How I passed the NCLEX-RN 2015

[juderivers, BSN, RN]

"Courage is endurance for one moment more." - Unknown 2nd Lt. Marine in the Vietnam War

This post primarily goes out to all NCLEX takers who are having second doubts and panic attacks before taking the Exam. I made a promise that if I passed the NCLEX-RN I would post my story here to aid any colleague in distress. My anxiety peaked a few days before the exam and reading some posts here made me feel a little better.

Let me start by giving my background and an introduction. I am 26 years old, I graduated in a foreign nursing school in the year 2011 (yes it was long ago) and passed the local licensing exam of that country shortly after graduation. After that I was stuck in limbo for a few years and finally got approved to take the NCLEX-RN in New York in 2014. I, not being the most studious student out there did not prepare for it as I should have. The fact that I was a Registered Nurse in another jurisdiction and my performance in that exam was great was enough confidence for me to take it easy. I did enroll in KAPLAN but I did not really immerse myself into the program. Yes I took the practice tests and the question bank (up to 60%) but my mind was not really in it. KAPLAN was my only tool in reviewing and I did not take it seriously. If I remember correctly my Diagnostic exam was like 53%, Readiness exam was like 54% and I did not finish the Qbank even though my scores were like 60-70%. Unsurprisingly, I FAILED MY FIRST ATTEMPT on the NCLEX-RN EXAMINATION (August 2014) with a performance evaluation of: SLIGHTLY BELOW PASSING LEVEL. I took the whole 265 questions for like 5 hours. It was agonizing, specially if your were just going to fail.

Yep, it was depressing, but I had no right to be angry at the world because I knew I did not give my best shot. I decided it was best to get back into the fight. I took a break for a couple of weeks just to trash out everything. I decided I was going to go monk and live a solitary and monastery like lifestyle. I'm going to have to shut myself from the outside world and just wholeheartedly focus on my preparation. I had to prepare for it like how I did when I took my first Nursing exam back in the old country and also when I used to compete in MMA. That is, give up all social activities and just devote and maximize your time on learning.

I scheduled my second exam on December. I decided to get more resources. I know now that taking practice tests alone was not enough (considering I graduated long ago, my foundation was really rusty and shaky.) So my program would be to take practice tests almost everyday (I started small, with 50 items a day then a 100 and so on) so that it becomes "muscle memory" and also digest as much content as I could as to "increase the muscle." Someone has called it a two pronged attack or a pincer attack which are: PRACTICE TESTS & CONTENT.

My tools for the job were:

1. Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX-RN review 6th ed by Linda Silvestri: This book and it's online practice tests are amazing. On the difficulty level, the practice tests here are moderate compared to KAPLAN and there are a lot of SATA questions. The content in this book was enjoyable. Compared to the KAPLAN books, this book was a complete bible and the KAPLAN books were just brochures. This book made me look forward to reading and studying. It gives you what you need to know, no more no less. I read at least 900 pages of this book (I would have finished the whole thing if I had the time) and at least 1000 questons (there was a bug so I was not able to take more.) I like that it was easier because it gave me confidence (WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT) to tackle the mind raping questions of KAPLAN.

2. I downloaded and bought the NCLEX MASTERY APP for my phone. Let me tell you, if I could pay twice for this, I would. It's content and questions are pretty much the same with Saunders so it really solidifies your foundation. And the best part about it that, it's on the go. It says on this app that "Distracted learning is still learning," and I took that to heart. I would use this app when I am doing my laundry, waiting for the bus, waiting on the train platform, waiting for my food and sitting down at a cafe. There is no gap in my preparation because of this app. Wanna take 10-20 questions before you sleep? Go ahead! And also the part that I love so much about this app is that it also has resources, it has abundant mnemonics that made my learning and retention a lot easier and fun.

