Failed my Nclex RN first time

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I studied kaplan, lacharity, and hurst on my first try. Just got my CPR and got near the passing standard for all the sections. I've been reading a lot here on all nurses and people have taken ATI's predictor exam and it worked for them. I'm trying to find online how to find the ATI practice exams and found something for $400. I'm a very poor person and don't really know what else to do to pass. I plan to retake my exam in 6 weeks and I've already studied what I thought I was weak in (infection control) but CPR says that I'm near the passing standards.

Any advice guys? I might try the NCLEX app master ($30) or the CRAM book ($40). Someone advice me to do the hurst review plan again for free but I don't have the luxury to attend a 3 day lecture again :( I have the videos already since I signed up for the class. I'm doing 5th day materials again and the 35 page pdf.

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Specializes in MICU.

First of all, go to your local library they might have some of this nclex book for free with cd. I have kaplan, davis q&a and exam cram from library. I have been doing like 10 to 20 practice questions per day on each one of them and am starting nursing school this month lol. I only do basic fundamental questions and med administration. I want to be ready when I graduate.

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Hi male_nurse. What state are you in, if I may ask? The reason I ask is because in California, the California state board for nursing has their own practice exams. I haven't taken my RN yet (I'm currently in school for that) but took it for my LVN test and it really helped me out. The rationales really helped me thing, plus some of the questions on the practice were on my actual test, but worded differently (so I had an idea of what they were asking and looking for)

Check your state to see if they have something like that. The one for California is learningext.com.

I'm sure you will pass the second time, just take a breath and relax. Hope it helps. :)

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Hi male_nurse. What state are you in, if I may ask? The reason I ask is because in California, the California state board for nursing has their own practice exams. I haven't taken my RN yet (I'm currently in school for that) but took it for my LVN test and it really helped me out. The rationales really helped me thing, plus some of the questions on the practice were on my actual test, but worded differently (so I had an idea of what they were asking and looking for)

Check your state to see if they have something like that. The one for California is learningext.com.

I'm sure you will pass the second time, just take a breath and relax. Hope it helps. :)

Learninext is not from CABRN but from NCSBN ( national council if state boards of nursing) and is available to any candidate interested. The cost is relatively low and many are happy with the service

You can find the info here:

http://learningext.com

No state board of nursing offers NCLEX practice tests that I have ever heard of.

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thank you everyone for your help!

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i'm really considering the learning ext

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I would recommend DAVIS Q&A,great book using it to prepare for my boards.

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the nice thing about learningext.com is you can pay for as many weeks of study time you want so it appeals to many budgets.

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Doesn't Kaplan have a money back guarantee if you don't pass NCLEX the first time? I would definitely take advantage of their services again by re-mediating through their course and constantly doing their practice Qbank questions. Out of all the practice questions I used, Kaplan was the most like NCLEX. Especially look at the practice NCLEX questions that are in the Qbank area. I definitely would not keep wasting money buying more review books. Also, see if the nursing department at your school can loan you some of their prep books from their reference library as well.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Please do not forget to also work on test taking strategies in addition to your general studying for the next attempt. I think the fact that you were "near passing" in all areas points to the fact that you might actually know the material better than you think you do, but you may have an issue with simply answering questions the way the NCLEX presents them. The next time you go through your practice questions, look at the answers and then look at the questions to see if there are any key words or phrases in the question that would help you answer it. Then try answering questions by looking specifically for key words and phrases that may point toward the right answer.

Give it a whirl!

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Thank you so much for the advice guys! I greatly appreciate them. I'm doing kaplan q-trainers and reading rationales very well. I think I will use only kaplan and hurst on my test next month :D

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Specializes in ADN.

I would like to know if Kaplan strategies work for real NCLEX any time you see a question in the NCLEX RN exam the response is not based on pure content .in order to pass you need to answer analysis and application question The answers to questions are something similar of what you learn from some book or review .did you have same sensation .I didn't pass first time went through to 211 questions and run out of time .

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