Got the unofficial result... I failed :(

JbreezyRN · Jun 2, 2010

I am really sorry to hear that. I felt the same way before I passed my LPN NCLEX on the first try. It was gut wrenching just waiting and thinking it was all blown.
I have bridged to RN and graduated this May. Have a ATT from Pearson Vue, no date set yet as I am really scared about this NCLEX. Where can someone go or get material that provides a good review process??
I have tried ATI, because my tuition paid for that. I have done one HURST Review, that was helpful for content review, and bought and used a Kaplan and Saunder's NCLEX book.
DOES ANYBODY have any BETTER ideas. I feel so unprepared for this NCLEX... please HELP!
Thanks

I have ATI too because my school provided me that. I'm using Saunders and I think its pretty comprehensive. I was thinking of trying kaplan or hurst but can't decide. To me, I feel like I just gotta do more practice questions. I focused so much on the comprehensive part. It seems like you got good review materials, perhaps add NCLEX 3500 or Qbank questions if you can afford it in your studying process? Don't feel down, you passed the nclex-pn and should take that to your advantage. take your time and dont rush. a lot of thread in here that suggest what books/materials you should get just search it up. Good luck to you!

NursingIsGr8T · Jun 2, 2010

Thank you. I will look. Where does one procure NCLEX 3500?? A book store?

ONEHAPPYNP · Jun 2, 2010

Hi JBreezy,

I'm very sorry to hear about that. I know how devastating that can be because it happened to me on my first try too. It really is an awful feeling...and I totally empathize with you. I wish I knew about this forum before because there is so much support here!

When I failed the first time, I wanted to hop straight into studying. NO. Take some time off. A few days. Try to gather your thoughts and figure out what didn't work right the first time. Did you do enough practice questions? Was it anxiety? In a few weeks, you'll get the official results telling you what areas you need to focus on so that can help guide your studies as well.

I know I needed help to reschedule everything. I had no clue what to do. I was so confused and lost and in this strange, quasi-conscious state. No one really helped me. So I snapped out of it, and made sure I did the necessary steps and rescheduled my exam. I gave myself two months. I did not want to take it too early or too late. However, I did the bulk of my studying in the last month. Take as much time as you need to prepare.

Next, I started on new study guides. I picked out these:

Kaplan Review 2010 (good for strategies)

NCLEX for Dummies (don't laugh. this book has a really great summary of lab values and strategies)

RNotes (if you're on the go and just want a quick summary of stuff)

Medications you should know for the NCLEX (nice book to carry around if you're on the go. Pharm was a weak area for me and I skimmed through this)

NCLEX 4000 (practice questions. practice practice practice. read each rationale. the last couple weeks or so, I was buzzing through this.)

Davis' Review (This I only used if I needed better explanations or needed to review a topic. It is VERY comprehensive and a little dense...but things are explained well.)

To me, I felt what really helped me were practice questions and testing strategies (Kaplan and Dummies...Thank you!). Do as many practice q's as you can. Read the rationales. Practice in a testing environment (no tv, listening to music, etc.). Train yourself to sit for the whole 265 questions with breaks in between. If I didn't have time, I'd sit for 75 questions exam and check out how I did.

If you feel that you can benefit from a study course, INVEST in it. Many of my classmates went to one, and felt it gave them that extra boost of confidence. I opted not to and felt I just needed to practice more. I really disciplined myself. It really is up to you and how you best study an absorb information.

Do not despair if the test does not stop at 75 or if it goes all the way to 265. People have failed and passed at 75 and 265. I've said it before: Really, the NCLEX is truly an awful exam that tests you on perhaps the most obscure things you've learned in nursing school. We all have to go through it, and we will all get there.

Failing on your first try does not mean you are a bad/stupid/[insert negative adjective here...believe me, I've beaten myself over it] nurse. Hey, you've already made it past nursing school. You're one smart cookie!

I know you have a lot of pressure on you to pass on the second time around, but you WILL. Be confident and you CAN do it. You have a lot of support and encouragement here!

-ONEHAPPYNURSE :nurse:

Wow...I just realized how much I've poured out. I hope this encourages you, JBreezy... and anyone else who has made it through my post.

butching15 · Jun 2, 2010

Onehappynurse thanks FOR the encourage and words of wisdom. It can help a lot. GOd bless

JbreezyRN · Jun 3, 2010

Hi JBreezy,
I'm very sorry to hear about that. I know how devastating that can be because it happened to me on my first try too. It really is an awful feeling...and I totally empathize with you. I wish I knew about this forum before because there is so much support here!
When I failed the first time, I wanted to hop straight into studying. NO. Take some time off. A few days. Try to gather your thoughts and figure out what didn't work right the first time. Did you do enough practice questions? Was it anxiety? In a few weeks, you'll get the official results telling you what areas you need to focus on so that can help guide your studies as well.
I know I needed help to reschedule everything. I had no clue what to do. I was so confused and lost and in this strange, quasi-conscious state. No one really helped me. So I snapped out of it, and made sure I did the necessary steps and rescheduled my exam. I gave myself two months. I did not want to take it too early or too late. However, I did the bulk of my studying in the last month. Take as much time as you need to prepare.
Next, I started on new study guides. I picked out these:
Kaplan Review 2010 (good for strategies)
NCLEX for Dummies (don't laugh. this book has a really great summary of lab values and strategies)
RNotes (if you're on the go and just want a quick summary of stuff)
Medications you should know for the NCLEX (nice book to carry around if you're on the go. Pharm was a weak area for me and I skimmed through this)
NCLEX 4000 (practice questions. practice practice practice. read each rationale. the last couple weeks or so, I was buzzing through this.)
Davis' Review (This I only used if I needed better explanations or needed to review a topic. It is VERY comprehensive and a little dense...but things are explained well.)
To me, I felt what really helped me were practice questions and testing strategies (Kaplan and Dummies...Thank you!). Do as many practice q's as you can. Read the rationales. Practice in a testing environment (no tv, listening to music, etc.). Train yourself to sit for the whole 265 questions with breaks in between. If I didn't have time, I'd sit for 75 questions exam and check out how I did.
If you feel that you can benefit from a study course, INVEST in it. Many of my classmates went to one, and felt it gave them that extra boost of confidence. I opted not to and felt I just needed to practice more. I really disciplined myself. It really is up to you and how you best study an absorb information.
Do not despair if the test does not stop at 75 or if it goes all the way to 265. People have failed and passed at 75 and 265. I've said it before: Really, the NCLEX is truly an awful exam that tests you on perhaps the most obscure things you've learned in nursing school. We all have to go through it, and we will all get there.
Failing on your first try does not mean you are a bad/stupid/[insert negative adjective here...believe me, I've beaten myself over it] nurse. Hey, you've already made it past nursing school. You're one smart cookie!
I know you have a lot of pressure on you to pass on the second time around, but you WILL. Be confident and you CAN do it. You have a lot of support and encouragement here!
-ONEHAPPYNURSE
Wow...I just realized how much I've poured out. I hope this encourages you, JBreezy... and anyone else who has made it through my post.

Onehappynurse, you made me feel a whole lot better. Thank you soo much for the detailed advise! I am quite lost as to where I should start again. I just bought the kaplan 2010-2011 today and I really hope this will help me out! I knew why I didnt pass and its a combination of things... lack of practice, lack of knowledge, test anxiety, cramming etc. I just feel like going clean slate and start things all over again including the things I've already know.

I realized the saunders book that I have is the 3rd edition and I don't know if I need to get the new edition or sticking to the 3rd one wouldn't harm me as much. I was thinking of getting the kaplan 200 medication you need to know as this is one of my weaknesses as well. My weakness: peds, ob, pharm...and ironically, that is what 70% of the question I got from nclex.

I was talking to my friend the other day and she also failed it at first attempt but she passed on the second attempt and is now working on the med-surg floor. She told me don't beat myself up on the second time, take my time and don't rush and practice on more practice questions. She was even trying to make me feel better cuz she said her computer shut off at 150 questions on the first try and she failed, while mine was 265 which just means that at least the computer was still giving me the chance to pass and that I might be doing something that can make me pass but not quite. Oh well, I still failed

Thank you for the recommendation! Where did you get the Nclex 4000 and how much did you pay for it? I am short of money and that's why I can't afford classes and other expensive review books and I stick to just what I have. I hope to hear from you again! Again, thank you dear. Really helped me reading this :)

Lazerus · Jun 3, 2010

thank you for support....my results will be ready in the am.......i kind of dont want to look ..but i better..........has anybody passed with 151 ........oh well..thank to you all ..ill keep posted good or bad.............

wannabHishands · Jun 3, 2010

Where did you get the Nclex 4000 and how much did you pay for it? I am short of money and that's why I can't afford classes and other expensive review books and I stick to just what I have.

I got the NCLEX Review 4000 from Borders, it was $50. No, I couldn't afford it either, but neither can I afford another $200 to test again, or the almost $10,000 I'll lose no being allowed to work as a gn until I pass...

JbreezyRN · Jun 3, 2010

thank you for support....my results will be ready in the am.......i kind of dont want to look ..but i better..........has anybody passed with 151 ........oh well..thank to you all ..ill keep posted good or bad.............

I hope you pass Lazerus! My friend passed at 150-ish as well. Let us know how well did you do! God bless!:)

JbreezyRN · Jun 3, 2010

I got the NCLEX Review 4000 from Borders, it was $50. No, I couldn't afford it either, but neither can I afford another $200 to test again, or the almost $10,000 I'll lose no being allowed to work as a gn until I pass...

thats true. I bought the kaplan book yesterday and I'm thinking of going back and getting the medication book as well. My friend said she might lend me her nclex 4000 since she's done with her examination and passed.

Leonardo Del Toro, RN · Jun 3, 2010

So I got my official result and yes just as I expected, I failed. I took it last friday morning and as soon as I got out of the testing center and got home and started crying. I had 265 painful questions. I was hella exhausted. Right now I just really feel so down, but not as depressed as I was for the past 2 days because I was already expecting it. (I did the PVT and yes, I got the "bad sign")
Now I can cry about this for the next couple days if I want to, but I know if I do, I'm just wasting my time worrying if I'm going to pass and may not be able to fully concentrate on with my study...
But need support from you guys. I know its not the end of the world but somewhat I can't help but feel like all the stuff I studied for went for nothing. Please help me get back to my feet again and tell me how do I start again? What I need to focus on?
This website is remarkable in supporting one another and I'm just so glad to be part of this!

Get back on the horse as soon as you can...you'll make it.

ONEHAPPYNP · Jun 3, 2010

thats true. I bought the kaplan book yesterday and I'm thinking of going back and getting the medication book as well. My friend said she might lend me her nclex 4000 since she's done with her examination and passed.

Hi JBreezy! I'm glad you were able to find some encouragement from my little post!

To answer your question, I got the NCLEX 4000 from a classmate. It's a good idea to utilize your classmates! Especially when I was strapped for cash. I totally understand not opting for a review course. I briefly considered it, but when I realized the cost it was to retest on top of a $400 review course...I felt I was better to just review on my own and use review materials from classmates. When I didn't pass on the first try, a classmate let me borrow her review materials because she was already finished with the exam.