3. KAPLAN - this is the big boss. This will make you or break you. This one was the cause of my doubts and anxiety. Make sure you are ready when you take this, and I suggest you finish the majority of the NCLEX MASTERY APP & SAUNDERS before taking this. The reason is that it is much more difficult than the earlier two and it does not care haha, it does give you enough rationale to make your mind at peace. My memory for the results of the practice tests are very vague now and my account has now expired but I will show you what I think my results were:

Diagnostic Exam - 63%

Practice Test 1 - 67%

Practice Test 2 - 69%

Practice Test 3 - 57%

Practice Test 4 - 59%

Readiness Exam - 64%

Practice Test 5 6 7 - 57-62%

I did not watch the KAPLAN videos for my second exam, the content of Saunders was sufficient for me. ALSO, I was not able to finish the Qbank again, maybe just 50%. And they say that if you were doing at least 60% correct on Kaplan...they say you are doing well. I guess that is true plus I find the questions in Kaplan really difficult (Like all passing level questions.)

What I can conclude is that my results in Kaplan were steadily decreasing. Which was not supposed to happen! I think your grades are suppose to increase as you ingest more knowledge not the other way around. So to be honest I moved my exam twice. Eventually I had to take it on January 9th of 2015 instead of early December of 2014. I felt I was not ready. I was so anxious. I feel like I was going to war but not to victory. It was like I'm walking towards my execution - for the second time. I was studying from late October until the first few days of January. No Thanksgiving, No Birthday celebration, No Christmas, No New Years Eve celebration and I even had a Killer flu for a week before Thanksgiving. I had to cut my hours short at my job because I really need more time for my studies. I live alone and life was pretty much as that, solitary with no direct support system. I just had to suck it up and man up for months. After all this, I felt so frustrated because I felt was still not ready.

Prayer was a huge help. I would go to church during my free time. Of course I asked God to help me pass the exam...but just by being in the church gave me some peace and solace from the craziness that is my preparation.

I took the Exam in New York City, I was hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. I readied myself into taking the whole 265 questions again and for 5 hours. But I finished in less than an hour and a half and in just 75 questions. I was in disbelief. I knew I was doing well but I did not think it was THAT WELL. I stepped out of the building confused. I did not know if I should celebrate or grieve HAHA. Deep inside I knew I passed but I did not want to jinx it. I just walked to St. Patrick's Cathedral which was just a few way blocks away. I sat inside and I was just relieved it was over. A few days later, I received my nurse serial number and my certificate. I am now a Registered Nurse in the State of New York.

PS: I did not have a Nursing Drug book. But with all the test taking and content I took, my Nursing Pharma was sufficient. I did not have a pharma question during the actual exam in which I did not know the answer.

Sorry for the long post. I just wanted to be as complete and detailed as I could!

[Sac girl]

Thank you for the great post! CONGRATULATIONS, RN!! And thank you for encouragement!:)

[RNfindingherway, BSN, RN]

Congrats on a job well done. Thank you for the encouragement.

[juderivers, BSN, RN]

"Courage is endurance for one moment more." - Unknown 2nd Lt. Marine in the Vietnam War

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CORRECTION. I meant to write that Kaplan DOES NOT give you enough rationale to make your mind at peace.

"3. KAPLAN - this is the big boss. This will make you or break you. This one was the cause of my doubts and anxiety. Make sure you are ready when you take this, and I suggest you finish the majority of the NCLEX MASTERY APP & SAUNDERS before taking this. The reason is that it is much more difficult than the earlier two and it does not care haha, it does NOT give you enough rationale to make your mind at peace. My memory for the results of the practice tests are very vague now and my account has now expired but I will show you what I think my results were:"

PLUS, If you have any questions feel free to post it on the comment section! Have a nice day guys!

[na_na]

Hi! I found out today I failed the NCLEX. I used Kaplan and the NCLEX mastery as my resources. I did every single question and trainers, yet I still failed. If I didn't know anything, I would look it up on mayo clinic. I averaged around 50s-56%. As for the mastery app, I did every single question, but I guess I didn't try to fully understand the rationales.

