Feeling anxiety studying for my NCLEX exam!

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Hello,

I will be taking my NCLEX at the end of February (roughly 4 weeks)! Is it normal to feel frustration, anxiety, or sadness???? This is my first time taking the exam and I am freaking out. I am completing Kaplan questions (Qbank and question trainers), skimming the Saunders book, and also have a prioritization and delegation book I just ordered.

I have take about 4 75 questions exams so far and a few question trainers and I keep scoring between high 40s and 50s which frustrates me!!

I feel extrenly overwhelmed ... any tips !?

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You still got time. In the mean time, try UWorld. You always bottom out when you start and its encouraging to see improvements as you progress. I test in a few days and although I'm probably just as nervous as you are, I feel like my test taking and my knowledge is improving because of UWorld.. Hopefully it will pay off for the both of us.

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Just. Breathe. When you take your practice exams, remember that they are practice and really take your time and use your critical thinking skills. Remember your ABCs, priority patients, and basic meds (cardiac and psych drugs especially). Kaplan uses the decision tree, which I HATED, but I did like the whole "don't leave the patient" and "never ask why" and to avoid the "do nothing" answers. Just really use those tests as a good time to practice those skills. You will do just fine.

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

Anxiety - you and everyone else who's ever taken the nclex, including all the valedictorians.

Relax, study if you feel you should, and don't work yourself up into a place that'll harm your ability to do well.

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