Failed the NCLEX-RN for the 5th time!

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I just found out yesterday that I failed for the 5th time and here's whats even worse, I failed at 75 questions! Which means I am only getting worse each time I take it! I was so prepared and worked so hard and now all I want to do is crawl in a hole and never leave :( I was seeing a personal tutor whose past students all passed except me. I just sit down and freak out and can't concentrate! I am never going to full fill this dream that I thought was so close! I signed up for the PN exam today bc I feel as if I am never going pass the RN exam even after graduating from the nursing program here in WI.. I found out too that they raised the passing standard here to 95%! How can anyone have a chance to pass?! All my friends that passed after graduation only needed a 78-85% passing average. Does anyone think that I even have a chance to pass the PN exam?! Or any advice for me?! Please help! All I want more than anything in this world is to be a nurse.

Specializes in LTC, case mgmt, agency.
Sorry to hear you did not pass. I took my test on the same day too. I just checked my results and I did not pass and I'm an LPN. We work too hard to give it all up. My friend is going for her 6th time and she's an LPN. Don't give up, I've heard of people passing it after their 8th-10th time. I'm going for my 4th time. Good luck to you in what choose. :redbeathe

zaylee, so sorry to hear that.:( Have you tried Suzanne's Plan??? I know you are a smart person, I've seen your posts, so I know you can do this.

:icon_hug:Good luck!

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do not feel bad i am an lpn going now for the 9th time and hoping to be the last .i hope this makes you feel better it is funnny that i took lpn exam once and passed and it is taking me the 9time to pass

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The logical answer for someone to fail multiple times is that NCLEX is far removed from nursing school or many of the study aids and review courses out there.

Why it is this way is beyond me but understanding that this is the case allows one to let go of self inflicting guilt or misguided opinions of others.

That one would have to try hypnosis, anxiety techniques, or whatever means of passing only supports my claim. C'mon, a nursing school graduate is a well oiled study machine. We've been through so many hurdles and tests of all sorts that NCLEX should'nt be the monster that it is. Again my claim of NCLEX/school disconnect is supported.

The point I'm trying to make is that it's not you, it's not fate, should you still be a nurse, it's not anything other than a test very different from the way you trained in school.

Understanding this concept is half the battle.

The other half is to regroup with the study plan. Kaplan I find close to the style of NCLEX. I can only assume that you have a wealth of core information since you've been through it quite a few times though Saunders is great for that. The questions book is a great companion for the review book. Not quite NCLEX but great for making you think.

You have a degree. You have time and money invested. Sad that it has to be this way but if you choose to do so and I pray that you do, you will continue.

Best of luck to you. I support you as many others here do.

Somebody give me an A'men!!!!!!!

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Hello, I am so sorry to hear that. I know exactly how you are feeling right now as I have failed it 3 times now and felt the exact same way everytime. I know its hard but you have to find a way to pick yourself up again!

Give yourself a break for a week or two and then make a plan and stick to it.

Have you thought about doing suzannes plan. I am doing step 1 right now. I am finding the saunders book very helpful

Also, I dont know if you feel this way but after the first time I failed I believe I set myself up for failure the next 2 times because i lost confidence in myself.

Please dont give up, you aren't alone and we can do this.

Angie

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Specializes in Nurse Aid.

Zaylee , sorry to hear that you didn’t make it. Just stay positive and forces you will make it one day.:)

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Specializes in ER/Long Term Care.

Thank you everybody for your words of encouragement but the focus should be on ZeldaJane who originally stared this PM.

Zelda don't give up, as you can see many of us are in that same boat.

Good Luck, the Zs will get it.

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Thank you everyone for your responces... I am actually taking some time off and going to get back into the game of things and take it again... I have actually suffered from severe testing anxiety throughout my life and done extremely well in emergency patient situtations so I don't think that the two are a very good comparison. Also considering I am 25 years old and live at home with my Mother, and have taken care of her for 3 years now since she was diagnosed with Stage four colon cancer and the day before my exam I had to put my Dog down, and during the exam my door began to bleed and my Dr says it's all anxiety related so I think until you've experienced it yourself, you cannot judge... every good nurse I know or my Mother says shes ever had is a non-judemental one. I went to school with a girl who used to "apply oxygen to patient's stomas" and when someone once told her to milk the tubing she ran to the cafeteria and grabbed two gallons of milk and well she passed her boards the first time. She was recently fired for killing a patient due to a med error, so by her not having test anxiety and thinking "the nclex-rn isn't that hard" really didn't have anything to do with how she reacted in emergency situtations! I know a million Nurses out there who pass this exam and don't know a whole lot about patient safety.. so yes I am certain I have severe test anxiety. Kaplan told me a go test a few times now bc I was doing so well with their review course and yet I got to the exam center and my heart sped up and I could not think...

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Thank you all so much! It's good to know there are such amazing and kind Nurses out there with wonderful words of encouragement! You've all helped me greatly!! Thank you so much :)

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Specializes in ER/Long Term Care.

Sorry to hear about your mishaps. Hope things will be better for you the next time you take your test. Good luck.

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Come on...the NCLEX is not that hard. If a person gets THAT torn up just taking the test, how will they react with a patient emergency??

Sure it was stressful...a lot rides on the results. But nursing is as stressful if not more. And LIVES ride on the results of a nurse's actions/non-actions.

OP, I would advise you to take a break from even studying for NCLEX until your nerves are calmed. Then study a few hours a day and go over any questions you didn't understand. Don't try to know every little detail of every little thing. There are probably 20,000 questions available and no way to know each and every one of them.

Then calm down. Get up early and have a good breakfast (avoid sugar!!) before taking the test. Take it a question at a time. Take breaks if you have to. Do the best you can do and RELAX.

THAT DID NOT SOUND VERY NICE!!!!:argue:

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I feel for you. I took mine back in the days of the Dinosaurs but passed. I puked the whoe day before the event and all the next day knowing i had failed! I never saw so many medication questions in my life! LOL

In all honesty it is a good thing to have high standards back in 1989 when I took mine it was no different. Drove several hundred miles to take it did not know a soul dared not look around for fear of a Monitor thinking I was cheating somehow and was a nervous wreck the whole time.

My wife Hid the results of the test on me for mOnths and finally at Christmas she gave me a present in this huge box with another Box inside and so forth.... 4 boxs later I found this letter from the state Boards telling me I had passed the Exam. I was over whelmed thinking that I had just wasted all my time in school and was expecting a Failure notice form the state any time.

Cliff Notes, buckly down for Months what ever it takes to gain the information, go back to previous instructors and fellow class mates who you may have a good relationship with, if it was me I would get all the books possiable, cram Cram Cram.

Face facts if this is what you want to do you have to do something to give yourself an edge and the only real way to do that is to Pour over every Note taken, read every book possiable. move in with your folks if necessary to cram and Make it your JOB to Learn the information.. You must have an ideas of where your definicies are and focus on those areas diligently, have people test you with Mock exam questions of every concievable angle you can think of you really have no other choice...

There is no Majic Bullit or pill you can take to help you to better recall the information..

Some people have performance Anxiety when it comes to tests and lets face it this is the test to end all tests... nothing harder than nursing except Legal and Med school...

Buy self help tapes, work on your anxiety and above all dig for information talk about it make up test cards, buy test cards, learn the Meds backwards and forwards and cover everything possiable and every senerio possiable it is the only way to do it.

Your fortunate you have the Option to take it again count your blessings..

Best of Luck

:typing

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Hello,

Please dont give up, keep on trying and I am truly positive you will pass. I will be right here to cheers you :yeah:

good Luck!

Sweety RN

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