On Wed, 05/27/15, at 08:00 am, I sat down for the defining moment of my nursing school career by taking the NCLEX-RN exam. Although nervous, like the excitement one would feel on line for a roller coaster, I felt confident and somewhat calm. Nevertheless, after 75 questions (28 of them being SATA), the test shut off and I was done. I didn't bother with the Pearson Vue "trick", but instead waited for my unofficial "Quick Results" 48 hours later (and I mean they wait the entire 48 hours in Texas). They were available on a Friday morning for $7.95 through Pearson Vue. I was going to wait for the TX BON to post the info on their website for free, but since they only do so on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I decided to spend my money with Pearson Vue to get them sooner. Best $7.95 I've EVER spent...I passed!
Where I am coming from
I was admitted into an accelerated BSN program with the University of Texas at Arlington, after having completed all of my pre-reqs while pursuing a previous degree in Spanish at Tarleton State University. This BSN program ran for only 15 months. All lecture content was online, but our 900 clinical hours took place in partnering facilities and hospitals throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It was very demanding, but extremely rewarding in the end. I ended up graduating in the top 35% of my class, which afforded me an invitation into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nurses (which I humbly accepted). I then graduated with Cum Laude Honors with a GPA of 3.667.
My standardized test scores were as follows
- HESI-A2 score - 93%.
- Foundations HESI score - 1067
- Psych HESI score - 1061
- Med/Surg HESI score - 1147
- Pediatrics HESI score - 1246
- Critical Care HESI score - 963
- Maternity HESI score - 971
- EXIT HESI score - 873
How To Prepare For The NCLEX
STEP 1 Quizlets for Content Review
I hit the ground running. Throughout the program, I created Quizlets on quizlet.com as personal study material for content. I depended on these very heavily throughout school and owe most of my success to them. I knew that I would want to review the materials repetitively over the course of the program so that it all stayed fresh. And since I started this habit early, it certainly cut out a lot of busy work for later. So, now all I needed to do when it came time, was to go to each folder and look things up as needed. About 6 months before graduation (which happened to be our winter break), I made a point to divide and conquer those quizlets over and over, in order to prepare for the Exit HESI (which I took in April 2015) knowing that this would also help prepare me for the NCLEX.
STEP 2 Evolve HESI Case Studies / Comprehensive Exam Study Tool
I completed ALL of the Evolve HESI Case Studies and Comprehensive Exam study tools. They were required for our program completion in several courses, so it was money well spent. Our program administration taught us that the Exit HESI is a good predictor of our success with taking the NCLEX, which is why I used these to help me prepare.
STEP 3 NCLEX-RN Mastery App
I also did my research (reading blogs like these) about the most efficient and cost effective ways to prepare. There are a lot of programs out there that will guarantee that you pass, or your money back...and many people swear by them...but I think it's relative to what will meet your individual needs and learning style.
I chose not to spend hundreds of dollars on programs that would seemingly teach me that which I was already expected to know. My program prepared me well and I had faith in that, so I instead only spent a minimal $29.99 on the NCLEX-RN Mastery App. I began doing a minimum of 150 questions in one sitting at least 3-4 times a week, like a brain work out. The only reservation I had with that app was that they needed to perform a spell check before launching their most recent update. There were a lot of errors, but they luckily didn't affect the readability, so it wasn't a big deal for me.
STEP 4 Kaplan Question Trainers (find them online for free)
A week before my NCLEX, I read on an allnurses blog about Kaplan Question Trainers. I then scanned the internet for them and found trainers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 on somebody's quizlet collection. I was able to access them for free. My scores were as follows, in this specific order:
- Question Trainer 7 - 65%
- Question Trainer 1- 66%
- Question Trainer 2 - 67%
- Question Trainer 3 - 61%
- Question Trainer 7 - 66%
I broke each trainer down into manageable sets of 75 questions and timed myself as if I were actually testing. Then, I went through and read the rationales, whether I got them right or wrong. It was time-consuming, but well worth it because it served as a content review as well as a gauge for where I stood in some weird way...
Don't put too much meaning and emphasis on your question trainer scores, however, because they do not accurately reflect your expected performance on the NCLEX. The NCLEX does not base your questions or scores on a percentage. It is Computerized-Adaptive Testing...which means it bases your questions on your performance of each previously answered question. In essence, if you are given an easy question and you get it right, it progressively gives you harder questions...then once you get one of those harder questions wrong, it goes back down to an easier one...and so on and so forth. For more information about this concept, visit: NCLEX Candidate Bulletin.
STEP 5 Test-Taking Strategies Review
I then realized that I needed to shift gears and review test-taking strategies because I was bound to get questions for which I did not know the content well (after all, it's impossible to know it all). They taught us these strategies throughout school, but I knew I needed a review. I again, went to the nursing blogs to research.
Essentially, my NCLEX prep consisted of QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, and more QUESTIONS. Knowing how to answer those questions, regardless of their content, was the life-saver for me, however. Many of those pricey content review programs go over these strategies with you, but if you can find those strategies online for free, in blogs, or wherever, I encourage you to do so.
Some Valuable Notes about the NCLEX
TIP: Don't gauge your Pass/Fail probability on the amount of questions you are given during the NCLEX. Two friends of mine in my program, both having comparable academic abilities and above average performance, had very different NCLEX experiences than I, but still passed. I passed in 75 questions. Friend A passed at around 160 questions. Friend B passed at 265 questions (yes, that is the max they will give you and it was emotionally hard on her).
TIP: Don't forget your ID! You'll be turned away and will have to forfeit the money you paid for that particular testing experience. (Pearson Vue will also report it to the TX BON...see the NCLEX bulletin for ALL you need to know for testing day)
TIP: Start preparing EARLY and stay focused.
TIP: Get on here and tell us your story after you pass! There will always be student nurses looking for info about this experience. I was that person for the last 15 months!
