HOPE FOR ANYONE TAKING THE NCLEX

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Hi, everyone! I felt guided to write this post because there was very little encouragement when I was studying. I am here to tell you that you can ABSOLUTELY pass the NCLEX, whether it is your 1st, 2nd, or 10th time taking it. Just because you have failed it in the past, it should NOT discourage you. You are NOT a FAILURE. If you have those toxic thoughts, please start deleting them from your smart and wonderful brain right now! ? It is easy to get caught up in the negative voice in your head laughing at you and doubting you, but realize this is coming from one thing: fear. Realize and accept that you have passed nursing school, you are a warrior, you have shed so many sweat and tears to get here. Nursing school is not for the weak hearted or willed, and YOU HAVE PROVED TO BE STRONG.

I took my first NCLEX on December 12th and finished in 75 questions. After days of waiting, and keeping hope, I found out I didn't pass about a week later. I was DEVASTATED. It hurt so bad knowing that I had put in so much work and failed to pass. Questions running through my mind were, "How could I not pass? Am I really THAT STUPID that I failed the NCLEX in 75 questions? HOW COULD I FAIL? I thought I knew a lot?" and just negativity on top of negativity. Honestly though, I had the gut feeling that I did not pass and I was convincing myself otherwise.

I was embarrassed, shocked, bewildered, and in grief. I was a wonderful student in school, and everybody was shocked that I did not pass, including myself.

I immediately reapplied for the retake and received my ATT exactly 2 months later. Those two months I was in grief, and did not want to look at a single question, read a single book, or anything related to nursing. I would search up and down for tips and tricks to pass the NCLEX, and just came to terms with the fact that it is all up to me, and nothing else. Really, it is all up to YOU and nothing else. I took the NCLEX last week for the second time, it shut off at 75, and I knew this time I had passed. Sure enough, I did! I was crying from happiness. ?

I have come to a few very important conclusions about the reasons tied to failing the exam.

First Time Testers: You are scared of the exam. The exam has been said to be HARD, CONFUSING, "IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS." (note: this was my very exact thoughts when I took it the first time, and others' who have failed)

Repeat Test Takers: THE REASON YOU KEEP FAILING IS BECAUSE OF THE ATTITUDE YOU HAVE TOWARDS THE TEST AND TIED TO YOUR PAST FAILURE(S). It "defeated" you once, so you think it's going to defeat you over and over again. So what ends up happening? It keeps defeating you over and over again, inevitably.

So what is the common denominator in both these reasons? That's right: MINDSET.

My tips to all of you are the following:

What did not work the first time:

- I would study from 10AM - 12 AM DRAINING myself, to the point where my brain would not function.

- I got very little sleep the night before.

- I felt IMMENSE pressure to pass or else "my life was over."

- I was SCARED of the test. Yes, we almost all do this. We are scared of a test. Why? It's JUST A TEST. I know this sounds extremely dry, "because your license is on the line" but it is not the end of the world.

- I would do randomized tests on UWorld with 20-30 questions, completely skipping over the rationales of the answers I got right, because I thought "I know this already"

- I went into the test thinking "God please give me 75." Well, be careful what you wish for right? 75 and fail, lol. ?

- During my NCLEX, I was preoccupied with ANALYZING EVERY QUESTION I got. I would get a question right or wrong for example, and the next one I would try to figure out "Oh my god is this a harder or easier question? Am I doing better or worse? This is why I did so poorly at 75, because I was trying to figure the test out. DO NOT DO THIS PLEASE! You can NOT figure the NCLEX out even if your life depends on it.

What absolutely worked the second time:

- Doing 75-150 test questions a day on UWorld and taking notes on all the rationales. When you do this, you start to actually FEEL out how to answer questions. It becomes a mechanism and you are more aware of not only content, but the way questions are asked and how to think.

- I would study daily, take breaks in between, and not exhaust myself. Everybody's study method is different though, DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, but not exhaust yourself.

- I got a great night's sleep the night before.

- I was NOT nervous BECAUSE I had systematically worked through removing the self limiting doubts and thoughts in my mind that said "you are not good enough." I actually, no joke, rescheduled my test because I knew I did not remove all the doubt I had. I wasn't taking that test until my confidence was there. (This confidence has nothing to do with content, because I knew I didn't know everything when I went to take the test. You will never know everything. The only thing you can know is that you are WORTHY and DESERVE to pass)

- REPEAT affirmations DAILY until you BELIEVE IT. DONT GO TO YOUR TEST THINKING YOU ARE NOT WORHTY OF PASSING THE NCLEX. OF COURSE YOU ARE! I would tell myself, "I am smart. I am successful. I am accomplished. I am good enough to pass" Say these things to yourself and start believing them, because YOU ARE WONDERFUL AND SMART.

