Failed 2nd time. NEED HELP :(

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I failed the nclex for the 2nd time this week. The first time I took a stab at it a couple weeks after graduation. I had simply studied my school notes and one lippincott book. Although I was disapointed with my result, I figured I just really needed to put the time in because it was a difficult test.

This 2nd time, I invested in the books "nclex made incredibly easy" and Saunders 3rd addition. I covered both books cover to cover. I dont study morning to night every day. However I am consistent in that I try to do 100-150 questions a day so that I can really absorb them. I wouldnt say I know every single answer in those books, but I know them very well. I may get 1 wrong for every 25. I read into the rationales and made sure I understood why the answers I knew were correct. However my anger and frustration with the nclex really came into play after this 2nd attempt! Because I feel like the material I am studying is not even on the test. The questions are so much harder than in any of my books. In most of my books I can see a pattern of stuff I should be looking for and usually guess the right answer. But the nclex especially the priority questions and choose all that apply are so difficult. I feel like I have been studying biology to prepare for a chemistry test. I dont even know where to begin now. I feel like if the nclex was open book and I could use my nclex study books during the test, it wouldnt help because the information is probably not in there. I think im mainly having trouble with the priority questions, who do you see first and who do you discharge first. These questions are hard to select correctly because you never have seen them weighed directly against one another.

Please someone help, im tired of doing thousands of questions that dont even help whatsoever.

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Consider using Suzanne's plan that you can read about in the stickies at the top of this forum. You will need the Saunders book for this. Many people have been successful with her plan. Sorry, but you know that you will have to do questions as part of your review. Just stick with it and you will get this behind you. Good luck.

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I considered doing Suzannes plan after my first attempt. However from what I understand I needed the Saunders 4th edition and I had just purchased the 3rd. I understand I will need to devote a few hours a day to the plan. Is it work at your own pace type, for instance, I have a annual family reunion coming up in late march, where I will be gone for almost a full week, anyone know if her plan is flexible?

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i feel so sorry for u dont give up

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Hi Autopsy!!

First, i want to tell to try to keep your head up. Don't give up because if this is your dream don't let anyone or anything keep you from it- not even yourself. The first time you may have been unprepared & i think maybe frustration may have got you this second time but look at it this way- you've finished school you've already earned it, now all u need is the little paper to prove it!! & I know u can!!!!

I also took my nclex earlier this week on Feb 18 & i feel the exact same way that you did about the test being impossible with no real way to study. I thought that I had failed but I passed & i know that you can too because we both used the exact same study material. Like you i also did Saunders 3rd edition but i did it religiously. I didnt use the book at all i ONLY did the CD. I did every system except pharm (because i ran out of time), over & over & over. I read the rational AND the strategy to every question even if i got it right. If it was something that I never heard of before or thought i couldnt remember i wrote it down with info to help me learn & reviewed it again. For example I would write: "cataracts: cloudy/ blurred vision, patient needs mydriatic drops".... When i finished the disc i had 29 pages of notes that I had written myself & i studided them over & over & then did the disc again. I honestly tried to learn that entire disc and it was not easy. I spent so many hours!!!! I actually spent over 6 hours on the child health section alone & took 9 pages of notes on it & i didnt have a single child health question on my nclex :angryfire. For me, Saunders is the bible it can be so time consuming but it was an excellent teacher & really helped me understand.

I also used the 2009 Kaplan book. It teaches how to pick out what the question is asking & tricks to finding the right answer. It also has a practice test in the back with excellent rationals. The test is an indicator of how well you will likely do on the nclex & it has a online question bank.

I think the best thing u can do is study like crazy for a few weeks with that Saunders disc and learn it in and out. i did it for 6- 8 hours a day for 3 weeks straight. Do each system at least twice if you can. Memorize the answers & know WHY thats the answer. Take notes, learn them too & do the disc again. Then do the Kaplan book & test.I know it sucks & is really time consuming but I did that and so did 6 of my classmates & we all cut off at the minimum number of questions except one person who went to 96 questions. Not everyone has to study like that for that much time but i just wanted to be as prepared as possible. I just kept telling myself it will be worth it & really disciplined myself. I kept telling myself if something is worth having you have to work for it. I know that im no smarter than u so u just have to dedicate yourself, take your time, try to be confident & go in there and ace it... and remember 3rd times the charm!!!!! Good luck!!!:lol2:

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Specializes in LTC, case mgmt, agency.

]Suzanne's Plan.:smokin:

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Worst possible thing that anyone can do to prepare for this exam is to memorize. Or to cram. Or to use multipe sources.

Sure ways not to pass the exam. These are the same three things that I see over and over again when one did not pass the exam.

It may work for a couple, but most definitely is not something that I would recommend to anyone.

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I considered doing Suzannes plan after my first attempt. However from what I understand I needed the Saunders 4th edition and I had just purchased the 3rd. I understand I will need to devote a few hours a day to the plan. Is it work at your own pace type, for instance, I have a annual family reunion coming up in late march, where I will be gone for almost a full week, anyone know if her plan is flexible?

If you are going for the RN exam, most definitely use the 4th edition. 3rd edition is okay for the PN exam.

The first tip of my program needs to be completed before anyone can get added to my mailing list. So flexible concerning the first tip, but not with the program that follows. The entire idea is to be consistent and work at it every single day.

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what do you mean by stickies?

im sorry but i really can't find the stickies that you are referring

plssss help :cry:

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Stickies refer to posts that are found at the top of the forum and stay there at all times. They also have a red push pin icon next to the title. Most posts move up and down the forums as people post (or stop posting) in them. Mods have the ability to "stick" posts so that they will always remain at the top of the forum.

However, Suzanne's Plan is no longer available on this site (per the sticky titled Suzanne's Plan) and one of the requirements to participate was that people agreed not to discuss the plan with others. There is still lots of great advice on this forum to help with studying though!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Closing this thread

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