Took it today............got to 219, time ran out!
I felt like I was taking a pharmacology exam
I had drugs for every other question....it was sooo unfair
I don't have my official results... but I did do the pearsonvue thing!
I did Kaplan and got 58% on both Trainers 6 and 7
Now what!?
I felt like all the stuff I saw on the exam I never even studied.......I focused on the usual diseases that Kaplan's questions presented to me....Addisons, Thyroidism all that good stuff....
The exam game me only drugs, calculations, and some other disease
I just got my results and I also failed. I too, am very angry. I took the Rutger's review course. I did all the questions they provided (3500) and studied every day for approximately two months, at least two hours a day besides doing the questions which took approximately two hours (for the test and reviewing of the questions not answered correctly). They have all of these professional people talking, talking, and talking but, nobody tells you exactly how the questions are going to be given. In other words, the questions we study and practice with are questions that spoil us into thinking that we have the hang for the actual test but, when one takes the test, like myself, I felt it was way over my head. That's what makes me angry. I couldn't recognise anything they were asking me. And you are right I too felt like every other question was a drug question. I don't want to go into details about that because of the nclex rules in divulging info but, the bottomline for me is that nothing, I mean nothing really prepares one for this test; not the school (and I come from a very tough teaching school), nor the review course. Right now, I am felling like I wasted my time and money in going to nursing school and in taking the review course. However, I will try one more time for whatever it is worth.
Thank you. I actually met with the people that provided the review course and they too put me to Saunders (they just had me do questions and I scored 61%). However, you were very helpful in that you detailed exactly what to do. Thanks so much. I almost feel a sense of hope. May God bless you for your kindness.
See if you can add this regimen to your studies: for SATA/hotspot/drop and drag, ordered sequence used NCLEX 3500/4000 (3500 is free online, not sure about NCLEX 4000) select alternative format, do all 196 Qs and understand the rationales.....Saunders 4th ed CD, select alternative format, do all alternative Qs there is 188 Qs, make sure you understand the rationales.......Saunders have a pharmacology section there are 739 Qs, do as many of these Qs as you can (I did all 739 Qs, took me 1 week, I was doing 100 Qs per day (I divided the Qs up each day).....Saunders have a section---Hlth promotion/maintenance, safety/effective care environment, about 709 Qs, do as many of Qs that you can (this helped me, I completed this section in 1 wk, dividing Qs between pharm and these Qs)....my school used ATI, I used this for my peds Qs only....(this helped me, because I had approximately 7-8 peds Qs including peds disease).....as I continued to read through allnurses NCLEX forum, I noticed many people were getting Qs on endocrine. I used Saunders and completed the endocrine section, I did all 165 Qs twice.....I also studied other material such as Linda LaCharity, etc......I targeted what I thought would be my difficult subjects the most.
I took my 2 wks vacation from wrk, and I made studying the NCLEX top priority, I was very anal won't let no one disturb me unless it was a emergency....It paid off, because I pass the 1st time....
I know you can do this, just re-think your stragety and you will be successful.
I am so glad it occured to me to log on to allnurses. Your responses truly are lifting me out of my depression. I really had felt doomed. Thank you sooo much!
I know it won't help you feel better but I just want to say that I am so sorry that you didn't pass this time around. It sounds like you all put in a lot of hours into your preparation for the NCLEX. I just took the NCLEX exam last week and I felt defeated as well. I think everyone feels like that at first because as you said, many times, conditions and drugs come up that you never heard of before. Then we start to panick and we forget to breathe. Prior to fnding out that I passed the exam, I took a few days to feel sorry for myself. I know its easier said than done, but just stand up and start over. It will be difficult but what else can you do except to perservere. This is just another mountain to climb along with all the other mountains we all had to climb to get through nursing school. You got this far, so don't give up.
Although not a perfect strategy, mine was to understand the rationales of the questions from BOTH right and wrong answers. It was very time consuming but I forced myself to do it. I agree when someone said that the reveiw courses we take does not seem to prepare you for the actual test. I personally never felt ready. However, looking back, I think Kaplan got me thinking in the right direction. I may not have known all the diseases or conditions while taking NCLEX, but I was able to eliminate what I thought was wrong. While studying, I also used the Saunders book to look up information I didn't quite understand. I like how that book is laid out. I paid attention to the red rectangles in the Saunders book, they indicate potential NCLEX questions. I also made flashcards on topics I got wrong over and over again. I also looked up pictures on the internet of certain conditions, drugs, procedures, etc. I'm a visual learner so when I wasnt sure what something looked like, I searched for an image or video. I think that helped put a picture in my mind. Unfortunately, there is not 1 best way to study. We are all different. But for me, this is what I did. This obstacle only made you stronger and I have no doubt you guys can pass the exam next time.
A. Spend 1/3 of your time reviewing content you don't understand
B. Spend 2/3 of your time answering test question
C. Used most comfortable NCLEX review book for content.
D. Begin with the area that is most difficult for you or area that are least familiar
E. Use a good nursing reference manual or internet to find information
F. Define the disease in terms of pathophysiological process and understand the disease process.
G. Identify the early and late symptoms of disease
H. Identify most important or life threatening complication associated with the disease.
I. Define the medical treatment.
J. Identify nursing intervention associate with early and late symptom of disease process
K. Identify what to teach patient and family to prevent in other to adapt to disease process.
L. list the area you need to review.
M. Answering question in a test mode will improve your test taking skills
N. Each time you answer question, check the number of question you answered correctly that will motivate you to read and study more next time.
O. Keep track of your score to see how you're improving in all area of your content.
P. If you answer less than 65% correctly, these is a WARNING SIGNAL!! spend lots of time reviewing content and stop doing question on the weakest area
Q. If you answer 65-75% correctly your performance is improving and success is certain. Continue working with the content until your score is above 75%
R. Every wrong answer, identify why you answered it wrongly.
S. Practice 75- 85 question to known how you'll be prepared for NCLEX Exam and see how many you answered correctly
T. Do understand the question first, formulate your answer of hand and compare with the option given to see how close your answer!!
U. Anticipate Test question will increase in difficulty when you get the first question right!!
V. Do not panic if someone finishes before you!!
W. Do not CRAM CRAM!!
X. Remember that you have learned a great amount of nursing knowledge and the exam is only designed to determine whether you're able to practise safely @ entry level
you failed, so what you are not the first or last to fail. Now get up shake it off and get ready for round two. I do not know how strong is you faith in Jesus Christ the Lord and savior. But do know this he has all power keep on trusting and depend on the real prize. Keep the faith. Joy is coming in the morning. Now pick one study guide and answer question after question and be sure to read each rational even if you get it right. Look to the hill for which you help come from.
MikePRN
45 Posts
Bottom line... Never give up and never stop trying...