How hard is the NCLEX???

loucil · Feb 21, 2007

i've taken the exam last january and i say it's hard....just read kaplan materials and saunders it would help you a lot. i reviewed in kaplan

sistrmoon, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2007

I'd say it's the hardest test I've taken. That honor used to belong to the GRE. What makes it hard is that it seems like all the studying you do doesn't help at all. The priority questions seem like all the patients are going to die and the meds tend to be ones you've never heard of and the rest you can narrow it down to two answer choices usually, but it's really difficult to choose from there.

Emily

energizer · Feb 24, 2007

I just passed on my first try with less than 80 questions. I got married the day before, so I didn't prepare much. I completed one half of a saunders review book and read Kaplan twice. The reason I think I passed is because I forced myself to take my time. I put alot of thought into the quesitons. Some answers I kept. some answers I changed after remembering the content in the question. It had been years since I learned some of the material on the test. Just don't answer impulsively. Good luck on your test.

onduty23 · Feb 24, 2007

took it yesterday and omg its harddddddddddddddddddddd. i study my butt off i brought saunders and took ncbsn review course. whats gets me upset is ncsbn make nclex yet their site question were no where as diffficult as the test. i get my result sunday. i am leanings towards i failed. meds question were goodly hard

Sheri257 · Feb 24, 2007

whats gets me upset is ncsbn make nclex yet their site question were no where as diffficult as the test.

I know that some people swear by NCSBN but I've also heard comments like this. On the surface, it would make sense that it would be helpful since they write the exam but ... I just didn't trust it.

To me, relying on the NCSBN to help you take this exam would be the same as expecting the teacher who wrote the test to help you answer all of their trick questions before the test.

In my experience, at least, that's unlikely to happen. It's almost like a conflict of interest, so to speak, because it's not necessarily their job or their priority to help you with the exam.

:typing

flyinghigh · Feb 25, 2007

Nclex exam was the hardest exam I have takeneven to the extentthat I was altready reviewing immediately 2 days after taking it in Hongkong, Only to learn 13 days after that I passed it.
Here is what I did, must know book by Saunders ( Comprehensive review at least 8 rounds) cd Q and A at least 2 rounds,Lippincott by billings at least 4 rounds, Kaplan questions at least 2 rounds, during the last week take the ncsbn review very helpful, type of questions asked somewhat similar.
Make sure that you you have answered at least 15,000 q's from different reviewers. Before the exam you rely on hard work and determination and after the exam that's the time that faith will come in.
GOOD LUCK....

---I really do not know how u cud manage to do all those rounds-great!! but do not u think different review books give different rationals-also there are slight lab-value difference,which made me confuse and i chose to take only one book[latest edition to refer]-what would u say will it be incomplete preparation?

flyinghigh · Feb 25, 2007

I saw a site internetexam for nclex practice Q which charges very very less.Before subscribing to it, I would like to ask [anyone who has used it]-if it is worth of spending money and time?Thanks

BarnabusRN · Jul 1, 2009

The worse part about the NCLEX is that you have to use your brain.

50caliber · Jul 1, 2009

I passed first time and didn't think it was too hard but what made it stressful was that your life is literally on hold with this exam. A lot of it is a mental game that you play with yourself. I thought I failed but I passed and no one ever walks out of this exam confidently thinking they passed.

All you really need is a Kaplan and Saunders. Anything else more then that is simply overload and will cause you undue stress. Keep it simple and minimize study guides. There is no magic preparation but hard work and being methodical in your studying.

2bNurse4life4ever · Jul 1, 2009

I passed first time and didn't think it was too hard but what made it stressful was that your life is literally on hold with this exam. A lot of it is a mental game that you play with yourself. I thought I failed but I passed and no one ever walks out of this exam confidently thinking they passed.
All you really need is a Kaplan and Saunders. Anything else more then that is simply overload and will cause you undue stress. Keep it simple and minimize study guides. There is no magic preparation but hard work and being methodical in your studying.

that is all i have as well, kaplan qbank (kaplan complete) and saunders, how many questions should i do from each per day? .. and should i do saunders study mode and choose content by content, or should i do exam mode and click on all? .. im getting confused, since i have both, i dont know what to focus on.. and how many questions to do from each..?

FNPdude74 · Jul 1, 2009

that is all i have as well, kaplan qbank (kaplan complete) and saunders, how many questions should i do from each per day? .. and should i do saunders study mode and choose content by content, or should i do exam mode and click on all? .. im getting confused, since i have both, i dont know what to focus on.. and how many questions to do from each..?

That is what i'm wondering as well. Can anyone give input on this? I take mine this Friday July 3rd. I've heard there are a lot more of priority type questions and that the priority questions are the hardest, is this true? Today would be my last day of studying. Should I take a comprehensive exam of "select all" client needs/content, or should i concentrate more on delegation/priority type questions? I'm using Saunders Q&A CD only. I have the Kaplan strategy book and read it a couple of weeks ago and did their 180 study practice questions and i got a 80%(i took the practice test first time in May 18(got 59% and second time June 24 got 81%).)

Hows this for today or is it too much? Saunders Q&A CD: 100 question "comprehensive select all" exam with reviewing rationales and strategies. Then 10 question quizzes throughout the day as much as I can of delegation/priority questions, I believe there are only 139 of these questions on the CD that specifically hits delegation/prioritization. Then all content quizzes after I finish the delegation/prioritizing questions?

PLEASE HELP.

50caliber · Jul 1, 2009

Here is what I did: I took the Kaplan course and did everything they said to do and filled in the content using Kaplan's theory book and Saunders. I did all the questions and qbank questions like they suggested. Here is the problem: if i could go back in time and do things differently, here is what I would have done to make my life and the exam easier.

1) Focus more on theory vs. test technique. Knowledge trumps all. I thought I was a little foolish in putting too much faith/confidence in Kaplan but NCLEX is a mental game and Kaplan does help with that by giving you suppose confidence so you don't trip out during the exam which a lot of people do and then you are really screwed. Their qbank questions are great cause they are very similar to NCLEX so you will not be thrown off. But I would not place "too" much emphasis on their test taking techniques but do be aware of them cause it gives you a solid approach in taking on questions and systematically breaking them down. So it comes down to eliminating questions and taking a guess and playing the odds game. This is where knowledge of theory can really help you after eliminaitng the wrong answers.

2) Go over the Saunders book chapter by chapter but you DON'T need to know everything and don't memmorize everything cause your head will explode. Just study and know the important concepts of each chapter. NCLEX will not waste your time with the small crap because this is a test designed for an entry level nurse and wants you to be safe with pt. care.

I think I am a perfectionist when it comes to test taking cause I want to learn everything but with NCLEX, this is not possible. I was a little upset cause I put too much emphasis on Kaplan vs. simple persistent studying using Saunders.

I would say 65% Saunders, and 35% Kaplan(stratedgies, qbanks)