- I prepared myself for 265, really, I did. Actually, I hoped to get more than 75 because I wanted to know the computer was still giving me a chance ?

- I went in with a VERY calm and sure attitude, no pressure, and do my best no matter what

- I DID NOT try to analyze whether I was doing well on the test or not. I took it question by question and did my BEST on each question. WITH THIS NOTE I WANT TO ADDRESS A VERY BIG MISCONCEPTION: People think the computer will ask you the same questions over and over again if you keep getting them wrong/right. THIS IS NOT TRUE. For example, you get a maternity question and you answer it right, you think if you get another one about maternity, then you must have answered it "wrong." The computer will target not your weakness in subject, but in theory. So, that could be "Safety and Infection" or "Reduction of Risk Potential" but you do not know what you are going to get within those subjects.

Materials used: UWorld full QBank and YouTube videos if I did not understand a subject.

Total time studied: About a month and a half

You can do 5,000 questions, know all your content, and still go and fail. This is because of one thing and one thing only: FEAR! GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT COMES DOWN TO YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS ABOUT YOUR ABILITY. CHANGE YOUR MINDSET. YOU CAN PASS THE NCLEX. I PROMISE YOU CAN! TELL YOURSELF DAILY, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, AND YOU WILL HAVE THE PROOF TO SUPPORT IT. ?❤️ LOTS OF LOVE AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL! ??

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Thank you for taking the time to write and share this. I am going to bookmark it for the day I begin my NCLEX prep!

Kudos to you??‍??. All the best @Dreamer_9982

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Thanks for sharing your inspiring story...?

congrats to you!?

I will be taking my exam soon..

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dear NURSE Dreamer_9982

Congratulations...i am so so happy for you...thats one of the best encouragement post i have seen...

i am retaker second time...and i will apply what works for you....i felt like someone wrote my own story...just to tell u how similar i am to you test taking wise. I was a cum laude of my program but my anxiety is not helping me.

from today, that anxiety will not control me anymore...my exam will be in 3rd week of May and I know and believe that I will be pass and be officially a Registered Nurse like You my dear

Thank you so much for lifting me up and sharing what you went trough....

You will be a GREAT NURSE...

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Thank you so much for all of your lovely words!

I am so glad my post is able to encourage and help you wonderful people!

Please let me know if you have further questions or need help with anything ☀️?

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Hi. I got a lot out of reading your post .. well done.

I am a qualified nurse in Ireland just starting to consider the nclex in order to allow me to work in USA. Could you possibly tell me what to expect from the exam ... I know it's a multiple choice and read that it takes 5 hours but I can't find out what the exact layout of it is.

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The exam is based on a CAT system, which is computer adaptive testing. This means the test is designed to give you easier/more difficult questions as you get a question correct or incorrect. This is based on Bloom's Taxonomy as seen here:

Bloomtaxonomy-e1445435495371.jpg

So the most basic question would be remembering, which I didn't get at all on my test.

Then comes the level of understanding (i.e. What is the purpose of an echocardiogram?)

Apply questions would be such as interpreting what a rhythm strip on an EKG would be classified as.

Analyze questions would be something like a priority question such as "Which client would you see first in an emergency?"

Evaluate would be, for example, "Which signs indicate that the patient is responding well to chemotherapy?"

And finally, create would be more patient teaching concepts, or management concepts that comprise of the rest of the principles.

You have 6 hours maximum to take the test, and a minimum of 75 questions, or 265 if you are doing average.

All you need to pass the board is average. You DO NOT have to do super amazing to pass and get a license. This is because the BON is testing the competency and safety level that a new graduate nurse should have.

If you want to get familiar with the exact format of the test, I would highly recommend purchasing UWorld. The format is almost exactly like the actual NCLEX.

Many people ask, "Do you get the same questions on NCLEX as Uworld?" I think that its a ridiculous question, because you should not be memorizing content, rather knowing the proper application in situations.

I promise if you do UWorld and really set yourself to read all the rationales, gain an understanding, take notes, not only will your strength in content improve, but also the way you read and understand questions would be much more beneficial. For example, I used to never understand the difference between seeing a question as the following:

A patient is experiencing a thyroid storm, what would be the best action?

If your options were between a cooling blanket, and O2, I would give the cooling blanket because temperatures go high and deadly during thyroid storms.

If the question was rephrased as such, A patient is experiencing a thyroid storm, what would be the first action?

I would choose give an O2 mask, because you should make sure they are getting enough oxygen.

Before, I would just narrow it down to two possible answers and take a guess. Doing questions repetitively, and understanding these minute differences in wording really makes all the difference in paving the way to your success.

