Graduated LPN school 8 years ago and want to take boards...need help!!

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I graduated LPN school 8 years ago and failed the boards twice. I now have been working as a nursing assistant for four years and want to take my boards to be an LPN. I don't know where to begin or what the best resources are to use right now to help me study to do this. If anyone has any input to help me out I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

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Questions, questions, questions, questions. Submit your application, pick a date at least three or four months out and start. Get study guides at the library, bookstore, or on the internet, and just start. Start at page one and work your way through the study guide, studying the rationales for each answer. Take the exam. Repeat process if necessary, until you pass. Every journey begins with the first step.

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Specializes in Skilled Nursing.

Hi

Try challenging yourself by studying from the RN NCLEX books and yes do questions but take breaks, etc. It all depends on the person and how they are able to retain the information and review shortcuts (labs,dosages,common pharm s/s) 1 hour before you test. Everyone is different and everyone has their own way of studying. I will advice to you is to not give up.

I took my exam 4xs however, I am also working as a CNA and in the process of finding an LVN job here in California. I haven't had much luck yet cause I am so scared that ill make a mistake but eventually I've had multiple calls for interviews etc. I wish you the best of luck if I could do this you could too. :nurse:

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Is it hard to find an lvn job if you dont have an experience? Im still waiting for my ATT, I've been away from medical field for 8 years and I'm worried that no one would hire me because I dont have any working experience in a hospital.

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Specializes in Skilled Nursing.
Is it hard to find an lvn job if you dont have an experience? Im still waiting for my ATT, I've been away from medical field for 8 years and I'm worried that no one would hire me because I dont have any working experience in a hospital.

We're on the same boat here and I been job hunting bc it's about time I use my license. I been considering taking a refresher course once I find one in the LA area otherwise ill review questions. Although I been checking Craigslist or Indeed.com and there are a few ads that would say "hiring new grads will train". We may not be "new grads" but we're new nurses and they will take you as long as you ask for enough training and you get help when you need it. I heard home health or hospice might be easy way to get hired. I can't do that I'd rather work on the floor but I will consider it bc I need to find work as LVN before end of year :crossing fingers:

Btw let's not lose hope I found some topics here where a few long time graduate LVNs got their first job. It was inspiring reading their stories and if they can do it so can we. 😀

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I think you are going to have to take your program over. I was an RPN in Canada and gave up my license 7 years ago due to a car accident. I need to do my entire program over here in MI. Take the refresher and you might end up with some job prospects.

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Please don't get discouraged. I graduated LPN school in 2005 and took the boards. I failed the first time taking the NCLEX, it scared me so bad that I never went back to take the test again. Then all of a sudden the real world got to me got married had kids and I got a job working for the state and living very comfortable. Since I didn't pass my boards I always felt like I had weight on my shoulders. My husband use to always ask me if I was going to go back and take the test again, this last time he asked I told him that yeah I wanted to do it and I found a NCLEX refresher course which was like a boot camp for the NCLEX. For three months I buckled down went to class. All I did was just do questions, questions, questions. I just recently took my boards and the test shut off at 100 questions. Walking out of the building I felt like if failed and that I couldn't go though this again. The next day I looked at the board of nursing website to see if I was issued a license and I saw my name in LIGHTS.. I PASSED, I said all that to say never give up. Just keep doing those practice test and go over the things that you don't know. You will do great, the hard part was going though school. Now cross that finish line and pass that test, you can do it :)

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Don't study from RN NCLEX books; study from PN NCLEX books. NCLEX will ask you about your scope of practice as an LPN and you want to be answering correctly.

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Hello,

I'm with you on this one. I recently just took my boards this year and failed. :( It's been 6 months and right now I am filling out an application to retake my boards. I'm still scared that I would fail but there's nothing more that I want than to be a nurse, so I am doing the best I can to make that happen.

Anyway, about your problem: if you have a smartphone, download all available *free* NCLEX review apps that you can find. I'm using a few of them and I practice questions everyday. I also visit my notes that I took from school and some powerpoints that we used during lecture and it helps as a refresher. Just practice with questions and read the rationales. I would like to share some powerpoints and notes with you if you'd like. :)

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What state did you test in? Did you have trouble getting your ATT?

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Try Uworld, ATT and HESI you will be fine

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