HELP! Failed NCLEX-RN Exam twice!

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Hello everyone!

This is crazy! I never thought I would have to take the NCLEX a third time! I have taken the NCSBN online review course, read the Kaplan review book, and did the Kaplan online review. On the first exam I got 238 questions, the second 265. After the first attempt I thought I was weak in strategies, but obviously I need more work. I wrote a letter to the board to see if they could give me more info about the questions I missed. The first letter I received from them said "near passing standard" in every category...so that didn't help me prepare! Any suggestions would be great??????:confused::stone:confused:

Does the LaCharity book really help...?

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im sorry that you didnt pass. I just found out today that I didnt pass either.That was my first time taking NCLEX so my question to you is did you take your 2nd test ant the same testing center?

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Can anybody tell me how the process works if you failed NCLEX if you live in chicago? How many days do you have to wait and do you just register again on pearsonvue website?

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I preferred the Saunder's book as well. Kaplan had a lot of misleading info in it, IMHO.

The biggest thing I have seen with my friends who failed NCLEX were they were reading too far into questions. For example:

Which one of the following is more likely to encounter cancer of the throat?

A) A farmer who smokes cigarettes.

B) An auctioneer who chews tobacco and drinks a six pack each day.

This was an actual question from one of our preparation exams we took, and best exemplified which of us passed and which didn't from "thinking too hard". Most chose B, which was correct. Those that thought too far into it believed the farmer "could" be exposed to pesticides and crop dusting and was therefore more at risk.

This may not be you at all, and I don't want to make assumptions. But if you are reading a question and wander into the "well, this could be the case" then you are going too far.

All the information you need is there for you. Assume you have everything you need at bedside. Don't assume information about patients in questions.

Alternately, take a deep breath and believe in yourself! I hope the board gives you more sound information this time, but I'm sure you can do it!

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Specializes in LTC/Pediatrics.
Can anybody tell me how the process works if you failed NCLEX if you live in chicago? How many days do you have to wait and do you just register again on pearsonvue website?

hello nurseatheart. I took my first take in chicago as well but I failed and I have to wait 45 days to take it, but you can definitely register right away and don't have to wait for 45 days to do that.

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Specializes in LTC/Pediatrics.
I preferred the Saunder's book as well. Kaplan had a lot of misleading info in it, IMHO.

The biggest thing I have seen with my friends who failed NCLEX were they were reading too far into questions. For example:

Which one of the following is more likely to encounter cancer of the throat?

A) A farmer who smokes cigarettes.

B) An auctioneer who chews tobacco and drinks a six pack each day.

This was an actual question from one of our preparation exams we took, and best exemplified which of us passed and which didn't from "thinking too hard". Most chose B, which was correct. Those that thought too far into it believed the farmer "could" be exposed to pesticides and crop dusting and was therefore more at risk.

This may not be you at all, and I don't want to make assumptions. But if you are reading a question and wander into the "well, this could be the case" then you are going too far.

All the information you need is there for you. Assume you have everything you need at bedside. Don't assume information about patients in questions.

Alternately, take a deep breath and believe in yourself! I hope the board gives you more sound information this time, but I'm sure you can do it!

I couldn't agree more with this! In my honest opinion, and I told a couple of people about this (especially who took the kaplan course and failed) that they might be over thinking the question. If you have been practicing priority questions and have read and UNDERSTOOD every single rationale then tackling nclex priority questions shouldn't be that intimidating. I'm not saying everyone who took the kaplan course and failed means they had read far too much, some just didn't for work them and just need to try another approach. I went back to my qbanks after I took my last exam and realized that kaplan questions are harder than the nclex itself. There's a difference between reading the question carefully and reading too far into it. Keep it simple everyone, and don't get panic if you don't know a certain disease/condition/side effects, read thru the answer selection and sometimes it will give you clues.

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okay, so how do you answer the medicaton questions when you dont have a clue about what it is? for example the queston will say how do you know teaching is effective when the patients says what? And also the select all that apply questions I got so many of them?

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Specializes in "Wound care - geriatric care.

You are indeed close so keep trying and you will pass...it'a hard I know but there are rewards for those who persevere. You are sharpening your skills in every way, specially the ones which will give you fiber and character!

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Specializes in LTC/Pediatrics.
okay, so how do you answer the medicaton questions when you dont have a clue about what it is? for example the queston will say how do you know teaching is effective when the patients says what? And also the select all that apply questions I got so many of them?

its hard to know if you really don't know anything bout the medication, i was really just really guessing to the best of my ability. for ex. if a medication has a suffix "lol" i think beta blockers. I don't know for sure if it really is but i look at the selection that has something to do with teaching/side effets of beta blockers. i was thinking maybe some of the med question i got was part of the 15 "given" questions that doesn't count towards final result. a lot of people say SATAs are considered high level questions, in my opinion it could be both. some of the SATA i got are straight out recall/recognition type of question, but I guess if you are starting to get a lot of SATAs it can be considered a "high level" question since it involves more than 1 answer and its like an "all or nothing" type of question which is quite hard to tackle. but anyway, for meds, try to learn suffixes..im sure theres a thread here about medication mnemonics somewhere just look it up.

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im sorry that you didnt pass. I just found out today that I didnt pass either.That was my first time taking NCLEX so my question to you is did you take your 2nd test ant the same testing center?

Hi there! To answer your question, yes I did take it at the same testing center. It was the only one in the city I live in and it was close to my house.

How about you? So, for those of you who passed, do you recommend Kaplan or Saunders? I did Kaplan and it "somewhat" helped but not too much. I did buy the LaCharity book too.

I am sooo fearful of failing again, so I am not sure when I will take it...when I feel 200% ready I guess.

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Specializes in Med/Surg and ANCC RN-BC.

What I would suggest to you is get the saunders comprehensive review book and I also got the 5000 Q&A Saunders book for more practice at questions. I thought it was super helpful. I did about 150 per day up until the NCLEX.

I also did the Hurst Review online and thought that was extremely helpful. They went over each system and how each system could be related to something else.

Don't give up. Just study and practice questions! Good luck

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Thanks so much! I cannot afford the Hurst but I will take your advice on the 5000 Q & A Saunders book. I cannot wait to take the test and see "passed" and have "RN" behind my name! I hope it will be sooner rather than later!

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