Failed/Passed NCLEX

[beachm8]

Hello Everyone!

Just like many people on this site i figured i would come and share my story about the nclex process. It will probably be long so if you dont wanna read for a few minutes i would skip this haha

Sooo, im Canadian and graduated in april. I had gotten a pretty awesome job in pediatrics before i graduated and started right away under a temp license. I was so excited and started working for a few weeks before i took my NCLEX for the first time. I took the irst exam on July 9th and had MAJOR anxiety about it. my heart was beating like crazy, i had brain fog, it was awful, and i went to the full 265 questions. To be honest i probably could have stopped anwsering after like the first ten questions because i knew i had failed. I know that sounds super negative but honestly after talking to some other people who failed most people have like a sixth sense about when they are failing and it was true lol and yes i do understand that negative thinking isnt a great idea when taking the exam, but in such a stressful situation it can be hard to train your brain otherwise. Anyway, i did the pvt and it took my money. I then got the letter and it confirmed that i failed. I booked for exactly 45 days after my initial exam. Ofcourse i was traumatized. Just like what other people say i did good in nursing school bla bla bla, it really doesnt matter how well you did cuz ultimately the nclex is what matters, which sucks lol I was suspended from my job until i could pass, which i was grateful for because atleast i wasnt fired on the spot or anything.

Then the 45 days of hell. Now again i may sound negative, but for those of you that failed and are reading this, ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE SAD. dont let anyone minimize how awful it is to fail. IT SUCKS. I am not saying this to make you feel worse, i am saying it in hopes that you feel like someone else understands. It is okay to cry and curse and be mad. I did all of the above. I put my parents and family through alot by being miserable every day. I will not be someone to tell you "oh be positive, everything happens for a reason." I do firmly believe that statement to be true, but int a time of frustration and turmoil, i know that it is not easy to feel that way. Once you get your passing letter, that feeling will come on its own. I now actually do feel like i failed for a reason, and i will be a better nurse because of it.

So i had days i felt good and days i cried like crazy. I did change my study habits, and focused less on content and more on doing hundreds of questions and reading the rationales for reasons why i got both right and wrong answers to those questions. I struggled hard mentally. I went to a therapist and talked through my struggles and how much it affected me, i also went to me doctor and unfortunately was put on two medications for anxiety. Test anxiety is a real thing, weather people think its an excuse or not, it can happen. And if that is something you struggle with, get help. Dont be a hero, its okay to ask for help.

But around a month after i took my exam i began to get Clarity and strength. I had my test booked for august. 24th and freaked out multiple times throughout the weeks leading up but i knew i was ready. That was not to say i didnt doubt myself a millions times after i wrote it lol i think that is a thing with us nurses, being so hard on ourselves in order to strive for greatness! lol Either way i wrote and 3 days later i received my letter in the mail and i had passed my exam. I cried more getting my passing letter then my failing one lol even everyone in my family cried.

So, hear comes the positivity and motivation! please dont give up. You dont know how many times i thought okay screw this i guess nursing isnt for me. If you want it, youll get it. Use whatever you can to get you there weather it be family, religion, or professional help. Doesnt matter how you get there, just matters once you got there. No employer asks you during a job interview "excuse me but did you pass on the first second or 19th try, " no lol they dont care. You will be an RN, tell youself every single day!!

lol so i think that is the end of this story, sorry it was so long. If anyone wants to provate message me please do. I had someone i talked to that had failed before me and i am forever grateful for her support, so if anyone needs to talk to someone i am here! goodluck to everyone!!

[RNfindingherway, BSN, RN]

Congrats on a job well done.

[beachm8]

Thank you! I appreciate that:)

[Nursemia05]

Congrats! Very inspiring story! What did you study the second time around?

[beachm8]

Uworld and Kaplan question trainers was all I did the second time around. I knew I knew the content so I focused on learning how to answer the questions and understanding SATA and all that. I did uworld until I was getting in the 80% and didn't let myself take the exam until I got the recommended percent on Kaplan which for some trainers was 60 and others 65 I believe!