Oh my, where do I begin...... Let's see. The year was 1999 and I was fresh out of nursing school also to find out my husband and I were expecting our first baby. I loved my nursing school experience, loved my instructors, and my classmates. We were a family.
The first time I took the NCLEX, I failed at 85 questions. I was devastated. I waited a few more months (still pregnant) and guess what, failed AGAIN, this time I made it to 121. I took it again in 2001, 2002, and for the last time in 2004 with 205 questions. I was so hurt and devastated and could not understand why all of my levels were near passing on my candidate report.
Fast forward to April 2016. Going back to retake never crossed my mind, because I just gave up and said maybe I wasn't meant to be a nurse until one day, my supervisor (I've always worked in the healthcare system as a medical coder, pharmacy tech, office assistant, etc) said why don't you try to take your boards again. I said I just don't have the energy or the money to give NCLEX ANOTHER $200 to fail again, but I said maybe she sees something in me that I just can't see yet. Well that same night, I prayed about it and got online and registered with Pearsonvue and with the boards and said maybe this is my time.
I went to Books a Million, got the Kaplan review book and started studying that night and was already see the changes I was doing wrong before and I ordered a Prioritization, Delegation and Assignment book and studied that religiously as well and downloaded several NCLEX style question apps. I just did that every single day and studied and prayed and prayed and studied. I originally scheduled my test for August 4 and felt like I could take it sooner.
I took my exam July 25 with 205 questions, did the PVT when I got home and it worked!!!! I was still skeptical about that, so I waited until the next day around 9:00 and checked the website and all I saw was passed and I couldn't do anything at first but stare at the computer screen. Then I got up and jumped and cried and said FINALLY I am the nurse I should have been YEARS ago, but it just wasn't my time. I had positive people supporting me with prayers and encouraging me and I give Kaplan the credit for showing me that decision tree and how to break down the questions. Since I live in Georgia, I will have to take an LPN refresher course with 160 clinical hours and 40 course hours before I can get a job, but I am up for the challenge. I accomplished what I set out to do and that won't take long at all. I know this is a long post, but I feel it will encourage and inspire someone else who felt like giving up. I knew the content but I wasn't breaking down the questions into textbook nursing. Keep praying and keep trying. When it's your time, it will come!
Congrats !!!! That is wonderful, after all these years and now you finally passed the NCLEX. Yes, you are right, it wasn't your time. At least you decided to go back to your first love...nursing !! Studied and Prayed and ended with great results !!!!
Just a quick update. GA BON says I have to do an LPN refresher course before I work as a nurse since I've been out of school longer than fours years. There are only one or two LPN refresher courses in Georgia so I contacted South Dakota State University to do the online version and they've been very helpful. It's a LONG process and Georgia is so strict but it's for the better. My clinical plan and course outline was presented to Georgia and they emailed me to say the refresher course was presented on old forms so I contacted he lady who has been helping me at SDSU and she resent everything again on the correct forms so now we're playing the waiting game.
I know I am ready to work as a nurse and these little stumbling blocks are only there to make me be a better nurse. Even though I waited so long to retest, I still don't regret it. It wasn't my time all those years ago. Right now is the right time. Good luck to to anyone else who may be going through the same thing.
I will keep you all posted as to when I start my refresher course.
Hello everyone! It's been six months and I FINALLY have a Georgia LPN license as of February 10, 2017. I had to go around the world to get it, but it was worth it. If anyone has to do an LPN refresher program, I have the information you will need. They were the only ones in Georgia that I could find and that Georgia board of nursing would approve. I've already applied for a job and praying it will come through. My dreams have come true and to anyone who is considering retaking their test, go for the gusto and do it because it can be done!!!!
Hello jbarber37. I couldn't do the program from South Dakota State because Georgia wouldn't approve it unless it was a Georgia refresher program. What state do you live in?
lilbelle
28 Posts
Congrats !!!! That is wonderful, after all these years and now you finally passed the NCLEX. Yes, you are right, it wasn't your time. At least you decided to go back to your first love...nursing !! Studied and Prayed and ended with great results !!!!