Failed NCLEX 5 times

Published

i am so lost and need help. i work as a lpn and passed those boards the first time i tried 5 years ago. for the last two years i have studied and studied and i keep failing the boards for my rn. last week was the fifth time. i don't know what to do. i do all the pre tests and pass. a lot of my co-workers come to me for answers and i still fail. the first four test took me all 265 questions. this last test i thought i passed with flying colors. when it kicked off at 78 i thought finally. boy was i wrong i failed again. i don't know any one else who has failed this much. people are telling me now i should look into a different career. not sure if i should. i feel lost. what should i do?

Specializes in Geriatric.

People are not always wise when they talk and they don't think about how the person you are talking to will take what you say. To say to someone who feels down after failing their boards several time that they should look for another career is cruel and unthinking. Life and circumstance can cause people to be emotionally distracted and make unwise decisions that they would not normally chose if they were not upset. I failed my boards 3 times, however, I was dealing with the death of my son, 2 nephews and 1 niece. Give yourself a chance. You may need to go to a tutor to make sure your fast critical thinking is on track.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

moved to the NCLEX forum

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Don't let the discouragement get to you. Brush yourself off and try again. As long you do not give up, you will pass.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i feel the same way that you do. I took nclex last 2006, and I failed it. I never had the courage to take it again. Its almost 6 years since i practiced my nursing career and now I am still lost. I feel so depressed for not being able to practice my profession:( I worked for a call center company for quite sometime but it didnt made me happy bec I know what my heart truly loves to do. But the thing is, i feel like I will never be able to pass the nclex exam :( sorry if i sound to negative, its just how i am feeling right now. Thank you guys for listening(at least reading)..just venting out my frustrations.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

hang in there....you will pass this exam...people are jealous.how can they tell an LPN to try a different career when u are a nurse already...smh...my advice is dont ever tell anyone your test date again or when u have taken the nclex...... I remember when i failed the nclex the first time...all my co workers will be asking when are u going back for the exam? Etc etc...i got the feeling some wanted me to fail...when i passed the second time...i ONLY told a few people thay i passed and those same people who used to ask me wheb i was retaking it never told me "congrats" when they found out through the grapevine i passed.........as for getting back into studying try to find a content based review course like hurst and get your feet wet wit that to refresh your memory since u been out of school since 5 yrs ago....the knowledge is still there...you just need to pull it out...then start doing nursing questions and reading all the rationales right or wrong......... Good luck..i will post more tips if u need it....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

to twelle...i just reread your post...have u ever taken kaplan? Its 499 but they have great questions and a decision tree to help pass the nclex......it seems like you may have the content but kaplan may help u understand application questions and even motivate u b/c it was organized....good luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatric.

I took the Kaplan course and I scored very well, but I did not pass. It could have been anxiety that caused the mental block. I went to a tutor that was highly recommended. I did not think I would like her because she was abrupt and to the point. I passed with the min. Questions. She told me it wasn't that I didn't know the info, it was that I had little confidence in my knowledge so I over thought everything. Try not to be hard on yourself. Being a working LPN you have the knowledge, but your self confidence has taken a kick. Don't give up. Test in a different facility, and find a program or tutor that is different than what you have already done.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I took the nclex-RN many times too and failed. Pass my nclex-PN the first time too. after 6 months working as LPN I resigned save money for my RN and now am reviewing again for my nclex-RN. dont give up!!! THE LAST TIME YOU CAN'T AFFORD YOUR DREAM IS THE LAST TIME YOU TRY.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neurology/Adult Psych/Case Managment.

I'm so far from being perfect myself but what my Dad taught me is never give up on your passion!!!

If you breath and dream nursing then try to evaluate your past exams outcome. If you lack knowledge in certain area and pass the other then you are on a right track to catch up your weaker areas.

Other thing to do is to think how you study best and what methods do you prefer. I like to write and hear things, may be you like to visualize...

Schedule study time so you will not have any distractions. If you are good to study on your own - great, but if you like to study with somebody else who didn't pass exam as well or fresh nursing graduate - find that study partner.

