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...
Dear lystacy, I am writing to tell you don't give up hope! Don't you dare listen to those people that say you are not meant to be a nurse! That's BS! I don't normally post on forums but I am this time because I want to give you hope! I failed 4 times but I have just recently passed the RN NCLEX 3 weeks ago. If I can pass so can you!! I was an Lpn here but trained abroad as an RN so I found it very difficult. I did everything you did except I used Nursys and just started to concentrate on the questions. I also took my repeat almost 45 days to the day after my last exam. I feel this was the key as I was waiting 6-8 months to retake it. I found that I would forget all that I studied and actually did worse on the next exam! I don't think you can really study for this exam as I have been an RN since 1990! I found that you have to get into the 'heads' of the people writing the questions and the rationale behind their answers. I spent so much money on courses but what really helped me was free! It was the online free questions and the question of the day by Lippencot. Save your money!! just concentrate on answering as many questions as you can and you will get it! I failed on 75 questions on the first time, 75 the second time, 265 and the full 6 hrs the 3rd time, 75 the fourth time and passed on the fifth time with 265 questions and the full 6 hrs! My advice for the exam is take your time - there is no rush, take all the breaks they offer you and go the bathroom, eat a source of protein ( I ate trail mix) and drink plenty ( I drank flavored water that had just enough glucose to keep me going! This will help you concentrate and stay focused. Above all, believe that you will pass - think positive and don't listen to anyone else's negativity. Keep me posted on how you have done- I know you will come back with a pass and one very happy nurse! Good luck! Susanne RN
I agree! Wow! You guys call yourselves nurses?! Where is the compassion? This is just a test ans only that! It doesn't tell you who is going to be a good nurse or not? Let's get real. I have over 30 years of nursing experience and have been a credit to my profession as voted by my peers and I found this test very difficult not because I didn't know the content- to the contrary, I know my content well! It was how the questions are phrased! Some of them don't even make sense nor are even correct! Yes you are right when you say nursing is about saving lives but I would take the nurse with the experience, wisdom and compassion over the nurse who is good at passing exams and has no experience. How many of these kinds of nurses to you know? Well, Iv'e seen plenty and maybe they are in the wrong profession!! Get over yourselves! Maybe those nurses should take a class in compassion and caring for your colleagues!
OP, you asked for suggestions from experienced, knowledgeable nurses. Ok....I'll bite :)
With each failure notice comes a CPR (Candidate Performance Report). This is the one piece of information that will tell you where you are failing to meet the standard, and it's the one piece of information that you need in order to formulate a new plan of study.
NO ONE can tell you what to do to pass the exam without at least knowing what YOU know about why you aren't passing. You must demonstrate a minimum competency in each of the very specific areas of knowledge; where are you weakest? Where do you need to start?
After considering that, consider that you are unlikey to pass on your own at this point. Not being mean, I'm being quite honest: without a tutor helping you through this I just don't see your passing as a likely possibility. Have you contacted your school program, to see what they might be willing to do to help you? Most schools are always keeping an eye on their NCLEX passing rates, and someone like you (who has failed multiple times) doesn't help their stats. They may put you in touch with someone who can help you on a more 1:1 basis.
Lastly, and this is a hard one to swallow, but it is true that sometimes people do get through their nursing programs but just cannot get past this exam. Only a small percentage of the time, but if it's happening to you of course that's the only thing of importance! But yes, it MAY BE that this won't pan out for you. Have you considered what other options you might pursue if nursing just doesn't come up in the cards for you?
This isn't negative, it's reality, and it's meant to be helpful. Chew it over a bit, and see what you think.
I passed on my 5th attempt and currently sit on the ICU board at my hospital. I've also been a Nurse Manager for 3 years. Obviously, my failed attempts have NOT determined the type of Nurse I have become. If anything, the failures made me see how much more I wanted that RN title so I continued to bust my behind. I've seen Nurses who passed on the first time STRUGGLE. One was googling the difference between hypo/hyperglycemia...hypo/hypertension on her cell phone our first day on the floor. Some couldn't even give a normal Na+ range and these were LICENSED RNs.. I'm not exaggerating. DO NOT listen to these snarky nurses criticizing the attempt limit. Great for them if they passed the first time. Unfortunately others aren't as lucky. If this is what you want, continue on that path. Don't let the rude remarks of others deter you from your dreams. Don't give up & I wish you nothing but the best.
