How hard is the new NCLEX 2013 Test Plan

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Hi everyone,

To those who passed or failed in the new NCLEX this April, please share your thoughts and experience.

I heard a rumor that there is more SATA questions and less priority questions.

How true is this rumor ?

Specializes in Cardiac.
I took mine yesterday (7/3) and had 91 questions. About 20 SATA enough delegation that it sticks out and a lot of conference questions. Tried PvT and took me to the CC page. I have talked to a lot of people and they said the PVT didn't work for them or the holiday is screwing things up. They also said that I was at a higher level of questioning spin should be fine. Any thoughts?

I heard that pvt has been accurate for everyone who gets the good pop up but not for everyone who goes to the billing page. Meaning, some people still pass when they get the billing page. Does your state participate inn quick results?

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Specializes in Peds, OB/GYN, Home Health.

I heard that pvt has been accurate for everyone who gets the good pop up but not for everyone who goes to the billing page. Meaning, some people still pass when they get the billing page. Does your state participate inn quick results?

They do and if the holiday didn't screw me I should be able to get them this afternoon.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

They do and if the holiday didn't screw me I should be able to get them this afternoon.

Let us know! I'm spazzing out right now. In an hour I hit the 4 day mark. I keep trying pvt repeatedly an keep getting the good pop up, but I just want my results already.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Oh and also regarding the holiday: my BON (CA) still had an update early this morning. I know that they must be automated and I'm not 100% sure of what is included in an "update" but I do know it was updated even with the holiday. So I'm not sure if holidays effect them much.

I've also learned:

1. My BON site starts updating at 0200. If you log on and check between 0200-0300 you will get a message "currently updating. Check later."

2. After 0300 it appears nothing was updated. Even the date hasn't changed on the last update. Nothing appears different and the "currently updating" page is no longer present. It seems that at 0600 the updates are released. Two of my classmates found out at 0600 that they passed.

Needless to say, as you can tell, I haven't been sleeping much.

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PatMach10,RN and others: Just want to update you with my use of Exam Cram. Of course, I bought the comprehensive book-not just the questions. The book had 2 practice tests at the end and I did 90% of the first one which was over 220 questions. Cumbersome and punishment all at the same time. But I learned. Exam Cram has a tendency to ask great questions in chapter reviews that are not cover when you read about a particular disease/medication/procedure in that same chapter. They do highlight great points though throughout. And was the book that helped me learn/identify medication groups and their general side effects easily.

Took the NCLEX this morning in downtown Chicago and the test shut off at 75 questions.

I answered approximately 12 SATA questions which one included a picture, one exhibit question at the beginning and one EKG. No medical calculations, no procedure ordering, no correct picture to choose.

I kept thinking that I was only getting low-end questions and kept awaiting 'harder' questions or at least wanted to see more variety of questions. In retrospect, I remember trying to figure out which patients to see first especially when none of them had an immediate airway, breathing or circulation issue. I remember several questions regarding nurses being in conference and that correct teaching of a particular topic I needed to highlight. There were a couple of medication questions-but the medications were not foreign to me or to most nursing students: diuretics, antibiotics, antipsych, antacids, minerals...main ones.

I realized that Exam Cram could have over-prepared me but it had me confident that I knew a little something. I also used Kaplan's Qbanks/Qtests and really felt that I was glad to put in my $375 using it to prepare; the questions are worded very similarly to NCLEX questions.

I did the Pearson Trick this evening. I'm unable to register again and that is great. To completely boost my confidence, I just need an official document saying that I passed.

Oh yeah...it took me 2.5 hours answering 75 questions. I was anxious. Had to keep calming myself down. Kept thinking that I was failing because the questions did not seem hard and on top of that, I was UNCERTAIN of the answers I was marking as I went. Paradox. So I made myself go as slow as needed. My mind would trail off and I would have to reread and reread the questions and each answer multiple times. Computer screens are not my friend; wish the test could go back to booklet days. Then we would all have same questions, could underline words, go back to a question skipped and "brain dump" without penalty!

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Specializes in Nursing Assistant.
PatMach10,RN and others: Just want to update you with my use of Exam Cram. Of course, I bought the comprehensive book-not just the questions. The book had 2 practice tests at the end and I did 90% of the first one which was over 220 questions. Cumbersome and punishment all at the same time. But I learned. Exam Cram has a tendency to ask great questions in chapter reviews that are not cover when you read about a particular disease/medication/procedure in that same chapter. They do highlight great points though throughout. And was the book that helped me learn/identify medication groups and their general side effects easily.

Took the NCLEX this morning in downtown Chicago and the test shut off at 75 questions.

