Failed, nclex rn 5 times! Help?!?!

[lystacy]

EVERYONE I need all the advice, suggestion, and help as much as possible! So I am completely bum-out and am starting to feel maybe I'm just not meant for a RN (as I am told by some people). I have just taken the NCLEX-RN and it's been more than 24 hours and am pretty confident that I FAILED it. I am trying to gather all my strength but it is so tough to get all that courage again. Starting to feel really discouraged! Has anyone taken their NCLEX-RN recently that FAILED 5 TIMES LIKE ME? Or, am I the only one?! I will tell you that I have taken the NCSBN 15 week course (didn't exactly finish all the practice questions), but reviewed all the contents in there as well as questions in both the Saunder and Lipprocotts booklet that relate to those contents reviewed both right and wrong rationales and even jotted down notes to review before the exam. With a part-time job, mother, and wife I put about 3 months into this whole reviewing/studying contents etc. to make sure I went in with confident to pass this exam but in the end, I still didn't. I feel like I'm running out of choices here. The exam I took had about 3 SATA, no math, 2-3 really long paragraph (about 3-4 sentences long, which I thought I was in the passing level, perhaps?) and the rest was just about 1-2 sentence long. I didn't even make it pass 75 questions. That's terrible!!!! For those that have passed the nclex rn did you rec'd a lot of questions in paragraph form like 3-4 sentences long? Or perhaps 2-3? I'm sure 1-2 was just below or near the passing level. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE... I need the help all I can get what I can do differently, review differently etc. Anything will be GREATLY appreciated! Sounds really desperate but I am determine to pass this next time and if I don't I have no idea how to move on...

[Kymmylala]

Wow Mom to 4, you are a genius...and very bitter. Hopefully you are not mentoring/managing anyone. Perhaps a relaxation class will help improve your attitude.

[Palliative Care, DNP]

Because I disagree I am bitter? Ok I will take that. I don't consider myself a genius but I have busted my butt in every endeavor. If you buy tools why not put 100% into using them? Excuses are just that excuses. I believe it reflects poorly on our profession for people to be allowed 5-7 tries on the NCLEX and I won't be apologizing for that opinion. There is a reason everyone can't be a nurse.

[Red Kryptonite]

The states that allow endless attempts need to take responsibility and change their rules. After three fails, a nursing refresher course should be required. You're just letting people repeatedly flush $200 down the toilet, never mind money for umpteen different prep programs, if you don't do that.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

The states that allow endless attempts need to take responsibility and change their rules. After three fails, a nursing refresher course should be required. You're just letting people repeatedly flush $200 down the toilet, never mind money for umpteen different prep programs, if you don't do that.

The bolded parts are probably exactly why there aren't limits. It's a moneymaker for them and the prep companies.

I do agree that there needs to be a limit- 2x followed by mandatory remediation followed by the last attempt.

[Red Kryptonite]

Wow Mom to 4, you are a genius...and very bitter. Hopefully you are not mentoring/managing anyone. Perhaps a relaxation class will help improve your attitude.

"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

[enuf_already]

ToyaB..your argument is actually insulting to the OP. Passing the NCLEX means you have met the minimum standard (test score) required to be a nurse. Minimum is the key. A nurse can be brilliant or dumb as a rock and passing means that they made the cutoff (and it doesn't matter how many or what type of questions) that the board determined to be the minimum standard to be a nurse. Period.

We do not know whether the OP will be a great nurse because we do not have enough facts about her (I will assume OP is a female).

I don't know why these threads always turn into mudslinging towards nurses who point out that multiple failures need further intervention.

OP, I wish you well. Have you considered a tutor? Is there someone at your school who can help you with NCLEX type questions after you've evaluated where your previous weaknesses have been? Have you struggled or come close to passing in the same areas each time? Maybe having someone sit down with you, analyze what you were doing and what you need to be doing will give you a fresh start. Make sure when you read the question, you know what it is asking. Again, the best of luck to you.

[ToyaB]

Here I just needed to point out that none of the *experienced, knowledgeable RNs* resorted to name calling.

