Help? I am so nervous!

[ksulyma11]

I finished nursing school about a month ago, while we were in school we had the Kaplan review and my readiness was 55%, I tried to just use the decision tree and it really doesn't work for me and was getting simple things wrong. So since I finished school I have taken the Q Trainers #1 56, #2 67%, #3 58%, #4 61%, #5 58%, #6 52% and I am saving #7. Also I have taken the Kaplan NCLEX RN Prep #1 46%, #2 62%, #3 Priorites 82%, & #4 SATA 30% -- I have reviewed a little bit of content in the Saunders book and have an app on my phone NCLEX Mastery which is helpful. Just wondering if you think i'm ready or if I should postpone my test date (currently still waiting for ATT but wanted to get it over with soon!) I am so anxious about this, I just need some feedback! Thanks! :)

[scaredsilly, BSN, RN]

My readiness was 55% and I passed the first time with scores similar to yours. Have you done the diagnostic yet? Kalan likes that to be over 60%, so base [art of your decision on that. I was very freaked out over my Kaplan scores, so I called them and (at no extra charge) got them to unlock the readiness test so that I could take it again. I took it 2 days before my exam and got a 72%. That eased my anxiety a little and convinced me that I did not need to reschedule the test.

I suggest that you keep doing questions, make tests up that consist mostly of the things you have been getting wrong and do around 100-200 a day. Read all the rationales. If you are weak (as I was) you can buy Kaplan pharm flash cards pretty cheap on Amazon (I think I paid under 20$, but don't really remember how much), and do those for a while every day. Don't freak out if you never get them all, but it truly saved my butt. Saunders is great for content, keep doing that too.

With these scores I think you have a really good chance to pass. Please remember that you are never going to feel really prepared. Also, we are expected to miss about 50% on the actual NCLEX, everyone does and you can pass with that kind of score.

Best of luck!

[HappyRN14]

I completely understand your nervousness. I just took my test last week and passed on my first attempt. I too, used Kaplan, but only Kaplan. I later focused more on HOW to answer the questions and utilizing the strategies Kaplan gives you rather than content and I noticed my scores getting higher. Honestly, I think you're ready to take the exam, however, no one is ever truly ready! I was scoring about the same, but unlike you I was using the decision tree on every question. I was making sure I wasn't falling for any of those "NCLEX traps" and memorizing the "rules of the NCLEX" that Kaplan tells you about, like how pain is psychosocial, never asking a "why" question, never answering a question based on what you've seen in the "real world," remembering that you don't have any limitations on time, staff, or equipment and so on and so forth. So just make sure that you're prepared to avoid those kinds of traps and remember those strategies to help you eliminate answers on the big day. Because if you do focus on those strategies, based on your scores, you WILL pass :)

Another little word of advice: Go with your gut!! I know there can be pressure to just get it over with, I also just couldn't wait to take it and get it over with. However, taking it around the date when everyone else in your graduating class is planning to or when your instructors suggest you to is not always the best for everyone. I scheduled mine, got a bad feeling about it, then rescheduled it so I could do practice questions for one more week. I'm so glad that I did!

Hope that helps! GOOD LUCK!!!