Failed NCLEX-RN, Had New Grad Position Lined Up... Please Help Me

[Temcam7409]

Hi Everyone,

I feel so lost and scared, please help me. I am embarrassed to tell the facility that offered me the job, my family, and friends that I failed. I took my NCELX- RN today and got the "bad" pop up. I graduated from nursing school this past May, 2011 and had a New Grad position lined up in April at the facility where I did my preceptorship.

I drove to an adjacent state to take my NCLEX, as soon as I could (which was 4 weeks after I graduated), used the last of our savings money to make this trip happen.

I took the Hurst Review, used ATI, and studied using Saunders CD-Rom. I shut down my facebook account and dedicated my time to studying for the NCLEX. The first time I took the ATI predictor, it said I had a 65% chance of passing. The second time I took the ATI predictor, it said I had a 91% chance of passing. I took all of the Hurst QReview questions and was averaging around 63%. I wrote down rationales and reviewed and tried to learn what I did not already know. But obviously, I did something wrong.

I took 5 hours and 45 minutes and got to 265 questions. By the time I was done, I was drained, exhaused, and mortified. I just couldn't focus anymore.

I have read on the NCSBN that 91% of NCLEX-RN takers pass their first time ad only around 50% pass the second time around. This just kills me inside. I am so afraid of never getting my RN or having to take it 10x!!

My questions are:

1. How could I have failed?

2. How can I pass next time, and beat the statistics against me?

3. How am I going to tell my "employer" that I didn't pass? I am supposed to meet with the HR person on Monday morning at 9am to discuss scheduling, etc.

This has been the worst day ever. Please help give me some direction. I have no plan of what to do next.

Thank you so much.

[N1colina]

Hey-just wanted to add, I highly recommend buying Kaplan, as well. I used the 2011-2012 strategies, practice, and review book to prepare me for my RN boards. I also used Kaplan to study for my LPN boards back in '06. I failed my first LPN boards, with the max questions: 205, so I do know what it is like....I retook it after buying Kaplan, and passed with the minimum 85 questions Good luck to you. You CAN do this!

[eboog20]

Just be honest with your employer. You will be surprised at how they respond. I know it seems embarrassing, but they will respect u more if u r honest with them. They may even be willing to work with you as far as lietting you work as a patient care tech while preparing for ur next test. ALSO, they may be willing to give u more resources to help you pass the next time. I say this because I failed my nclex-rn 3 times. I was so bombed out and discouraged. BUT once I pulled myself together, I applied for a job at the hospital as a secretary. Im "overqualified" for the job, but during my interview I told the supervisor that I graduated with my BSN, took the nclex 3 times and failed, am really discouraged, BUT I really needed the job (for money). She said she wasnt gonna let me give up and that she would do everything in her power to help me be successful. SHe hired me, and I started working...she asked me everyday "have u signed up for the test" lol Im like...NO Im too nervous. Well, she ended up paying for me to take and nclex class (hurst...free of charge for me). Made me schedule my nclex, and offered me a nursing job after i passed. :) She had SO much faith in me. I just took my nclex tuesday..im currently at work and I just checked pearson vue and got the GOOD POP UP!!!! I cannot WAIT to share the good news. :) I say all of that to say...BE HONEST!!! God has brought u this far and He wont leave u now. U never know how much they will be willing to work with you. Pick urself up, regroup, and move forward. It will be worth it!!!! Blessings..

[tinatlc34]

get the book exam cram, thats all I used and I passed on the 3rd try.

[lisa0615]

God Bless..I hope everything works out..I take my boards on Thursday!!:redbeathe

[RaychelW]

I also recommend Kaplan!

[caliotter3]

Hope the OP passed NCLEX and is happily working at the same job.

[DaveBSN]

ATI's pretests in many cases are full of incorrect and outdated information. Their post-graduation 3 day NCLEX review is a dog & pony show. I relied solely on that review and the material provided to take my NCLEX and I failed. ATI is a tool used by schools to maintain their accreditation and nothing more. ATI is about making money and I have even had a professor of mine admit to me that she was fairly sure that nurses were not making up the content on the ATI tests. I have taken 100's of snapshots of ATI questions with snipping tool (found in windows 7) and shared them with nurses who flat out say they are wrong! For instance, ATI believes that nurses are the ones who ensure a patient understands a surgical procedure they have upcoming when in fact that is the physicians responsibility. ATI also does not know the difference between side effects and adverse side effects. ATI believes that nurses are responsible for helping victims of physical abuse develop escape plans the next time they are abused. Of course, ALL of these are WRONG. All their NCLEX review did for me was have me study materials I wasn't even tested on when I took my NCLEX. ATI is a complete waste of time and effort. I graduated an accredited university with a Bachelors in Nursing with a 3.25gpa and failed the NCLEX because I relied on ATI to provide a quality review and used their materials to study. What I got turned out to be a bad joke and now a horrible situation. There's a reason ATI doesn't want anyone copying their questions on tests. There's a reason ATI reps won't speak directly to students. There's a reason you can never get a nurse on the line to speak to at ATI. They are trying to cover up the fact that they are in the business of making money, not educating students.

[DaveBSN]

I graduated on the deans list with my BSN and relied soley upon ATI's NCLEX review to prepare me for the NCLEX and failed it. As it turns out, ATI's NCLEX review gives you nothing but a false sense of security and does not at all represent what is on the NCLEX at all.. It's a dog and pony show. If anyone intends on relying upon ATI, I would suggest you do not.