I answered approximately 12 SATA questions which one included a picture, one exhibit question at the beginning and one EKG. No medical calculations, no procedure ordering, no correct picture to choose.

I kept thinking that I was only getting low-end questions and kept awaiting 'harder' questions or at least wanted to see more variety of questions. In retrospect, I remember trying to figure out which patients to see first especially when none of them had an immediate airway, breathing or circulation issue. I remember several questions regarding nurses being in conference and that correct teaching of a particular topic I needed to highlight. There were a couple of medication questions-but the medications were not foreign to me or to most nursing students: diuretics, antibiotics, antipsych, antacids, minerals...main ones.

I realized that Exam Cram could have over-prepared me but it had me confident that I knew a little something. I also used Kaplan's Qbanks/Qtests and really felt that I was glad to put in my $375 using it to prepare; the questions are worded very similarly to NCLEX questions.

I did the Pearson Trick this evening. I'm unable to register again and that is great. To completely boost my confidence, I just need an official document saying that I passed.

Oh yeah...it took me 2.5 hours answering 75 questions. I was anxious. Had to keep calming myself down. Kept thinking that I was failing because the questions did not seem hard and on top of that, I was UNCERTAIN of the answers I was marking as I went. Paradox. So I made myself go as slow as needed. My mind would trail off and I would have to reread and reread the questions and each answer multiple times. Computer screens are not my friend; wish the test could go back to booklet days. Then we would all have same questions, could underline words, go back to a question skipped and "brain dump" without penalty!

Did you get official results yet?

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so far everyone in my class (graduated may 9) has passed the first time myself included. and we graduated from a tough school here in PA, so I feel we were fully prepared for nclex. i studied with Saunders 5th edition. you guys can pass! I was a C student in nursing school but I know my anatomy and physiology like no other and medical terms is my second language. good luck!

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I did get official results the very next day; I checked online to see that I passed through my state's website. I then received my application to obtain my license yesterday.

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.
I did get official results the very next day; I checked online to see that I passed through my state's website. I then received my application to obtain my license yesterday.

Congrats!!! Glad Exam Cram helped!

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Just thought I would comment on this thread because I had the same question before I took my test. I'm a very in depth person and I research everything. In my own personal opinion and my professors agreed, the nclex did not change in degree of question difficulty, but it did in the statistical margin of what passing is.

These "conference questions" I am seeing mentioned esp. Earlier in this post aren't any harder than any other. SATA and sequences aren't any harder in my personal opinion than the regular questions. Maybe my regular questions were above average? I don't know or maybe it was just my nerves, but I didn't find any type to be harder than another if your knowledge base was close to standard with all.

I took the NCLEX RN on 07/09.. 20 SATA, 1 EKG, and 1 drag and drop. I guess I did have conference questions too.. But I can't even estimate because I didn't think anything of them. Test shut off at 75 questions. Took me 2 and a half hours. Slowest test taker ever! Always was the last one out of a test in school. Lol Didn't feel great at all. Didn't actually feel anything at all. Lol said I wasn't going to do the pearson vue trick due to my uncertainty of it. Didn't make it an hour without doing it. Lol Got the good pop up. Paid for quick results, got the unofficial pass.

My point in all this is I was a very nervous prone person, never much confidence, but a lot of hard work continuously and despite all the recent changes and uncertainty I passed my first time. If you don't, keep trying. Everyone can do it!

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Specializes in LTC, Agency, HHC.
Hi. I took mine just this week and unfortunately failed. I had a lot of conference questions, around 5-6 SATA, 1 Drag and drop and some prioritations, no Math, some ECG and exhibits. Good luck on your exam! I think they didn't really change the exam format whatsover, I heard what they did was they raised the passing line, that's why it's a lot harder to pass the NCLEX nowadays.

What are conference questions?

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I took my NCLEX today and it cut me off at minimum. I had a lot (stressing a lot) of SATA , a few drag and drops, scenerios, some conference q's, and a lot of delegations and priorities. There were no math questions and I felt that my test touched base on everything I learned in school. It was hard, but nothing out of the ordinary. My studying consisted of ATI (which the nclex was very similiar to), lippincotts, and kaplan. Our school did the Kaplan review & after taking the nclex it did not feel realistic to the nclex at all. It may be good strategy wise, but no more then hurst, lippincotts, or even ATI.

Anyways, I started reviewing for 2 wks for a couple of hrs a day. I took minimum & finished it in a couple of hours. When I got home, I did the pearson vue trick and got the good pop up. Myself, I didn't pay extra as I should be listed on the NCBON in a few business days and that's what's most important to me - the license #- so I can start applying for jobs lol :)

GL everyone who is to take/retake the nclex :)

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