PS: QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS! Until you're blue in the face, BUT read them each thoroughly. Read the rationales for the answers, even for the questions you got right. It will help immensely.
Well said, I dont care there should not be a cap on the number of times you take the exam. "who cares" ITS THERE MONEY. People who criticize others for failure need to re evaluate there situation. she should read your post over and over because you are truely the meani g of hard work does pay off. I am a new nurse so who am i to judge. I passed, after failing it doesn't make me a better or worse nurse than the person who passed the 1st time with 75 questions. Good for them, but do not jugde someone that you do not know personally.
I'm sorry to hear that but don't give up. My aunt took it seven times and on her 7th attempt that's when she passed. I myself is getting ready to take the NCLEX for the 1st time. Good luck to you and myself and the the rest.
Maybe someday. But not until that pesky NCLEX has been passed.
You took the words right out of my mouth! The OP asked for help, not for anyone to jump all over her confidence with both freaking feet! She may be an excellent nurse. She may be a horrible tester. You all keep saying that the NCLEX test basic knowledge and that is not entirely true. It test "minimum competency" and for a nurse there is nothing "basic" about that!
This is not kindergarten we're talking about. This is critical thinking.So if you're not going to offer the OP "help" (which IS what she asked for) then keep your demeaning, snarky, and flat out ignorant comments to yourselves!
OP, I am studying for the NCLEX now and I am also a mom who works full-time. I am using Kaplan. I'm not sure if you've done that, but they have great tools to help you see where your weak spots are and their decision tree has helped to improve my score on their content as well as on other's questions (including Saunders and various NCLEX quiz apps). DO NOT lose heart if nursing is what you want. You made it through nursing school with all of the time and effort it takes, and that means a lot!
Identify your weak spots and focus on them, REVIEW, REVIEW, and REVIEW again, then go into this test and TAKE YOUR TME really seeing what each question is asking you. If your issue is focus and you can only get through 25 questions before going to LalaLand or Panicville, take an unscheduled break. You can do that. I wish you the best of luck and I will pray for your strength. You'll need that especially with all of these Negative Nancy Nurses on here.
who cares, thanks for the english lesson though...........I know the difference, im just not putting emphasis on grammer right now. Oh! I guess that makes me a horrible nurse right?
who cares, thanks for the english lesson though...........I know the difference, im just not putting emphasis on grammer right now. Oh! I guess that makes me a horrible nurse right?
Nope, just makes you look unprofessional in your communications. But if you don't care about that, carry on....
susanne.miller
10 Posts
Dear lystacy, I am writing to tell you don't give up hope! Don't you dare listen to those people that say you are not meant to be a nurse! That's BS! I don't normally post on forums but I am this time because I want to give you hope! I failed 4 times but I have just recently passed the RN NCLEX 3 weeks ago. If I can pass so can you!! I was an Lpn here but trained abroad as an RN so I found it very difficult. I did everything you did except I used Nursys and just started to concentrate on the questions. I also took my repeat almost 45 days to the day after my last exam. I feel this was the key as I was waiting 6-8 months to retake it. I found that I would forget all that I studied and actually did worse on the next exam! I don't think you can really study for this exam as I have been an RN since 1990! I found that you have to get into the 'heads' of the people writing the questions and the rationale behind their answers. I spent so much money on courses but what really helped me was free! It was the online free questions and the question of the day by Lippencot. Save your money!! just concentrate on answering as many questions as you can and you will get it! I failed on 75 questions on the first time, 75 the second time, 265 and the full 6 hrs the 3rd time, 75 the fourth time and passed on the fifth time with 265 questions and the full 6 hrs! My advice for the exam is take your time - there is no rush, take all the breaks they offer you and go the bathroom, eat a source of protein ( I ate trail mix) and drink plenty ( I drank flavored water that had just enough glucose to keep me going! This will help you concentrate and stay focused. Above all, believe that you will pass - think positive and don't listen to anyone else's negativity. Keep me posted on how you have done- I know you will come back with a pass and one very happy nurse! Good luck! Susanne RN