I just found out yesterday that I failed the NCLEX for the second time. My wife, bless her heart, is taking it a lot harder than I am. A LOT harder.
The first time that I took the NCLEX all I really did to prepare was to take the Hurst review and study it up until I took my test. Took all 265 questions and failed. The paperwork in the mail said that I was "Near the passing standard" in all categories...that I was on the verge of actually passing the test. At least, that's how it made me feel.
For the first test, I didn't study any NCLEX review questions except the ones that came with the Hurst review. For my second test, ALL I did was NCLEX review questions, primarily ones from the online NCLEX 3500 and from the Saunders 4th edition. I studied over 1500 questions in preparation for my 2nd NCLEX test and when I sat down at the terminal to take it a 2nd time, it felt like I hadn't studied at all.
Instead of 265 questions, it cut off at 227. I was abit excited and nervous at the same time. I mean, it cut off earlier that it did last time! Surely this is a good thing!
Apparently not.
Found out at 8am, October 18th, that I had failed again and I think that this time, I'll have to wait 90 days before I can take it again, so it'll be 2009 before I can test. I'll call the nursing board on Monday to see if that's the case.
I want to pass it the next time I take it.
So any ideas? Suggestions? I'm considering doing Suzanne's plan and I may get a review book about prioritizing since I had a ton of those questions on both tests.
I'm still going to study the Saunders book since I never finished doing all of it. I started doing Suzanne's plan, but didn't have enough time to finish the first book portion of it.
I'd love to hear any thoughts that you have and thanks for listening!
I'm sure you are but always read the rationale behind the review questions that you are doing. Even if you answer it right, read over the rationale for the right answer and the wrong answers. It will help you reason your way through other questions. I firmly believe this is what helped me pass the NCLEX. I also had a lot of questions about prioritizing and the only tool I remembered from school for prioritizing was Airway, Breathing, and Circulation........
Hang in there though....if you can make it through nursing school you can make it through this!:heartbeat
Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
Hello there ! Just so you know , my sister failed the exams 5 times..... but she did eventually passed it (persistence and study) and she had been in nursing for more thatn 30 years, and she later on ended up in ortho----and she was one fo the best nurses in that floor!!! So if you are determined ....you can do it !!!!
Specializes in Emergency Room/Telemetry/Crtical Care.
I just wanted to second someone elses suggestion, I took Kaplan after a gap between school and the exam, it shutoff at 75 questions. So Kaplan is good.
Sorry, Hear that, but, don't give up on your dreams, just keep fighting. My wife, friends took a program call Qbank from Kaplan college, it is totally online Qbank stands for QuestBank,all her friend past the NCLEX TEST,and my wife didn't, because she didn't not take Qbank because it costed like 70 to 150 depens on how long you need to prepare the test, I think it is sold in weeks or months, I can't remember. she took the Qbank the next time and finally past it, change the way we live financally.Well anyway keep trying.
Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
Nice to hear this supportive replies .......this is what it is all about . ...support to our fellow nurses and colleagues, instead of the other way.....
Sorry about your failing a 2nd timeime in the Naclex !! You can still make it if you put in just a little more effort! Do not just get depressed and get put off nursing as a whole:redbeathe Try to get some coaching from a reputable school that offers such coaching, though you should be prepared to cough up a reasonable amount of cash for your tuition fees! All the best!
Hi! Sorry to hear about failing your 2nd attempt at Nclex. Am also awaiting for the result of my exam and felt that I did not review enough when I sat for the exam, so I may not be of much help. But perhaps you may want to use the prioritization book from Mosby's. It has a lot of delegation and prioritization practice questions. Don't give up just yet.
Oh this brings back memories of our state boards. Four of us chipped in and got a hotel room in Pittsburgh and spent two long grueling days taking these tests. Then we waited months to see if we passed. It was awful, but I really felt good about it when I passed. You are lucky that you can do it on the computer now.
Try to have a rationale for why you chose your answers. For example:
Your patient Daisy Mae McDonald reports feeling weak and dizzy, you should:
A. Give her orange juice, check her vital signs, then call the doctor.
B. Check her vital signs, check her meds for possible side effects, find out when she last ate.
C. Help her to bed, find out more information about how she is feeling, check her vitals.
D. Call the charge nurse, put a cool cloth on her head, do a stat glucometer check.
You might end up doing all these things, but C is right because she could faint or fall down, you first need to get her in bed. If you can reason out why you chose the answer, you are more likely to be correct. Read all the answers before you pick, even if you are sure what the answer is.
Specializes in ICU/CCU; PED'S; SURGERY; MED/SURG; NEURO.
I used the Saunders review book and CD, Mosbys book and CD and I purchased NCLEX made simple that had thousands and thousands of questions divided into adult and child that covered all systems and there were a couple areas devoted to organization, delegation..I also did a lot of the free review NCLEX sites online..I studied 2 to 3 hours daily after work and more on my days off for about three months and went to take my exam..It shut off at 75..this is not an exam to be taken lightly..it is for your Registered Nurse License that has with it a huge responsibility along with pride and knowledge..
You can do this but I think you need to do more than you have...I do not think that Saunders alone is the answer...
Good luck to you..keep on studying, enjoy the Holidays and go tackle that exam once and for all..
All i can say is dont give up!!! i took boards more than once myself and i was soooo upset when i failed. I did Hurst review, Kaplan....whatever i could get my hands on. What helped me the most was when i finally sat down, relaxed and believed with all my heart that the Lord didnt let me make it all the way through nursing school just to fail now. Once i did that and tested myself with questions daily---i was cool... By the way it took me 3 times...........
Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
All i can say is dont give up!!! i took boards more than once myself and i was soooo upset when i failed. I did Hurst review, Kaplan....whatever i could get my hands on. What helped me the most was when i finally sat down, relaxed and believed with all my heart that the Lord didnt let me make it all the way through nursing school just to fail now. Once i did that and tested myself with questions daily---i was cool... By the way it took me 3 times...........
Good Luck
You are so so nice to help this nurse and showing your experience . You rock girl !
You are so so nice to help this nurse and showing your experience . You rock girl !
carroll77566
10 Posts
I'm sure you are but always read the rationale behind the review questions that you are doing. Even if you answer it right, read over the rationale for the right answer and the wrong answers. It will help you reason your way through other questions. I firmly believe this is what helped me pass the NCLEX. I also had a lot of questions about prioritizing and the only tool I remembered from school for prioritizing was Airway, Breathing, and Circulation........
Hang in there though....if you can make it through nursing school you can make it through this!:heartbeat