Directly answering your question, "What to expect from the exam?" You can expect any topic for this exam. Mine literally ranged from EKGs, to labor, to SBAR, all the way to issues dealing with legality. BUT this is not scary. You don't and never have to "know it all," rather, do the best you can with what you DO know. And trust me, once you get the hang of thinking like a nurse through constant exposure to questions, you should be able to pass with flying colors. Question formatting for me was 3 EKGs, 1 "put in order", 2 exhibits of labs and history, and 2 pictures depicting a certain disease that required patient teaching. I had 30 SATA and besides the other formats they were multiple choice. It can be different for anyone though! The number of SATA or multiple choice does not matter, because there are SATA questions that are at basic level and super easy, and multiple choice questions that are at a "high analytical" level.

Also, take note of the tips I wrote in the original post about not analyzing whether you got the previous question right/wrong, etc. Rather, take it ONE QUESTION AT A TIME!!!!!! You are GOLDEN! You can pass this test and pursue your dreams! I commend you for being an international student and taking this step to further your career! You got this!!!!!

I hope I answered your question! If you have any other questions, let me know! I want all of us to succeed and know that we are capable, smart, and here to do what is best for our clients!

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Wow, Thank you for your kind words -and Congratulations! It is exactly what I needed to hear today! You’re inspiring and I needed to hear this aloud. Thank you!

Sue

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Thank you so much. That's a great help and support. Best wishes to you in your ventures ?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
On 5/1/2019 at 10:09 AM, Dreamer_9982 said:

The exam is based on a CAT system, which is computer adaptive testing. This means the test is designed to give you easier/more difficult questions as you get a question correct or incorrect. This is based on Bloom's Taxonomy as seen here:

Bloomtaxonomy-e1445435495371.jpg

So the most basic question would be remembering, which I didn't get at all on my test.

Then comes the level of understanding (i.e. What is the purpose of an echocardiogram?)

Apply questions would be such as interpreting what a rhythm strip on an EKG would be classified as.

Analyze questions would be something like a priority question such as "Which client would you see first in an emergency?"

Evaluate would be, for example, "Which signs indicate that the patient is responding well to chemotherapy?"

And finally, create would be more patient teaching concepts, or management concepts that comprise of the rest of the principles.

You have 6 hours maximum to take the test, and a minimum of 75 questions, or 265 if you are doing average.

All you need to pass the board is average. You DO NOT have to do super amazing to pass and get a license. This is because the BON is testing the competency and safety level that a new graduate nurse should have.

If you want to get familiar with the exact format of the test, I would highly recommend purchasing UWorld. The format is almost exactly like the actual NCLEX.

Many people ask, "Do you get the same questions on NCLEX as Uworld?" I think that its a ridiculous question, because you should not be memorizing content, rather knowing the proper application in situations.

I promise if you do UWorld and really set yourself to read all the rationales, gain an understanding, take notes, not only will your strength in content improve, but also the way you read and understand questions would be much more beneficial. For example, I used to never understand the difference between seeing a question as the following:

A patient is experiencing a thyroid storm, what would be the best action?

If your options were between a cooling blanket, and O2, I would give the cooling blanket because temperatures go high and deadly during thyroid storms.

If the question was rephrased as such, A patient is experiencing a thyroid storm, what would be the first action?

I would choose give an O2 mask, because you should make sure they are getting enough oxygen.

Before, I would just narrow it down to two possible answers and take a guess. Doing questions repetitively, and understanding these minute differences in wording really makes all the difference in paving the way to your success.

Directly answering your question, "What to expect from the exam?" You can expect any topic for this exam. Mine literally ranged from EKGs, to labor, to SBAR, all the way to issues dealing with legality. BUT this is not scary. You don't and never have to "know it all," rather, do the best you can with what you DO know. And trust me, once you get the hang of thinking like a nurse through constant exposure to questions, you should be able to pass with flying colors. Question formatting for me was 3 EKGs, 1 "put in order", 2 exhibits of labs and history, and 2 pictures depicting a certain disease that required patient teaching. I had 30 SATA and besides the other formats they were multiple choice. It can be different for anyone though! The number of SATA or multiple choice does not matter, because there are SATA questions that are at basic level and super easy, and multiple choice questions that are at a "high analytical" level.

Also, take note of the tips I wrote in the original post about not analyzing whether you got the previous question right/wrong, etc. Rather, take it ONE QUESTION AT A TIME!!!!!! You are GOLDEN! You can pass this test and pursue your dreams! I commend you for being an international student and taking this step to further your career! You got this!!!!!

I hope I answered your question! If you have any other questions, let me know! I want all of us to succeed and know that we are capable, smart, and here to do what is best for our clients!

I love this post. What tripped me up was the way UWORLD worded the questions versus the NCLEX. I was so confused....?to my demise .

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congratulations dear...was looking for an inspiring post like yours...yes we can do it...thank u dearly

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