Help!! I am feeling very anxious as I am studying for NCLEX-I'm taking it in 4 days

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I am reaching out for some help dealing with what I believe is anxiety-which I have never had a problem with through out nursing school. I only feel this way while I am studying for NCLEX (4 days away)-all of my muscles in my neck, and shoulder are extremely tight, I feel a constant lump in my throat-that makes me feel anxious. Has anyone else experienced this? What can I do to reduce/eliminate it? I hate to think that I am going to feel like this, or much worse during my test.

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You need to relax. It's just another test. The knowledge you have now is everything you know through all your years in nursing school and a few more days beating yourself up wouldn't do much. The day before the test, you need to take a break. Don't read anything. Go out, watch a movie, hang out with friends. Also don't tell anyone about your test date. I kept everything on the down low. I didn't do anything the first day. And I just thought of it as another test. I ended with 75 questions and passing. A lot of anxiety and panic during test day is a trend i've seen with my classmates who have not passed. These four days, I believe you need to practice more on controlling your anxiety rather than studying. It's just another test.

GOOD LUCK :))

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Thanks! That is exactly what I am trying to do;control it. I have kept a solid B average through out nursing school and scored 97% chance of passing nclex-I feel like I will pass-this anxiety just came out of no where-and I don't know what to do with it :/

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Thank you GrnTea-I am sharing a portion of your post-because it is great advice-that I will be taking.

Posted in an earlier thread by "GrnTea"

"Here's my periodic advice on taking NCLEX:

I taught in the Kaplan NCLEX review course for years. Whatever resource you use to study, make sure it gives you the rationales for why the wrong choices are wrong as well as the right ones, right. This is where most people fall down-- they pick an answer that is factually true but is not the best answer for the situation as it would be assessed by a good RN. They try to memorize facts but forget critical thinking skills that are, well, critical in all nursing judgment.

NCLEX items are developed in part from knowing what errors new grads make and how. They tend to be of two kinds: inadequate information, and lack of knowledge (these are not the same thing). The goal of NCLEX is to pass candidates who will be acceptably SAFE in practice as NURSES. So-- they want to know what the prudent NURSE will do.

1) When confronted c 4 answers, you can usually discard 2 out of hand. Of the remaining two,

-- always choose the answer that (in priority order) makes the patient safer or gets you more information. "Can you tell me more about that?" "What do you know about your medication?" "What was the patient's lab result?"

-- NEVER choose the answer that has you turf the situation to another discipline-- chaplain, dietary, MD, social work, etc. It's often tempting, but they want to know about what the NURSE would do. See "always..." above.

2) "Safer" might mean airway, breathing, circulation; it might mean pull the bed out of the room and away from the fire; it might mean pressure ulcer prevention; or improving nutrition; or teaching about loose scatter rugs ... Keep your mind open. It might also mean "Headed down a better pathway to health." For example, while telling a battered woman who has chosen not to leave her partner that "Studies show that he will do it again" is factually true (and that's why this wrong answer is often chosen), the better answer is to acknowledge that you hear her choice to stay and say something like, "Now let's think of a plan to keep you safe." This doesn't turn her off from listening to you, so she will trust you, acknowledges her right to choose, and helps her along a path to better safety.

3) Read carefully. If they ask you for a nursing intervention answer, they aren't asking for an associated task or action which requires a physician plan of care. So in a scenario involving a medication, the answer would NOT be to hang the IV, regulate it, or chart it; it would not be to observe for complications. It WOULD be to assess pt knowledge of the med/tx plan and derive an appropriate patient teaching plan. Only that last one is nursing-independent and a nursing intervention.

Again, they want NURSING here.

4) The day before the test, do not study. Research shows that your brain does not retain crap you stuff into it at the last minute-- musicians learning a new piece play the first part on Monday, the second part on Tuesday, and the third part on Weds. Then they do something else entirely on Thursday; meanwhile, behind the scenes, the brain is organizing the new info into familiar cubbyholes already stuffed with similar music, putting it ready for easy access. On Friday, the whole piece works much better.

What this translates for in test-taking land is this: The day before the test, you go to a museum or a concert, go take a hike, read a trashy novel, make a ragout, do something else entirely. Take a small glass of wine, soak in a nice hot bath in a darkened tub with a few candles on the sink, get a nice night's sleep.

5) On your way out the door in the morning, open the refrigerator door and read the mayonnaise jar label. Do what it says: Keep cool, do not freeze. Then go to the testing center, you incipient RN, you!"

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I couldnt agree with you more RNtilTEN,IM GOING TO USE SOME OF YOUR ADVICE AS WELL.Im preparing for my next exam and thats exactly how Im going to look at it as JUST ANOTHER TEST.I failed the 1st time and I went into a serious depression and I refuse to let my son see me go through thatagain even if I do fail again

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Good luck fancyface70,Im praying for you.Im preparing for mine as well I failed in Oct 2013 and Im testing in 2 weeks.Im scared to fail again but Im going to remember this is just another test and if I fail I can take it again

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I'm experiencing the same thing. Sometimes while studying I'd just get so jumpy and can't sit still, last night I even started to have mild shaking and whole body was just tense. This has also been a big factor in the failing of my first and second take. Try not to let it get the best of you. If you can't stay calm and focused nothing going in, less is absorbed. I tried breathing exercises maybe 20 seconds just focusing on my breathing and nothing else, Tea has also helped me a lot I think and I take a walk or a breather when I need it and just mess around with my family. Laughter is a good way to keep your mind off it.

Also, it's completely normal to feel stressed out especially with a test like this but learn to keep the stress controlled. Good Luck!

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Worth a bump, since it seems a lot of recent grads are taking NCLEX soon.

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Thank you GrnTea for your advice, which I took to heart!I PASSED the NCLEX!!!!! I was so anxious in the days leading up to NCLEX that I found it to be difficult to study. I was studying TOO much. So I only studied 2 hrs a day-3 days before the test I didn't study the day before or on the test day-I took a break. I found Hurst review test taking strategies to be helpful (audio) 4shared folder - Fuer and Saunders CD to be the MOST helpful. Good luck to those who will be taking NCLEX-try to keep a cool head and take breaks.:)

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Thank you-I PASSED!!!! Prayers to you as well!! You got this :)

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