Failed NCLEX for the 3rd time

[lizzyxpooh]

Hi everyone,

I am down in the dumps. I just failed my 3rd nclex about a month ago.

Background:

Graduated last May 2011 with 3.6 GPA. Tutored my friends throughout nursing school and they passed, but I have not. Got into a new grad program, but was terminated when I failed the nclex. Talk about a double wammie.

I am confused, down, discouraged, frustrated, and my emotions are a rollercoaster. I keep telling myself to get back into study gear before I forget what I have learned, but some of the times I sit here, at the computer, with my practice questions..... my heart just sinks due to discouragement.

I know I must take it again, but my confidence is sinking.

I just reapplied for my 4th attempt. Still waiting for my ATT. I spent about $1200 on nclex fees alone. Not including training course.

What am I doing wrong?

My 1st results were one above passing, the rest are near and below passing.

My 2nd results were 2 above passing, and the rest are near and below passing.

My 3rd results were all near passing and two below passing.

All three times I did Kaplan. The third time the questions on the nclex did seems different and more challenging. I got the "on hold" pop up after doing the pearson trick, but 3 days later got the credit card

SO CLOSE!

Prior to my third nclex, my study session is 3 months worth.

1st month, studied 3-4 days a week, 4-6 hrs per day.

2nd month, bunked it up to 4-5 days per week, 6-8 hrs per day.

3rd month or a month before the test, 5-6 days per week, 8-10 hrs per day.

My sources:

I did Saunders studied the hard copy book from cover to cover, did the questions at the end of the chapter, and about 1000 q in the CD. Scores are in the 80%'s. This iwas my base for content.

I did Kaplan all the qtrainers, scoring 60-68%. This was for critical thinking.

I did PDA, all the chapters, twice. Scores in the 70%'s. This was for critical thinking.

I glimpsed over cram exam, and did the questions in the CD. More study questions.

I did the allnurses tips of tricks (ie: spiderman, down down up down, etc).

I did the infection control info.

I did HURST review book and audio.

AND the Feuer audio - listened to it twice.

I got the resources, I think. I scored well on the practice question....

Still...

What am I doing wrong?

Any word of advice is appreciated and thank you in advance!

[lizzyxpooh]

@Melanie - If you read my previous posts, I wrote down all the details on how I struggled and what I used the first 3 x and didnt work. Also, I shared about my emotions, my grievance, and what helped me move forward.

The third time I used mainly ncbsn for 4 wks (bought the 5 wks), had a mentor/tutor, studied at the library (I focus better). Dont study at home or starbucks (too noisy).

Good luck. You can do this!

[hopenfaith]

How comforting it is to have read this post. I failed my first NCLEX today, I don't even need to do the pop up and I can tell. The questions were so broad. Whatever I studied via Kaplan and ATI were not even on the test. And I was scoring about 70% on kaplan. The format is so much different and kaplan strategies don't always apply. Well, I allowed myself to cry for 30 mins, and that was it, what's done is done. I know my weakness is in SATA, it's by far the hardest part of the exam for me, I would always choose one wrong answer. thanks for discussing your personal feeling and your success, I will pray hard for myself.

[lizzyxpooh]

@hopeandfaith

Dont give up! I didn't! I passed on my 4th try! See my threads for what I went through emotionally and what I did differently each time.

For now, take some time off and cry it out. Really... its such a toll studying for this exam. Take time off, take care of yourself. In the meantime, go ahead and reapply (it'll take some time for paper work to process). When you feel that you are emotionally ready to go again, and start the cycle of studying again.

Good luck to you. You can do it.

I know a few people who took them 7x to pass. :/ I know we dont want to be there and want to pass our 1st time.. but every is different and our mind works different. I think all the times that we failed prevent us from a lawsuit!

But you can do it. Much love!

[htsim14]

So i just found out this morning i failed my 3rd attempt on nclex.......I am at the point where there are no more tears to come out.

I tried to have more confidence in myself on the 3rd attempt and my coworkers were so supportive of me as i am a tech working with them who all want me to pass inorder to become one of them. HOwever, as much as i want to return to work, i feel like people will look at me differently and will judge me as a tech. in addition, I have to constantly work around people who one by one keep asking me "did you pass yet?"

As of right now, I dont see the light at the end of the tunnel.....I feel like I have let my parents down after so many years of support and financial support.

SO the first time I was sick and was not able to change the date do to the 24hr rule. therefore was not able to review and prepare for the exam other than Hurst which was done 3 months prior to the test date. 2nd time ... I did kaplan app questions... saunders......read over hurst book.....3rd time I did saunders Q&A...kaplan questions...fundamental review....went section by section reviewing the portion of the exam that was below standards.

Now I am lost....I read that on your 4th attempt you did the ncsbn course. did you do the 3 week, 5 week...etc? how was it helpful?Thank you and i hope to hear your reply soon. =]

[rdtolly]

does the online review hurst course come with a book when u choose the online course or is it the book that u can purchase at barnes...is there a difference between the book u can get and the online review?

[lizzyxpooh]

@htsims -

Im sorry for what you're going through. Believe me, I get it! I went through the same thing - know that you are NOT alone.

Right now take some time to grieve over the loss. The loss of not having this license once again I know you are still in the shock phase and it feels like you want to give up! I felt the same way too at one point. But know that some people may take more than a few attempts at the NCLEX to really GET it. You know? SUCKS But ultimately, you'll eventually succeed.

So right take the time to grieve.

CRY IT OUT.

TAKE SOME TIME AWAY FROM STUDYING.

