Giving Back.....

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Specializes in Telemetry/ICU.

I took my Nclex-RN exam yesterday exactly 61 days after graduation and all along my studies, i had a tab opened reading both success and failure stories and told myself i was going to share my experience irrespective of the outcome. It's not official that i passed but have tried to the "trick".

I was scheduled for 2:00pm time but got there around 1:15pm to inquire if they needed anything besides my license/id (did not want to risk it). The lady verified me and stated if i wanted, i could take it then and there. I was there to take the NCLEX so i said sure, picture taken/fingerprint verified, locker room etc. etc.

I sat down and read through the tutorial (10 minutes) and then before i hit next, put my palms together and said nothing i can remember (non-religious). I wrote on the sheet/slate given; ABCD, Assess b4 implementing, expected/enexpected, think safety and lastly take your time. Non-religious but as, Allah/God/Jesus/Buddha whatever deity you believe in is my witness, i was so confident and ready for that exam, i could hardly wait to hit next!

And the first question came, a minute went by, 2 minutes, 3 minutes and then 4 minutes (eliminated 2 and had 2 left lol) I chose my answer and asked the screen "convince me why option 4 should be right and not 2! Screen didn't say anything back...next question SATA (then i was sure my previous answer was right). It became the theme of my exam....around question 68 i got stuck again, unsure of which one to pick (asked screen same question, no answer).

I took my break after that question, went to the bathroom and looked myself in the mirror and smiled. Went back in and sat down, 3 questions later, screen goes off and ask me for a break, i respectfully declined her/his/its request! Question 75, i could just about hear everything/everyone in the room breathing but my own. Answered the question and screen went blank! Looked into the camera above me and smiled and then was hoping for more questions but none. Raised my hand and the lady came in and ushered me out. I walked out and called a friend who tried the trick but couldn't get it to work so i did it myself.

Study Aids

It is imperative you know yourself and where you stand content wise before attempting the NCLEX. I started my Kaplan qbanks on 12/16/2013 and had 62% on first try and was confident.

Diagnostic= 55% Readiness= 64.5% (Felt ready but goodness was i kidding)!

Q1= 55 Q2= 53 Q3=49! Qbanks were all in the 40's, an occasional 50. After these scores, i put down answering questions and took up Saunders book (Yellow one) and read from Chapter 1 till Cardiovascular system. I answered 700 "analyzing questions" on the cd as well as answered every chapter question on there. Then i went back and reviewed qtrainers 1-3 and my first 10+ qbanks and i was ashamed at some of my answers! (you can't cheat yourself and i'm glad i didn't).

Thereafter my scores showed improvement

Trainer 4= 59

Trainer 5= 61

Trainer 6= 72.5

Trainer 7= 63

Qbanks (my last 10 averaged 63%) finishing with a 68, 70, 72, 76 and 68.

PDA

Nclex 3500 (utorrent download and answered all questions besides psych)

Study guide floating around

In all, i answered over 6000+ questions for this exam (and if i fail, in all honesty i'd still be proud cos i did not cheat myself)

Know your weakness and work on it friends.

Thoughts

Either i was really ready or Kaplan was harder than the Nclex exam i took yesterday imho. I had over 24+ SATA (more on this later)1 picture, about 4 rearrange and some priority questions. At one point, i had 6 SATA in a row and i kept on smiling (believing i was on the right path). Then i got a ridiculously easy question, i gave a look of contempt at the screen.

I'm of the firm belief that you don't necessary have to get the SATA questions right! I don't care what anyone else says out there, if the correct answers to one is 4 and you get 3 out of 4 (i honestly believe you get a partial credit)

Lastly, i love me some music (particularly reggae) and these two here were the theme of my studies

Pink Floyd by way of Alpha Blondy (I wish you were here)

Matisyahu (One day)

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Congrats! I took it today and got the good popup also. I agree with you about the SATA questions. Most of my test was SATA and three in a row a few times. I couldn't have answered all those SATA's right. I did get all 265 questions and was histerical at the end which made me believe that i passed!

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Specializes in Telemetry/ICU.

Congrats to you as well!

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Congratulations!!!!

:up: thank you for sharing your story :) Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors!

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Thanks for sharing I take it in a few weeks so I am ready to do this!!

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Specializes in Telemetry/ICU.

The best advise i can give you is, take your time and be confident!

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