Give yourself 2-3 month solid to study and set your exam in stone so you will not procrastinate from day to day. You need to eat every day and drink too, then consider your brain needs 15-25 NCLEX style questions every day before exam. You can't run full marathon overnight... Then add more to 50 for few weeks and 100 - 150 for last 2-3 weeks. No real world applications! This is the new way of thinking! Kaplan course or Saunders explains it very simple. Find study course you are most comfortable with, research your local nursing school or ask nursing school graduates - they are in the same boat as you are... :-)

You see with me... I was RN and had international practices for 6 years, then I decided to set my career a side to raise my two children. Since I've graduated it was long time ago (1989) and I decided to take Refresher RN course in our local community college. Unfortunately fire took our apartment complex in 2007 and we lost everything, my mother had a stroke and I was in court for my divorce at that time (it took me 5 years to fight for full custody but I won). At that moment I was emotionally and physically exhausted... I thought it's over for my nursing... but I finished that course, remarried again, recently we have a son and I can tell you it is never too late for study... if you have a vision. Can you imagine me... with three children all over me and piles of books on my desk? My son's first words would be Latin :-)

Personally I over estimated myself: first time I was so nervous that I took that exam just to get familiar with it, second time I was rushing to answer questions because of time limit...I thought... and confident of my previous clinical practice... Boy I was wrong!!! Now I'm darn ready, I will spend as much time as I need to think through every answer and possible outcome. You see... if you where sitting all 265 questions you could be so close to passing. My exam is in June 4th!!!

Don't call yourself a victim, raise that head up high and say to yourself: "I can do this!" You went through nursing school to nurture those who are in great need of your help... then be a knowledgeable nurse and not potential harm. Once you obtain that license you don't want to loose it!!! Go for it girlfriend!!!

If you need help please feel free to contact me!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MS, Tele, CM, Informatics.

DON'T GIVE UP. GO TO A LIVE REVIEW THAT WILL HELP YOU TIGHTED UP AREAS YOU ARE WEAK IN. I BET YOU JUST NEED TO REWIRE YOUR THINKING. Hurst review was great....only because the college I went to made you take it, that and saunders. Don't listen to the neg thinking. YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON CORE CONTENT....MED SURG IS THE BACKBONE OF THE NCLEX... Just need to attack the questions different. DO alive review. And use saunders book and cd with it. WHATEVER DO DON'T GIVE UP. AND KEEP YOURSELF AROUND POSITIVE PEOPLE.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I have also heard that practicing LPNs sitting for the NCLEX might not have an easy go of it because they are not answering the questions according to the "perfect world."

I haven't taken the NCLEX-RN yet, so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt. However, I did take the Kaplan course, and you really need to go back to basics: Maslow's, ABCs, assess before implementing if it's clear that the info provided is not enough to act, understand what the question is asking and ANSWER THAT QUESTION--not some other one you've made up in your mind with a "what if" scenario. Make sure you double check the setting and timing given in the questions and answers. Actual before potential. Physiological before psychosocial. Focus on the "here and now." Know the principles of therapeutic communication.

While you will benefit from knowing many disease processes and meds already through your experience, the priority questions require you to go back to basics. In real life, you'd do three things at once. In the NCLEX world, you can only do one. All answers will be correct, but which is the BEST one?

Good luck, and don't give up!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I took my exam this morning and tried the Pearson Vue Trick.. Got the BAD pop-up.. Cried my eyes out till I fell asleep.. Woke up an hour ago and came online to look for forums such as these and look for words of encouragement.. Because like you, I feel really down and out.

Anyway..... I'm still in the "mourning" phase but something tells me that we shouldn't give up. When you hit rock BOTTOM, there is no other way to go but UP.

I read this article a while ago and thought that it might give you a new perspective--

http://www.realityrn.com/blogroll/seasoned-with-sage/the-nurse-who-failed-the-nclex-6-times/1381/

Goodluck and I'll be praying for the both of us... :redpinkhe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion