FAILED NCLEX-RN

CAwant2be · Sep 28, 2011

i am sorry to hear about that. what is the raw score needed to pass the program? my lvn school is 90% needed to pass the exit exam.

let me know if you know of any centers or locations that help students with

situations like this.

yes, the priority questions, select all that apply, and moving the boxes in right order, and pictures are so overwhelming. because on the ati online practice test are not like that it’s more general with select the answer from the 4 answers or priority questions but they were easy like race or o2 situations.

i did exit cram, saunders, and ati books and cds and vid.

cheer up, retry in 45 days.

good luck to you.

copademantequilla · Oct 11, 2011

good luck to you as well and dont feel defeated by a test. Like my daddy said,"Is the world ending tomorrow? If not, life still goes on and the world will still spin so keep moving with it." I will be retesting for the forth time coming up soon and I refuse to know that all these years and 3 degrees later I can say I lost to a test... Keep that spirit in mind and Im sure we will both do fine. I have kaplan until december, NCLEX 4000, saunders books (ALL), Nclex for dummies, pearson Nclex-rn, and the list goes on. It may have been a matter of confidence and that needs to be built up first so have prayer and patience dearest...

scarface87 · Oct 11, 2011

Hey I felt your pain the first time I took the exam and failed. I was one of the top students in my graduating class and the one of three who failed the nclex. makes no sense lol.. The most important advice I can give you is to "SLOW DOWN". you have everything it takes to answer the questions right but your anxiety and stress take over that day and your mind shuts down. The first time i took it i was on two coffees, an energy drink and no breakfast, I remembered nothing walking out of the center it was that bad. I could barely get past the tutorial screens lol. Also i scheduled it at 8 am which was also a bad move because i didn't sleep until 3 and had to be up at 6 lol. Now for what I am telling you needs to be done for you to pass is the following. Schedule the exam in the afternoon, dont drink too much caffeine maybe one coffee and eat a granola bar or suck on candy in the morning ( i was to nauseous to eat so i had candy) and deep breathe, pray, or whatever relaxes you when you are getting anxious. During the exam GO SLOW. analyze every question especially the first 75 and the last 20 if you are getting close to 265. Dont panic! if you think your panicking stop close your eyes, breathe, talk to yourself, pray. Then open and continue. Remember you are going to get probably 50 percent wrong! its just to get past the easier questions is whats important and you can do that if you have a clear mind! I studied the kaplans book the first time and the strategies were good and are important but the content i found was not thorough. For the second time i did the mosbys CD by category I studied first all the questions in each category (i.e cardio,resp, etc) then did the quiz's and exams. It really boosted my confidence and helped me relax. Don't do anything in books. get comfortable on the computer.

nied16 · Oct 15, 2011

hi, I am new here. I just received my result yesterday and sadly I did not passed. Now I am planning to retake again. I did a lot of review from KAPLAN, SAUNDERS, LIPPINCOTT AND MOSBY including their question and answer review book. But I think that did not work out on me, I am very disappointed too as I don't know how to tell my family regarding this matter. During the exam I began to cram and I was palpitating when the computer didn't stop at 75 question and still continues until 265. I was terribly losing out of of control I don't know what to do. So much more when I realized I was the only one left on the 4th hour. I was perspiring a lot during this time, as I was trying to finish the questions. I was about to cry already when the computer stops at 265, thinking for my 2 daughter and my wife including my mother which I am taking care of at home.

please I wanna hear some advises if their is any, I don't know which one is the right move...

Blmartin82 · Oct 15, 2011

copademantequilla: you have such an amazing attitude!! i just found out today that i failed for the third time and reading your post gave me hope. thank you! my dad says the same thing...good bad or indifferent the sun will rise and set and no one dies if you don't pass. but thank you so much for all that hope!

starleviosa · Oct 16, 2011

Thanks to everyone who replied to this post. It made me feel better knowing that I'm not alone. A week after knowing that I failed my exam, my boyfriend for 3 years broke up with me. I actually felt like I was at the lowest point of my life. Noone thought that I would fail, nobody doubted my skills. Everyone believed that I will pass.

