Here's how I passed NCLEX...

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As I prepared for the NCLEX, I did a lot of research. If you are reading threads on this board then you are too. Initially, I did an overview using "NCLEX-RN Review Made Incredibly Easy". There are practice questions at the end of each chapter. Also, it comes with a CD-ROM with an additional 1005 questions. While I think the book was fairly helpful (at best), it did freshen my memory on different disorders. Prior to the exam I did all 1005 questions (this took several days). Two weeks prior to NCLEX, I started studying with the Saunders Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN. This book is excellent! It is by far the best book that I have seen and I think helps prepare you better than other books. The practice questions are pretty difficult and made me question my abilities, but I think they helped a great deal in knowing what to expect. I was consistently getting 60-65% on areas. Sometimes higher, sometimes lower.

In addition, I used the Kaplan NCLEX-RN guide, which offers helpful suggestions in answering questions. This was very helpful as well. While I did not necessarily use the methods recommended consciously, I think they helped get me in the right frame of mind to answer the questions in the way they wanted.

Lastly, I took Mosby's CAT exam for the NCLEX, online version. You can find this by googling Mosby's CAT. You can subscribe for one month, taking an NCLEX-style exam as many times as you like. I took this 5 times, printing off all 150 questions each time. I did not review the questions each time, as that would skew the results. It tells the % chance that you have of passing the NCLEX. My chances of passing were 94%, 94%, 99%, 99%, and 82% (I rushed through on this last attempt). Finding out these results increased my confidence. When I reviewed later, I was only getting about 66% of the questions right, but still my chances of passing the exam were high.

When I took the NCLEX, I tried to get in the frame of mind that I was prepared to take all 265 questions. I know people that had serious anxiety when it didn't cut off at 75. I couldn't help but get nervous near 75 however. Luckily, it cut off at 75. I found out yesterday that I passed!

If I had it to do over again, I would have spent more time using Saunders. I spent so much time on "Made Incredibly Easy" that I had to rush through Saunders. In addition, the Kaplan book was very helpful. Mosby's CAT got me in the right frame of mind due to positive feedback and actually going through a similated test.

Hope this helps. If you have questions, I'll try to answer them. Do as many practice questions as you can. I did between 3500 and 4000. But I know some people that hardly did any and passed. Doing research helps in understanding the NCLEX process, but try not to get caught up in all the anxiety. Most of us get nervous, but hearing about it can make it worse. Just know that you are not alone. You will worry about having failed it when you leave the exam, but about 85% of people pass it. Just do the best you can. That's all you can do. Good luck!!!

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Hello and welcome to the family of allnurses. Enjoy your stay and good luck!

Congratulations :)

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Congratulations!!! Good luck and thanks for sharing. I'm sure it will be helpful to others. :)

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Thanks Tweety and Jessica.

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Specializes in MED/SURG, ONCOLOGY, PEDIATRICS, ER.
As I prepared for the NCLEX, I did a lot of research. If you are reading threads on this board then you are too. Initially, I did an overview using "NCLEX-RN Review Made Incredibly Easy". There are practice questions at the end of each chapter. Also, it comes with a CD-ROM with an additional 1005 questions. While I think the book was fairly helpful (at best), it did freshen my memory on different disorders. Prior to the exam I did all 1005 questions (this took several days). Two weeks prior to NCLEX, I started studying with the Saunders Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN. This book is excellent! It is by far the best book that I have seen and I think helps prepare you better than other books. The practice questions are pretty difficult and made me question my abilities, but I think they helped a great deal in knowing what to expect. I was consistently getting 60-65% on areas. Sometimes higher, sometimes lower.

In addition, I used the Kaplan NCLEX-RN guide, which offers helpful suggestions in answering questions. This was very helpful as well. While I did not necessarily use the methods recommended consciously, I think they helped get me in the right frame of mind to answer the questions in the way they wanted.

Lastly, I took Mosby's CAT exam for the NCLEX, online version. You can find this by googling Mosby's CAT. You can subscribe for one month, taking an NCLEX-style exam as many times as you like. I took this 5 times, printing off all 150 questions each time. I did not review the questions each time, as that would skew the results. It tells the % chance that you have of passing the NCLEX. My chances of passing were 94%, 94%, 99%, 99%, and 82% (I rushed through on this last attempt). Finding out these results increased my confidence. When I reviewed later, I was only getting about 66% of the questions right, but still my chances of passing the exam were high.

When I took the NCLEX, I tried to get in the frame of mind that I was prepared to take all 265 questions. I know people that had serious anxiety when it didn't cut off at 75. I couldn't help but get nervous near 75 however. Luckily, it cut off at 75. I found out yesterday that I passed!

If I had it to do over again, I would have spent more time using Saunders. I spent so much time on "Made Incredibly Easy" that I had to rush through Saunders. In addition, the Kaplan book was very helpful. Mosby's CAT got me in the right frame of mind due to positive feedback and actually going through a similated test.

Hope this helps. If you have questions, I'll try to answer them. Do as many practice questions as you can. I did between 3500 and 4000. But I know some people that hardly did any and passed. Doing research helps in understanding the NCLEX process, but try not to get caught up in all the anxiety. Most of us get nervous, but hearing about it can make it worse. Just know that you are not alone. You will worry about having failed it when you leave the exam, but about 85% of people pass it. Just do the best you can. That's all you can do. Good luck!!!

Thanks very much for sharing and Congratulation!! :) Welcome to allnurses!!

Bori

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Specializes in LTAC, Telemetry, Thoracic Surgery, ED.

Very helpful info, thanks!

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Specializes in Child/Adolescent Mental Health.

Welcome to AN and thanks for the info. I am using the same study material as you mentioned. I also think the the "incredibly easy" series is a little on the light side but it breaks the systems down which I find helpful.

I would also like to do the Mosby cat because from what I have read about it so far it seems like a real confidence booster. :)

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Congrats on your success! Thank you also, for your rational, clear thoughts. I just scheduled to take the NCLEX on Sept 8th...thus giving myself almost a month to continue studying. I too have been using some of the same books that you used, and I too have been spending an abundance of time in the NCLEX Review Made Incredible Easy Book. I have taken the Mosby and the ATI Assessments. According to both of those results I have a 98% chance of passing. I will begin to focus more on the Mosby test questions.

I look forward to this stage of the process being an event of the past!

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Specializes in Child/Adolescent Mental Health.
Congrats on your success! Thank you also, for your rational, clear thoughts. I just scheduled to take the NCLEX on Sept 8th...thus giving myself almost a month to continue studying. I too have been using some of the same books that you used, and I too have been spending an abundance of time in the NCLEX Review Made Incredible Easy Book. I have taken the Mosby and the ATI Assessments. According to both of those results I have a 98% chance of passing. I will begin to focus more on the Mosby test questions.

I look forward to this stage of the process being an event of the past!

Does ATI have a CAT assessment?

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Does ATI have a CAT assessment?

Yes, it is called the RN Comprehensive Predictor 3.0 It was given during my final semester of Nursing School. You can also access on your own.

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Congratulations & thanks for sharing!

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BJZMOM,

Sounds like you are preparing in a very good way. That's all you can do! The results from Mosby's CAT sound very encouraging! Keep up the good work and I have no doubt that you will pass!!!

Hype

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