Finished all of kaplan/Hurst.. am I ready for nclex-RN???

nursephillyphil, BSN, RN · Oct 21, 2013

based on your scores, you should be good to go; how are you with handling test anxiety?

newgradOBlover · Oct 21, 2013

Thank you.. I'd say I get an average amount of anxiety.. nothing crazy but I am good with managing it with breathing and positive self talk etc..

TooProudToMention · Oct 21, 2013

Your Kaplan scores look good. How are your scores in all the nursing categories?

Do you feel you really understand content?

newgradOBlover · Oct 21, 2013

Thank you :).. My scores are pretty good and equal in all the categories.. my lowest category is usually pharm but on question trainer 7 my pharm average was a 65% i think.. and yes i feel like hurst really helped me understand LOTS of core content.. I'm just scared I will freeze up on the nclex.. I'm going to pretend I'm just taking a kaplan quiz to reduce anxiety and take my time on every question.

TooProudToMention · Oct 21, 2013

In terms of scores and your preparation, it sounds like you are ready. It feels kind of strange for me to say that since I don't know if anyone ever feels completely ready, but it seems you really understand content and based on Kaplan scores it seems you have a good take on strategies as well.

When I first took the NCLEX, I felt what got to me was that I would be thinking "IF I pass the NCLEX" as in I took the exam thinking I wasn't going to pass. The second time I took the NCLEX, I was thinking "I am going to pass!" For me believing in myself and my attitude really helped me.

When are you scheduled to take the NCLEX?

I would possibly recommend in your last days to prepare to focus on your weaker categories like pharm, lab values, and alternate format questions. A lot of people usually struggle I feel on Select All That Apply (SATA) questions and I feel doing these questions may help since on the NCLEX you may see a lot of SATA. I don't know if you have access to doing SATA but I hear NCLEX 3500 is a good source Main Menu - NCLEX-RN 3500 - Institutional Version. I personally didn't use this source since I had other resources with SATA, but I have heard this is a good source since it is free and has SATA questions.

newgradOBlover · Oct 21, 2013

In terms of scores and your preparation, it sounds like you are ready. It feels kind of strange for me to say that since I don't know if anyone ever feels completely ready, but it seems you really understand content and based on Kaplan scores it seems you have a good take on strategies as well.
When I first took the NCLEX, I felt what got to me was that I would be thinking "IF I pass the NCLEX" as in I took the exam thinking I wasn't going to pass. The second time I took the NCLEX, I was thinking "I am going to pass!" For me believing in myself and my attitude really helped me.
When are you scheduled to take the NCLEX?
I would possibly recommend in your last days to prepare to focus on your weaker categories like pharm, lab values, and alternate format questions. A lot of people usually struggle I feel on Select All That Apply (SATA) questions and I feel doing these questions may help since on the NCLEX you may see a lot of SATA. I don't know if you have access to doing SATA but I hear NCLEX 3500 is a good source Main Menu - NCLEX-RN 3500 - Institutional Version. I personally didn't use this source since I had other resources with SATA, but I have heard this is a good source since it is free and has SATA questions.

Thank you.. I'm also a repeater of this exam and the last time I did not study any content.. I thought just by taking Kaplan it would be enough.. my scores were all in the low 50's and low 60s so i have improved A LOT.. my exam is only a few days away.. I'm going to focus on meds this week and also repeat the big hurst lectures like renal/cardiac/peds.. thanks for the advice :)

oh and I'm also doing lots of positive self talk like "YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!" lol

TooProudToMention · Oct 21, 2013

You have a similar situation as me then! The first time I took the NCLEX I did just Kaplan, and the second time I took the NCLEX I focused on content through Saunders though and did questions from Kaplan and other sources.

I also re-took all the question trainers and did maybe half of the Q bank. My Kaplan Q bank average went from a 59% to 78%. The first time I did all the Q bank on exam mode but the second time I did Q bank on study mode because this helped me to better understand rationales since before it was hard for me to focus on doing the questions and then reviewing all the answers after since there were so many questions.

In terms of question trainers, my scores went up about 20 to 30 percentage points. This was after I read Saunders.

There is someone else on this website who I feel had a pretty good post about doing Kaplan first time and doing Kaplan a second time. In case it is helpful here is that post: https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/failed-75-2nd-856242.html

Since you said you have improved a lot, I would just ask: do you feel you really understand the question and are using critical thinking to eliminate choices to pick your answer? For the most part, I did not remember the answer choices to questions from Kaplan when I did it a second time, but when I did recall an answer choice I would try to rationalize how it was the correct answer and for the most part my own rationale was similar to Kaplan rationale.

Are you using any other sources besides Kaplan for those analysis / application questions? For me, since my Kaplan scores after content review were a lot higher I wanted to be sure it was not just because I remembered answer choices so I did some practice exams from other sources like Exam Cram and Davis Q and A, which I got from the library. Of course this was just me, but since I got similar scores on these sources as well I felt it helped my confidence in thinking my Kaplan scores were for real.

I think it's great you are doing lots of positive self talk! I think that really helped me with my confidence the second time I took the NCLEX.

newgradOBlover · Oct 21, 2013

Yes, I'm using hurst and saunders yellow book for content.

My q bank average the first time was a 55% with 100% of the questions comepleted.. now i'm at a 70% with 86% comepleted.. i'm shooting for a 75% when i complete the whole q bank.