Well if the clog fits:sarcastic:... In any case, I'm not saying that the OP does not have a problem testing, but how some of you managed to make the leap to the OP having a lack of knowledge of basic content and not being cut out for nursing with the information given in the post is ridiculous.

I did say that the test is of "minimun competency", but that doesn't mean cake-walk, even for people who excelled in nursing school. And she may be better in practice than when sitting in front of a computer with application/analysis level questions. Maybe! I don't know either way. So you know what I did instead of assuming anything about her? I didn't. I just gave her what she asked for.

She asked for help with review and advice for how to proceed. I'm not sure if you read to original post, but she already has a team of nay-sayers. She didn't come here for that. She didn't come here to have people tell her she can't do it or that she's not cut out to be a nurse. She came here to ask "experience and knowledgeable" nurse about how to proceed. So again, if you're not giving her suggestions, it's not an entirely a bad idea for you to not say anything.

[Palliative Care, DNP]

Well guys at we can put on the licensed "clogs". Ok now see that was a dig :)

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Staff note: per our terms of service please debate the topic not the poster. Thanks

[lystacy]

Wow, okay everyone... I specifically came to this website to ask for feedback, "to do better" on my next examination, from nurses who have passed or still trying, their experiences and what they have tried that I could do to review/study differently. And I appreciate those that have given me that feedback, thank you very much! It is TRUE being a nurse means being so competent in many ways and to prove it through passing the NCLEX-RN examination speaks itself, but I am not ashamed to admit that failing for the 5th time doesn't mean I'm not going to be or will be a good nurse. I graduated from nursing school and that itself already speaks a lot for myself, yes, but to take the NCLEX-RN 5 times (as others may say)? Well - everyone has their own problems in life and we all (as differently as we are) managed life and stress so different in so many ways. So please, this post I have here is solely for the intention to give me feedback that you, when studying for your NCLEX-RN examination had found what to be most helpful or what you had done to help you get through the exam. So please, no more of the other comments. I already passed all these "put down" on myself. I appreciate the caring and thoughts from other people that came with the good intention, but my heart believes not to give up because I know when I get through this exam I can become a good nurse who will try to find information and solutions to care for my patients... just as I believe the same way I am trying to do right now for myself. So after this post, if anyone has any good feedback that may help me please do give otherwise I have to say to the others, thanks for the comments but please do keep them to yourself.

So, from the feedback I am hearing a lot of stuff and believes these are what I will try next time:

I will go to see what Kaplan has to offer about their test-strategies.

Instead of doing tons of questions perhaps will focus on breaking down the question and answering them, then will see if that differs from the way I have answered them before (perhaps I have focus too much on content and not go about answering the question...?)

Also, reach out for my nursing professor if I can get some help (right now I do not have a tutor).

Because I didn't finish all the NCSBN questions that was provided... I will attempt to try doing those questions again.

Right now I feel the contents are still fresh so I will review them tremendously and will try the above to see if there will be any improvements. Thank you everyone, but if anyone else has any other suggestions that may help please do give!

[mollymolly78]

I can imagine how frustrating it is to resit an exams for x number of times and not passing.

do not be discouraged but rather press on towards your goal. you would be a very good nurse, never give up keep reviewing you content and solve questions. i believe you shall sail through.

[BLAKEY2005]

I took NCLEX and pass on my 5th attempt. The first three times I was all over the place with my % areas of below above and near passing at the same site. I mostly review content since I believe that was my weakest. The 4th time I went to a different testing site and got my result fail again but this time my % were above passing in two areas and near in the next 6 with all 265 questions which was the first time. All the other times I got no more than 162 questions. So for my 5th attempts I did only questions using ATI and Kaplan. I also join the project nclex group on FB where the coach teaches us strategies of how to answer the questions. Whenever I got a question wrong I would read the rationale and then look up the topic in my Saunders book. I also went to a different testing site and I pass with a little over 100 questions. I make sure I time my self and read every single word of the questions because I always do speed reading so I slow it down. Don't give up you have to want it so bad like I did and put the time in to study, It can be done I did so can you!