First of all, cry it out. Vent out. Go shopping, jog, pig out. Do anything that will make you happy.

But later on, I realized I just kept on praying and talking to Him, my friends and family have been supportive but it is through God that I felt that everything's gonna be okay. That it is okay to fail. I don't know how I ended up thinking this way, but when I was depressed I listened to Christian songs by Hillsong, Casting crowns and Nichole Nordheman. They seem to be speaking to me. And that's when I realized I have been talking with God more frequently.

I have began to gather myself and picked up the pieces. I really felt broken but I eventually felt that I am being whole again. What I realized was that it doesn't make me less of a person to fail in a test, I wasn't embarrassed anymore. People fail, it is part of life, we cannot win all the time. But it is on how you try to change things and make them better that really matter.

Sometimes life's gonna hit you in the head with a brick, but do not lose faith. God allows us to fail so we won't depend so much on our capacity, intellect and abilities. He teaches us to depend on Him.

Now when I'm praying for my exam, I am not praying to pass, I am not praying that the questions be easy. I am praying that His will be done.

I am now reviewing again, and I am planning to retake on November. If it is His will and if it is His plan for me, then it will happen. :)

nursegirl75 · Oct 16, 2011

HI I am sorry to hear about this. Please don't let one test deter you. If I may give you one piece of advice that a good friend of mine told me when I first started to study for my NCLEX. Stick to one study material and limit yourself to 2-3 books to pull resources from.

So I stuck with Kaplan and only had 2 great nursing books I knew that I could depend on plus having online google helps;). Not only did this help me concentrate on one type of study habit, but Kaplan was such a a great source to teach me how to read NCLEX questions, and avoid the trick answers. Whenever I needed more explanation from the rationales, I used my books to read more on the subject. And I only studied for about a month because sometimes if you go on studying for too long, you become too overwhelm and things you studied 2 months ago is hard to remember. Also by the 2 months your brain tends to turn to mush.

Remember: NCLEX is not just teaching content because it is nearly impossible to learn everything. It literally is. NCLEX wants to see if you have the ability to think as a nurse which is delegate, prioritize, and critical thinking skills. It is not about how many questions you practice on, but really if you understood why you got the question incorrect. For every question you got wrong, ask yourself why you chose that answer and what clues in the questions could have lead you to the correct answer. Kaplan's rationale really helped point me in the right direction. But you always need to find more information through your resource.

Thats was how I approach every incorrect practice question. I only did about 100 question a day because I spent a lot of time looking through my resources.

And it really was no joke when I sat for my NCLEX, my brain was literally programmed to look at the NCLEX questions and literally break it down into fragments, and I was able to spot the hints. I hope this helps in some ways. Remember, NCLEX is hype way too much and that is what psychs people out. Think of it as just another nursing exam but with just a bit more different than just a content-filled exam

nicomar · Oct 17, 2011

Hello all!

I'm new to nurses.com, but can definately relate to everyone. I recently graduated from a BSN program in May. With alot of family obligations going on, I did not begin studying until the end of June, and started out by taking a review course called Ready to Pass. I would recommend this course to anyone who would like to review content. It was 4 years of nursing school crammed into a week and basically gave you the guidelines for what is important to study and what is not. I spent the entire next 6 weeks studying 5-6 hours each day and took the weekends off. Apparently all of the studying did not pay off because I failed my boards when I took them mid August and have felt so crappy that I just can't focus. The entire summer studying I felt was such a waste and I didnt know where to start again.

For me, I felt I knew the material, but the questions seemed to be tricky. My computer shut off at 75 questions which made me feel relieved, only to find out when I went home and did the Pearson trick that I had failed. My life I felt was over. Still today, I havent even signed up to retake it. I am sooo afraid that I may fail again and I dont know how to help myself out of this hole I'm in. Any advice would be appreciated :)