And yes 'm using strategy and also the content i have gained this past month is what is helping me answer the questions. I do not remember many questions from the first time I did the q bank, and the first time around I did not even attempt QT6 and 7.. and I scored well on them (67% and 64%) my teacher said to aim for a 60% so i think that shows i have really improved!!!! :) I'm doing very well with the high level questions.. but then when i try to do questions from say lippincott i struggle a little and they are supposed to be easier.. I do well with saunders though so i dont get it.. hopefully i reach the analysis/comprehension questions qucik on the nclex and just go up from there lol

how did you manage anxiety before the exam?

The next few days I'm going to do content review/meds/ and of course qeustions... and pray!!!!!!!!!!:)

newgradOBlover · Oct 21, 2013

You have a similar situation as me then! The first time I took the NCLEX I did just Kaplan, and the second time I took the NCLEX I focused on content through Saunders though and did questions from Kaplan and other sources.
I also re-took all the question trainers and did maybe half of the Q bank. My Kaplan Q bank average went from a 59% to 78%. The first time I did all the Q bank on exam mode but the second time I did Q bank on study mode because this helped me to better understand rationales since before it was hard for me to focus on doing the questions and then reviewing all the answers after since there were so many questions.
In terms of question trainers, my scores went up about 20 to 30 percentage points. This was after I read Saunders.
There is someone else on this website who I feel had a pretty good post about doing Kaplan first time and doing Kaplan a second time. In case it is helpful here is that post: https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/failed-75-2nd-856242.html
Since you said you have improved a lot, I would just ask: do you feel you really understand the question and are using critical thinking to eliminate choices to pick your answer? For the most part, I did not remember the answer choices to questions from Kaplan when I did it a second time, but when I did recall an answer choice I would try to rationalize how it was the correct answer and for the most part my own rationale was similar to Kaplan rationale.
Are you using any other sources besides Kaplan for those analysis / application questions? For me, since my Kaplan scores after content review were a lot higher I wanted to be sure it was not just because I remembered answer choices so I did some practice exams from other sources like Exam Cram and Davis Q and A, which I got from the library. Of course this was just me, but since I got similar scores on these sources as well I felt it helped my confidence in thinking my Kaplan scores were for real.
I think it's great you are doing lots of positive self talk! I think that really helped me with my confidence the second time I took the NCLEX.

forgot to quote you

TooProudToMention · Oct 21, 2013

It sounds like you are progressing well newgradOBlover! I think your plan right now sounds good in terms of going over meds and content review. Maybe even do some of those SATA on the Saunders CD.

In terms of QT6 and QT7, your scores sound good and so does your Qbank scores. And since you said your scores for all the categories are pretty equal and around the same percentage, I think you are pretty good shape. This was similar to how I did as well.

Yes, anxiety...I think the positive self talk all the time really helped me. I had post-its in various places in my house with words like "You can do it! Believe!" In comparison to my first time, I felt more calm because I felt I was better prepared. I was confident in my knowledge of content and strategies and I just knew that I would pass my second time. I am from California and am still waiting on my official results, but I got the good pop up and hopefully I did pass this time!

Music helps me too. On the drive over to Pearson testing center, I was playing high energy music that I enjoy singing along too. This helped me feel energized. I remember my first time, I became discouraged when I was taking the test because I felt I was not getting that many SATA and even though I told myself before I wold not worry, I started freaking out during the test. And even though I told myself I wasn't going to worry if I went past 75 questions, I did worry. lol.

The second time I took the exam, I did not really think much of what type of questions I was getting and how much SATA. I think I actually got the same number of SATA from my first time and second time. And any time I felt worried or felt I might freak out, I tried to calm myself down and did some deep breathing. I also wrote positive words on my whiteboard.

Overall I think what helped my anxiety was that I felt more prepared and felt more confident in myself. How you usually manage your anxiety? Think about how you felt when taking the test the first time and reflect on that experience. I think reflecting really helped me as well.

Oh yes and prayer! Praying really helped me as well and I did a lot more of it throughout the time period I was studying and before I took my exam.

Good luck!!! Update us to let us know what happens. I'm rooting for you!

Yes, I'm using hurst and saunders yellow book for content.
My q bank average the first time was a 55% with 100% of the questions comepleted.. now i'm at a 70% with 86% comepleted.. i'm shooting for a 75% when i complete the whole q bank.
And yes 'm using strategy and also the content i have gained this past month is what is helping me answer the questions. I do not remember many questions from the first time I did the q bank, and the first time around I did not even attempt QT6 and 7.. and I scored well on them (67% and 64%) my teacher said to aim for a 60% so i think that shows i have really improved!!!! :) I'm doing very well with the high level questions.. but then when i try to do questions from say lippincott i struggle a little and they are supposed to be easier.. I do well with saunders though so i dont get it.. hopefully i reach the analysis/comprehension questions qucik on the nclex and just go up from there lol
how did you manage anxiety before the exam?
The next few days I'm going to do content review/meds/ and of course qeustions... and pray!!!!!!!!!!:)

swansonplace · Oct 21, 2013

On you last days before the exam, go over your low areas and weak areas. I reviewed Hurst core content, skills, labs, pharm endings. For SATA, I used La Charity.