Hopeless Nursing Grad

Published

Specializes in Psychology.

I am coming up on 2 years this month since I graduated with my BSN. I am attempting the NCLEX again in 2 months. I am feeling hopeless and would be grateful for some advice. Being out of school for so long I feel like I need to take a prep course to refresh on content. However I just can't afford Kaplan or Hurst. I am also terrified that I'm going to fail again and I want to prepare the best I can so that doesn't happen. I hate that it comes down to money. I'm a single mom and am doing my best to make ends meet. Any tips or guidance? I just never thought I still wouldn't be a nurse 2 years later..its devastating. 😩

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Are you close with any of your instructors who would review the content with you? What is your learning style. I know personally I am an independent learning so I studied by doing NCLEX questions daily (10 a day while in school, 100-500 a day between graduation and NCLEX). I know my friends who were not independent learners went to group studies and Kaplan and such.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

Public libraries are free to use and they usually have full set of NCLEX books (Kaplan, Saunders, etc.), complete with CDs. Maybe not the latest editions, but they still will do it. Used books sales/stores, even Goodwill may have the same books for a few bucks. Check out the nearest one to the local nursing school and/or teaching hospital. Don't forget ebay.

Make sure that you are still eligible for sitting for NCLEX and licensure, call your BON. Two years after school is not that long but I would still make sure it is ok and you do not need refresher course to be eligible.

Test taking is not like turnout in ballet, nobody is born with it. Start reading one content book like Saunder's and do whatever questions you can get, every day. Read the right answers whether you answered it right or not, make sure you understand the structure, what they want you to know, what the question was REALLY about. After 10 000 questions you will get it.

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I love the comment above mine. I agree there are so many free resources at the library.

My advice is to never give up. You have finished nursing school. Always remember that.

It doesn't matter how long ago you graduated. As long as your Board of nursing accepts your application, you still have a chance to become an RN. I wish you all the best.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

You can borrow books from the library as others have said. Also, NCSBN has a relatively inexpensive question bank that is pretty on target.

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NCSBN, Google, & Libraries are your best friend. Plus that 35 Page Study Guide circling around here for free.

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Specializes in surgery, ortho.

Join the facebook group NCLEX SATA. You'll find people helping one another as well as providing resources and materials for free. I'm a mom too! I admit I struggled in juggling my time between studying and taking care of my baby(I have no babysitter!). Don't give up! The moment you give up on this, is the moment you fail. Believe in yourself and try to find ways to relieve your anxiety.

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Specializes in Psychology.

All through nursing school I was an independent learner too. I seemed to get too distracted in a group setting and couldn't focus. I went to nursing school in Massachusetts and now live in South Carolina so not able to make a visit to my old instructors :/

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Specializes in Psychology.

Thank you all for your advice and comments! I will not give up but it's hard to not get discouraged. In South Carolina you only get 3 years from graduation to pass the NCLEX...so I only have 1 year left. I'm obviously praying I pass it next month though. I've taken the NCSBN prep course in February. I didnt find it too helpful though. My family offered to pay for me to take the Hurst review yesterday, so I'll be doing that. I'll definitely check out the libraries as well. Thank you all for your words of encouragement. It means a lot! í ½í¸Š

Prnstat1-it definitely is so hard juggling studying and life with a little one. My son is 1 and is a ball of energy. He only naps once a day and I'm a stay at home mom currently. So I do my best to study whenever I can but it isn't easy! Plus my closest family is 5 hours away from me and I don't have a babysitter either. But he is my biggest motivation to pass and finally be an RN!

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Join facebook NCLEX SATA questions only group. They helped me tremendously the second time around. They up-loaded many files there were so useful, like practice questions and EKG and everything else.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

There is a NCLEX prep course on Khanacademy.com for free. I love that site, it got me through Chemistry class with an A. You are so close now, don't give up.

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