Blessedone1 · Oct 18, 2011

Hello Everyone,

I finally decided to join after visiting this website numerous times. I failed NCLEX my first time with 75 questions last month. To my surprise, I felt numb and didn't really know how to respond. I thought I had studied sufficiently. Now in hindsight I see how my study partner and I didn't take the test as serious as we both should have. Since I've failed the test, I haven't picked up a book to study or anything. But tonight I had an epiphany that I needed to revamp everything from my study habits to my actions. Tonight, I just began to rethink everything I've done since I failed, I realized that I stopped going to church ( always been in the church) and began slipping back into some habits I had kicked. I had gotten into the mindset that since Im only 21 years old, I can just enjoy my senior year of college and actually have fun for once. I went to the gym tonight, which made me think of everything and realized that I can't continue this downward spiral. I talked to my parents and they said whatever it takes they would pay for anything for me to pass. I purchased the LaCharity PD&A last month and they said they would pay for Kaplan. I went to a Hurst Review, but felt it was geared toward content. So now I'm going to use all these resources and the Saunders CD and pray and lean on God to help me pass NCLEX by Christmas. Plus add in some exercise, church, and meditation :)

mischa084, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

Hello all...

Im sorry to hear about your current struggles.. i havent passed and taken the nclex yet ( will take it on February so its gonna be 3months review for me ) but i know that with continuous effort and faith, we can make it.These are just temporary setback.. maybe there is something that we have failed to do, or missed to do.. Lets always include God in our present struggles and life will be lighter, and we can get up and continue.. The most imporatant part is not give up studying hard and trying to PASS the NCLEX.. We can do this!

Proud_RN · Oct 31, 2011

Hi everyone! First, I want to say that I TRULY know how you all feel. I failed Nclex the first time I took it back in July. I had all 265 questions and had a feeling that I did not pass (even though I knew the last question I got was right). It is all a Myth! My mistake was that I listened too much to what others had to say about the exam. The whole getting 75 vs. 265 questions, being able to tell that you’re passing if you get a lot of select all that apply/prioritization, etc… I had tons of those during my first exam but to my surprise, still failed. I retook the exam in 45 days (first week of September) and once again, received all 265 questions…. Went home and tried the PVT and got the ‘good pop up.’ I was calmer the second time around. I reminded myself of the following: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11 I went to church the Sunday before the exam. I still took it at 8am but made sure that I woke up early the day before my exam so that I would be tired and fall asleep at a reasonable time the night before my exam (11pm).I did light studying the day before the exam (barely did questions.)

I went into the exam expecting to take all 265 questions and I did! As long as the computer kept giving me questions I knew I was still in the running. I read each question carefully, eliminated the two that I really didn’t like, re-read the question, chose the best answer, then went on to tackle the next question. I prayed several times before and during the exam. I also took the mini breaks they offered (prayed again) and also turned off the timer and question # (peaked occasionally for time sake).

I still used Saunders 5th edition for content, Lacharity prioritization delegation and assignment, and this time used NCLEX 3500 (there is a free link on allnurses.com that you can download). I would practice questions by system and really try to understand why I got a question right vs. wrong so I read EVERY rationale. If I got it wrong because I simply did not know the content, I used Saunders to help me clarify those concepts. I REALLY wanted it the second time around. I prayed hard every day, not only to pass, but to have the strength, knowledge and patience to pass this exam.

I left the exam hoping that I had passed, but not fearful of failing! I reminded myself before trying the PVT that if I failed, at least I could keep retaking it every 45 days until I passed!!! So I tried PVT and got the good pop up. One thing that helped me feel calmer was not telling my friends or family when I retested. I only told my husband this time (he is amazing)! So DON’T GIVE UP! IT CAN BE DONE AND IT WILL BE DONE!!! You are all smart enough to pass this exam, you got through nursing school and we know how brutal that was!!! GOOD LUCK, I’m praying for all of you!

P.S. Said this prayer several times a day and during my exam!!!

“O St. Joseph of Cupertino who by your prayer obtained from God to be asked at your examination, the only preposition you knew. Grant that I may like you succeed in the (here mention the name of Examination eg. History paper I ) examination.

In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked.

O St. Joseph of Cupertino pray for me

O Holy Ghost enlighten me Our Lady of Good Studies pray for me

Sacred Head of Jesus, Seat of divine wisdom, enlighten me”