I seriously took 2 wks off and went to the library thinking i was ready, and guess what? I could not focus. My mind kept drifting off, my confidence was super low... I needed therapy. I needed a tutor.

So I took more time off to get help. I took some time take care of my emotions. Got a professor to coached me and I was seeking individual counseling/therapy and they helped me with my anxiety. (that was my main issue).

I did this all during my 4th attempt, all within 2 months span, started October, and took the test on Dec 27 TWO DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS. I did it throughout the busy season... life will be full of distractors, so what? I will take breaks here and there. I needed it.

Sorry for my rant. But that's how I approached it differently. Maybe you may have the same weakness?

A couple of things I wanted to assess you first:

1) Have you seek help with your school? If so, who and how have they provided you with assistance?

2) Did you ever had any kind of accommodations/help throughout nursing school? Any anxiety issues like myself?

3) Study materials

a) Saunders: Did you use the Q&A book or the comprehensive book?

b) Hurst: did you do the online version or the in class one? overall scores in %?

c) kaplan: did you do the online version or the class one? overall scores in %? did you complete all the requirements: qtrainers, qbank, etc?

4) results of the nclex, what are the results? what are your weak areas? passing/below passing/above passing?

5) when did you graduate?

6) how many questions did you practice in total the LAST nclex?

If you can answer me those, maybe i can get a better picture of where you stand.

im here to help! again, you're not alone, you will feel embarrass and i know, it sucks. but the sooner you admit to it and face it, the sooner it is to move forward. IF your coworkers asks you, i would say casually "you know, i think i tanked it, i dont know what im not getting. i need to find a tutor or help. do you know anyone?" who knows they may have connections! Your co workers are not there to pick on you, but if they see that you are persistant in crucifying this nclex, they will most likely more willing to help!

I graduated cumme laude, top of my class, tutored my colleagues throughout nursing school and they PASSED their nclex, and I did not pass. I just didnt get it. Sucks? Yes. But God put me through this journey for a reason. Maybe to help others along the way. Maybe to protect me from a lawsuit. Who knows!

Again, here to help. Glad to help. We can start by you answering those questions...

[ksenakim]

Hi lizzyxpooh, I'm just curious as to how you felt about your test? did you get 75 qs? Did they seem easy or hard? Thank you in advance!

[lizzyxpooh]

Hi KsenaKim.

Everyone will tell you that they will feel like they fail it after they take the nclex. I took the Nclex 4 times, below are my results:

Nclex 1 - 75 questions, result: Failed. 1.5 hours. Lots of SATA.

Nclex 2 - 75 questions, result: Failed. 3 hours. Lots if SATA.

Nclex 3 - 110 questions, result: Failed. 3.5 hours. Lots of meds.

Nclex 4 - 180 questions, result. PASSED! 3.5 hours. Not too much SATA.

So the SATA theory is not reliable in my opinion, don't let that distract you.

Did you take your nclex already? :)

[fringe]

Hi KsenaKim.

Everyone will tell you that they will feel like they fail it after they take the nclex. I took the Nclex 4 times, below are my results:

Nclex 1 - 75 questions, result: Failed. 1.5 hours. Lots of SATA.

Nclex 2 - 75 questions, result: Failed. 3 hours. Lots if SATA.

Nclex 3 - 110 questions, result: Failed. 3.5 hours. Lots of meds.

Nclex 4 - 180 questions, result. PASSED! 3.5 hours. Not too much SATA.

So the SATA theory is not reliable in my opinion, don't let that distract you.

Did you take your nclex already? :)

Was the pvt reliable on all your tests?

[lizzyxpooh]

Nope! That thing is tricky On my 3rd nclex I did the trick... got the POP UP! You see, if you get the pop up, it's a 50/50 chance that you can either pass or fail. Mines says "results on hold, candidate cannot register at this time".

I jumped for joy.. thinking that was the good pop up. The NCLEX the 3rd time around was different bc it was harder than the first two.

3 days later, the credit card page came up. I thought the pvt fool proof. BOY i was wrong. IT WAS MISLEADING and it was the the MOST disappointed feeling EVER. Sucksssssss.

My 4th try, I didnt do the pvt until 3 days later; I checked the BRN FIRST, SAW MY NAME!!! AND then did the pvt. lol.

My opinion, the PVT is unreliable.

[fringe]

Nope! That thing is tricky On my 3rd nclex I did the trick... got the POP UP! You see, if you get the pop up, it's a 50/50 chance that you can either pass or fail. Mines says "results on hold, candidate cannot register at this time".

I jumped for joy.. thinking that was the good pop up. The NCLEX the 3rd time around was different bc it was harder than the first two.

3 days later, the credit card page came up. I thought the pvt fool proof. BOY i was wrong. IT WAS MISLEADING and it was the the MOST disappointed feeling EVER. Sucksssssss.

My 4th try, I didnt do the pvt until 3 days later; I checked the BRN FIRST, SAW MY NAME!!! AND then did the pvt. lol.

My opinion, the PVT is unreliable.

Congrats! I'm freaking out. I took my nclex July 1 and no results.

[lizzyxpooh]

@fringe

Your name is not on the BRN? I would wait 3 business days. Since yours was on Monday 7/1. And 7/4 is a holiday and it may not count. I took mine on 12/27. And it falls over NY's day.

Wait until tomorrow, Monday, to check the BRN web, and then do the PVT. IF you get to the cc page, then that mean you didnt pass

I know the feeling. Let me know if I can be of any help! Good luck!