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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?
I know you've failed NCLEX five times, but first I say don't give up. It is hard and you may become hard on yourself. Celebrate! Go celebrate yourself for the accomplishment that you have not given. You have shown up at a pearson vue for 5 times, You took the test, celebrate!. I admire you for doing such. Believe in yourself again.
Take a week or two off. Get a Suanders book with CD and start from page one. Read from cover to cover. Study 1 chapter at a time. Spend atleast 4-5 hours reading and 1-2 hours answering questions from the CD. Set a goal for yourself. Start date snd finish date. Don't rush it. The one thing no one can take away from you is that you are a nurse and you will always be a nurse. One last thing that is is most important is to pray. Pray before studying and after studying. God did not bring you this far to leave you hanging. Nursing school was a challenge and you completed it. For NCLEX think like and RN, not an LPN. Answer your questions as you already are an RN.
I look forward to hearing you have passed your NCLEX.:yeah:
Don't give up on yourself! If your heart is set on nursing as a career, then keep trying one day you will get there. There are many on this forum who have been in your shoes and overcame the 'beast' that we have to pass to get to enjoy our passion. Consider all the advice that you've been given and chose what works best for you and go with it, just don't throw in the towel!
Dnt give up!! Keep trying.. Maybe god has his own purpose thats why he didnt give it yet.. In time you'll find out why. I had my friends intructor in Rn took nclex rn for 10 yrs before she passed.. She never give up and now she decided to be an instructor to share her knowledge and experience for those in need.. Dnt forget to pray because he'll guide you in everyway i know its easy to say but god will guide you.. Keep trying.. Goodluck.
TO THOSE THAT HAVE FAILED THE BOARD YOU CAN PASS IT....Stop thinking Neg....Stay around positive people and learn from your mistakes. You all worked so hard in nursing school. Your goal of becoming an RN or LPN is only heart beats away.
How I passed my RN boards on the 1st try
1. Keep positive
2. Make a planner for study time you need atleast 2-3 weeks of study time for boards at this point I would
suggested 4 study days a week for 4-5 hours per day.
3. Don't invested on alot of different study books more confusing no more than two pieces of material. I only had
Saunders exam book and I did have a Hurst live review which my college paid for.
4. With the saunders book start at the being and do three sections a day. Things you feel good about don't
hang over. Move on to the next sections. Make sure you know that med surg. Read the review pages then
do the questions and read rationals for each. Then do thirty mins to hour worth of cd questions that
come with the book during the last hour of your study session per day.
5. Do this for for the next 2-3 weeks....Also talk systems out loud to help you get the information correct in
your head this will help when your looking at that computer screen at boards.
6. Keep yourself on track say if you find yourself missing hours of study then look over your planner and make
adjustments. Make sure you have noise free place to study. I went to the library on study days even so
I could study at home it just made you want that license even more....making the extra effort.
7. Go chapter by chapter....then as say week two goes by when you do your study cd questions start to mix
them up by adding in different systems. Remember to read the rational. Do atlest 50-60 questions aday
8. Four days before you take the board do the exam in the very back of the book you will feel like I got this and
Bush on material for no more than a hour....continue to do the cd for 30 mins. This helps you focus when
you have to be in the room looking at the computer screen.
9. The day of the exam eat a good meal healthy....10 mins before going in eat almonds if you can, or some type
protein bar. Read every question slow...and don't focus in on the clock or what question your on...Its ok to
look from time to time but don't consume with it. Some people get the whole test and pass and so on...
Myself I had eighty questions for RN. When I did my LPN...I had hundred. Look for the hints in the
the questions. Also if you can afford a hurst review on line or live being you have been unsuccessful I say
do it. It will be the best money you might spend. Remember you can't know all the questions.
10. Wait a few days and call the 1800 number to see if you passed my state doesnt do the pop up thing have to
call the board in 48 hours and the automated system tells you. READ BELOW PLEASE.
TO HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF PASSING KNOW YOUR CORE CONTENT such as med surg, renal, endo, resp, GI, GU, cardio, dieases, labs, delegation, priority, study select all that apply ...LOOK AT THE NEW FORMAT FOR THE 2011 NCSBN. MED SURG IS THE BACK BONE SINCE THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON IN ALL THE QUESTIONS. Touch over ob/and peds(complications). DON'T STUDY STUFF YOU KNOW WELL...THAT IS WASTING YOUR STUDY TIME. Dont waste your time with the easier questions, you know thoses...Its up to you as the nurse to attack the questions direct. USE THE SAUNDERS BOOK WITH THE CD if you don't have something already. Go over the sections and do 60 questions a day from each body system. Read the sections in the saunders helps to fill in the grey areas along with the cd. Talk out your concepts aloud to get them in your head so you can pull them back up when you take your exam. Know basic pharm tie that in with disease can help you remember it better...same goes for labs. Remember just because you have a nurse floating to the floor with 10 yrs exp....she or he stills needs the most stable patient. RN can only do teaching so remember that when you look at discharge and admissions....in the nclex hospital. NO GOOD QUESTIONS on NCLEX(SOMETHING HAPPENING IN ALL OF THEM)....PROBLEMS YOU NEED TO FIX. READ CAREFUL, LOOK FOR KEYWORDS. THINK WHAT IS THE BEST, SAFE, AND WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU ATTACK THE QUESTION. Remember we want to correct a problem in the early signs of distress or whatever before they get to the point of the might not make it phase. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR NURSES THAT WILL HELP THE PATIENTS, PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THE PUBLIC.....ALONG WITH LOOK FOR ABUSE. Becareful with labs just because its wnl of the high or low...red flag for new nurses. Goal is to get as many questions right on that exam as you can. Look for keywords read the questions slow. THE SAME WAY YOU MISSED TEST QUESTIONS IN SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU READ THE QUESTIONS TO FAST...CAN HAPPEN HERE SO READ SLOW. DON'T GIVE YOUR ANSWERS AWAYS BECAUSE YOU ARE READING TO FAST....SLOW IT DOWN ON THIS. Ask yourself does my choice make sense....and if so WHY...KNOW THE WHY TO YOUR RIGHT ANSWERS AND THE WRONGS...OR WHAT MADE THEM WRONG . SO REVEIW RATIONALS WHILE YOU PRACTICE FOR YOU EXAM. It often helps you get other key pieces in your head. KEEP POSITIVE, KEEP FOCUSED. You can do it. Also look at select all that apply questions. Hurst review is nice too. Don't get yourself so focused on medications that you don't look at other parts of the test. Its not a pharm test. REVIEW MEDS THAT GO WITH EACH SYSTEM...remember you are loooking for complications(major). So basic meds. Don't hang yourself up here....make sure you know that med surg and all thoses systems well. KEEP POSITIVE you can do this. You failed but its how you recover....YOU GOT IT!!!you can rock that exam
Haylee1301
38 Posts
You can do it! I suggest Kaplan because that's all that I did to study for the exam. Took the review class and did all the question trainers and about 20% of the Question bank questions and read all rationale and everything. I passed first time with 75 questions! I love Kaplan and would recommend it to you! Good luck! You can do it!