Failed Nclex for second time

Published

So, I retook my NCLEX yesterday. I got the 265 questions again and when I did the PVT trick it gave me to good popup and about an hour later it gave me the dreaded bad pop up. :arghh: This morning I checked the site and saw the results...FAIL! I don't know what to do. I totally changed my way of studying and used the nclex mastery app and did over 2000 questions. (Used Kaplan first time) I wrote down rationales and reviewed what I was weak in. When I started the test the questions seemed on the easy side. When I got to 75 I was expecting it to shut off but no such luck. I am just devastated, embarrassed and disappointed. Most of what I went over was not even on the exam. I got a ton of SATA, and lots of priority and some delegation. I also go quite a few questions telling me what to include in a staff meeting or teaching. I don't have the face to tell anyone at work that I haven't been able to pass my NCLEX. I am in Florida so if I don't pass the next time I don't know what I can do because I can not afford to do a remedial program and wait months to retest. I'm sorry for such a depressing post. :cry:

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the NCLEX forum

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
So, I retook my NCLEX yesterday. I got the 265 questions again and when I did the PVT trick it gave me to good popup and about an hour later it gave me the dreaded bad pop up. :arghh: This morning I checked the site and saw the results...FAIL! I don't know what to do. I totally changed my way of studying and used the nclex mastery app and did over 2000 questions. (Used Kaplan first time) I wrote down rationales and reviewed what I was weak in. When I started the test the questions seemed on the easy side. When I got to 75 I was expecting it to shut off but no such luck. I am just devastated, embarrassed and disappointed. Most of what I went over was not even on the exam. I got a ton of SATA, and lots of priority and some delegation. I also go quite a few questions telling me what to include in a staff meeting or teaching. I don't have the face to tell anyone at work that I haven't been able to pass my NCLEX. I am in Florida so if I don't pass the next time I don't know what I can do because I can not afford to do a remedial program and wait months to retest. I'm sorry for such a depressing post. :cry:

This is where you probably went wrong. This is just my opinion, but it makes no sense to review that many questions. If you understand the rationale behind a few different areas, I mean TRULY UNDERSTAND, there would be no need to get bogged down with that many questions. The NCLEX is so broad that you have no way of knowing which 75-265 out of thousands of questions that could be asked.

When I studied for the exam, I used Kaplan's Strategies Practices & Review. It had 3 full-length practice exams in the back of the book. That is a total of 795 questions. I completed only one of the exams in its entirety, and part of the second...I never even attempted the third. If time is spent on truly understanding the questions and answers (right and wrong), the information should be mastered instead of the quantity. Memorizing questions and answers is definitely not the way to go. That's what I think you may have done, intentionally or not, as indicated by the statement "nothing I reviewed was even on the exam". I'm some of it had to be there if you went over 2000 questions; you just didn't recognize the questions or answers in a paraphrased scenario.

I literally read each question, reviewed the correct answer, closed my eyes to think about what I knew about the disease process to make the connection as to how Kaplan arrived at the answers they said were correct. Sometimes, I spent 20 minutes or more on one question until I figured out the missing link between the question and the answer. Using my method, it would have taken me all year to prepare for the NCLEX if my goal was to answer as many questions as I could. No, I wanted to understand the concepts of the few rather than guess at the answers of the many. I studied for one month after receiving my ATT and scheduling my exam. Give it a try and don't move on to the next question until you truly understand what the questions are asking and how they arrived at the correct answer. Then, compare it to your answer so that you will understand where you went wrong in your understanding. That way, you won't make the same mistake on the NCLEX.

Good luck on your next attempt. I'm sorry to hear that you'll have so much more riding on this third attempt.

Hello! I am truly move with your post. I am so sorry for your result. Please this is not a time for you to give up or get depressed, some people have gone through what you are getting through now and yet they made it. If the materials you used mainly is the mastery app then i don't think it is enough. You need to figure out where your weakness in the exam is arising from, is it content or strategy? As for me i have not taken the nclex but am just making up my mind to figure out where to start studying knowing i need content to start with. Do not rush to write again, first find out what will work for you. I heard Saunders is good, Kaplan good for strategies, and most of all UWORLD. I think you need to check on these ones. And again i learnt that it is better to focus on the questions in front of you than thinking about the number that the exam will stop, be there expecting the 265 question and if it happened to stop before then that good too. Turn and put your trust in God and HE will be there for you. I believe that our fellow nurses here will be responding to your post with whatever help they could give. I am proud with the group here at allnurses. Good luck to you.

