where I finally had a quite place to focus on studying.

I started studying again in late September with the NCLEX RN Mastery and I did most of the questions from the question bank, and I also reviewed the LaCharity book for a few weeks. I found them helpful but I didn't feel nearly as prepared as I needed to be for my test scheduled on December 15th. I then started using the Maryann Hogan Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX book and its question bank and also the Hurst Review. I found this combination very helpful and started with 50-60 questions per day and eventually 200-300 questions per day in all content areas as the test date neared. I scored in the 70% range in the pre-diagnostic tests and in the 80% range in the post-diagnostic tests (but keep in mind that these tests recycled a lot of the questions from the practice quizzes, and I used my books & notes during the tests). At the same time I was watching videos on NCLEX/nursing related topics such as pathophysiology, med-math, etc. I was studying 6-7 hours per night almost every night.

So I went into the test feeling as prepared as I could be. When I got to the test center I was very nervous, hyperventilating and pacing around the parking lot. As I took the test I don't think that I was rushing through the questions to get to 75, but in hindsight I think that I could have taken more time. By the time I got to question 75 I had around 12-13 select all that apply questions, so I thought that maybe I was doing alright. But the test didn't end and I just kept going, clicking away at my answers and I noticed that the questions dropped in level of difficulty but I was getting questions on topics that I was less familiar with, such as bioterrorism (I'll admit that I focused largely on the med-surg areas covered on the Hurst Review and less on management than I should have, I probably should have revisted the LaCharity book before the test). So after 2 and a half hours, the test ended at question 149. I found out a couple days later that I failed.

I still have to wait for the test report from Pearson to arrive in the mail to know in which areas I performed poorly, but that will take 4-6 weeks and I don't want to take too much off from studying because I will start to forget stuff.

I don't know what to do any more. I've utilized so many resources. The Kaplan Classroom Review & Q Bank, NCLEX-RN Mastery, LaCharity, Hurst Review, and Maryann Hogan Comprehensive Review. I did 50-300 questions per day, I stayed up all night studying for 6-7 hours every night of the week, I watched NCLEX/Nursing related videos, etc. I gave it my all and I still failed. I feel utterly defeated. I'm devastated. And I don't know how to start again.

Please any help and advice is welcome!!!!

[abcdefghijay]

I also failed twice! I understand the frustration your going through right now. I also quit my job to focus on NCLEX and actually only studied a month 'hardcore'. I used UWorld to study a few weeks before my exam. I would use the free weekly trial. Although this did not track my progress, I felt that understanding the question structure and rationale was more important than your %. Don't force yourself to memorize content. Keep doing questions and become comfortable and confident answering them. I was starting to get 70-80% afterwards on U World because I felt less overwhelmed by the questions and more confident in what I know. I would right down the key words from rationales then I would read them at the end of my day and try to reiterate the rationale. I also used Hurst. I went through the handouts about 3 times and using Saunders to fill missing information from the handouts. Don't forget to take breaks! You should rest your brain! Take a nap and just relax for a bit. But you should train yourself to do 75 questions! You should also read up on NCLEX. It's good to get know what you're dealing with. I remember watching videos on NCLEX scoring so when I did practice questions I imagined that line going up and down making sure that it stays above the passing line. I actually did this during the exam and passed with 75 questions with 15-17 SATAs, 2 dosage calculations and several random questions with subjects I've never heard of but I just used critical thinking and even the Kaplan strategies. I took my time during the exam (almost 4 hours), writing down key words again and talking to myself about the choices. Don't rush it! Remember, you already passed the hardest part which is nursing school! You've already drilled the material in your head. Don't lose hope. You got this!