This is where you probably went wrong. This is just my opinion, but it makes no sense to review that many questions. If you understand the rationale behind a few different areas, I mean TRULY UNDERSTAND, there would be no need to get bogged down with that many questions. The NCLEX is so broad that you have no way of knowing which 75-265 out of thousands of questions that could be asked.

When I studied for the exam, I used Kaplan's Strategies Practices & Review. It had 3 full-length practice exams in the back of the book. That is a total of 795 questions. I completed only one of the exams in its entirety, and part of the second...I never even attempted the third. If time is spent on truly understanding the questions and answers (right and wrong), the information should be mastered instead of the quantity. Memorizing questions and answers is definitely not the way to go. That's what I think you may have done, intentionally or not, as indicated by the statement "nothing I reviewed was even on the exam". I'm some of it had to be there if you went over 2000 questions; you just didn't recognize the questions or answers in a paraphrased scenario.

I literally read each question, reviewed the correct answer, closed my eyes to think about what I knew about the disease process to make the connection as to how Kaplan arrived at the answers they said were correct. Sometimes, I spent 20 minutes or more on one question until I figured out the missing link between the question and the answer. Using my method, it would have taken me all year to prepare for the NCLEX if my goal was to answer as many questions as I could. No, I wanted to understand the concepts of the few rather than guess at the answers of the many. I studied for one month after receiving my ATT and scheduling my exam. Give it a try and don't move on to the next question until you truly understand what the questions are asking and how they arrived at the correct answer. Then, compare it to your answer so that you will understand where you went wrong in your understanding. That way, you won't make the same mistake on the NCLEX.

Good luck on your next attempt. I'm sorry to hear that you'll have so much more riding on this third attempt.

Thank you for your reply. I believe that I am having trouble with the strategy part. What I meant by most of what I went over the exam wasn't even on there was that most of the questions were more about what I would include in a staff meeting and even what statements would make me an assertive communicator. I have heard about that Kaplan strategy book that you mentioned and am planning on getting it. I am also going to get UWORLD. I have always been told to do as many questions as I can and remediate them all. This time I will focus more on the concept and make sure I get the ins and outs of it. Again thank you for your input!!

Hello! I am truly move with your post. I am so sorry for your result. Please this is not a time for you to give up or get depressed, some people have gone through what you are getting through now and yet they made it. If the materials you used mainly is the mastery app then i don't think it is enough. You need to figure out where your weakness in the exam is arising from, is it content or strategy? As for me i have not taken the nclex but am just making up my mind to figure out where to start studying knowing i need content to start with. Do not rush to write again, first find out what will work for you. I heard Saunders is good, Kaplan good for strategies, and most of all UWORLD. I think you need to check on these ones. And again i learnt that it is better to focus on the questions in front of you than thinking about the number that the exam will stop, be there expecting the 265 question and if it happened to stop before then that good too. Turn and put your trust in God and HE will be there for you. I believe that our fellow nurses here will be responding to your post with whatever help they could give. I am proud with the group here at allnurses. Good luck to you.

Hi there! Thank you so much for your kind words. I will get UWORLD and Kaplans strategies book as well. Hopefully that will help me this time! Good luck with your studying!!

YWC. With those type of questions as you stated, you need to read more about leadership in nursing, try do as many questions as you can on leadership and advanced communication. Saunders has many of those question too. Best of luck!

hello. i have a question. What if my computer shut off at 199 or 200... what are the odds of me passing or failing that? i didnt run out of time tho... im so scared.. i took the nclex pn and the maximum questions you could get is 205.

hello. i have a question. What if my computer shut off at 199 or 200... what are the odds of me passing or failing that? i didnt run out of time tho... im so scared.. i took the nclex pn and the maximum questions you could get is 205.

Hi there. Did you find out if you passed or not. I don't think you can determine if you pass or fail by the number of questions you get. I hope you passed!!!! Good luck!!!

not yet.... i hope so too... ive read on other resources that if the computer shut off before reaching the maximum questions, there's a good chance you'll pass but im not sure if that's reliable. im just hoping that i pass my exam í ½í¹í ¼í¿½

not yet.... i hope so too... ive read on other resources that if the computer shut off before reaching the maximum questions, there's a good chance you'll pass but im not sure if that's reliable. im just hoping that i pass my exam ������������

Did you try the Pearson vue trick?

they say it doesnt work now since the pearson vue has been updated when it comes to that.

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