I do not know how how to study this time, since I feel like a failure. Do you think I should call Kaplan to continue the 3 month plan or get my money back? I am planning to read and try to understand Saunders for content since I need help with that. I am planning to restart the NCLEX mastery and try to understand the rationales even though a lot of the questions I feel are very hard. Did you use the mnemonics?

Reading how you changed your habits preparing for the second for the NCLEX, gives me some hope. I am thinking of following the steps you did to pass the second time. How many months did you give yourself to prepare for the NCLEX the second time?

Any other suggestions or advice will be helpful. Thank you! :)

[juderivers, BSN, RN]

Hi there!

Firstly, I would like to say I'm sorry you did not pass the exam. Do not lose hope, it does not define you, what defines you though is how you get back up. So just take a deep breath and give yourself a couple of weeks of rest if you like.

I did stress the importance of PRACTICE TESTS & CONTEXT, beyond those two I would also like to stress fully understanding the RATIONALE and also MEMORIZATION. Taking thousands of questions is pretty much useless if you don't study the rationale behind it. I also did a lot of memorization to prepare myself for the dreaded SATA questions, which has become a staple question in the exam. I realized taking it easy won't be enough and I had to be a walking textbook. Taking the NCLEX is like being on your own at the hospital, you only have yourself to depend on. So I memorized as much mnemonics as I could, I memorized the GCS, APGAR score, Barden scale, the rule of nines for burns, growth & developement milestones, labor & delivery and so on. I transformed myself into a walking textbook in 3 months time. Don't ask yourself if its going to appear on the exam or not, this will just be your profession for life, so everything you read will eventually be tested not only during the NCLEX. Imagine yourself giving a lecture about a certain disease, you should be able to understand and explain these topics by heart, as if you are truly giving a health lecture to your patient. I would also rewrite mnemonics and others as much as I could. Kind of like drills, I would rewrite all the signs & symptoms of TCA's, SSRI's and MAOI's as warm up before I finish a chapter/system/practice test. I was really into it. It's tiring, yes! I burnt a lot of calories for it, so make sure you eat a lot too! haha and also exercise when you can! Exercise is the most underutilized antidepressant out there and it's free! And sometimes, I would take a day off, maybe watch a movie, see some friends, just to chill and relax. When I experience a burnout or a plateau phase, I would do those (exercise, relax, watch a movie, go to church etc)

I have a love-hate relationship with Kaplan haha. But they are very accurate and resembles the actual exam very well. It is a good indicator how well you are performing. Try to consistently hit above 60% on the Kaplan tests and you have a good chance of passing.

I am not ashamed I failed. If I haven't, I wouldn't have changed myself for the better.

Goodluck! If there is anything else, let me know!

[Nat.RN]

Congrats!!!!! Well Done!! Hard work did pay off. lol!! so happy for you… now go be the best RN you can be :)

[na_na]

Thank you for the advice! :)

[KNicolle67]

hello, can you tell me what is the definition for SATA ? I am pursuing a nursing career after many years of child protective services and case management. This exam sounds real tough, oh, boy !!! Hope I am successful as well. Interested in Accelerated BSN program, presently looking for schools to take Preq's:

Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab: 4 credits

Chemistry I with Lab: 4 credits

Microbiology with Lab: 4 credits

Thank you.

[juderivers, BSN, RN]

Hi there!

Congratulations on your decision to pursue Nursing as your next career. It truly is a rewarding profession. You may be a good pediatric nurse, I think, given your background!

SATA means SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. If you miss one, you'll get the whole question wrong, you get a zero for it. It is a very harsh question type and you gotta be prepared for it! The exam truly is tough! But if you respect the exam the way I did, you'll do fine.

It's best to consult with a college regarding your credits!

Goodluck!

[KNicolle67]

Thanks

[nm1992]

Hi all,

Just wanted to share my little story as well. I waited awhile after graduation to take the nclex partly because of nerves and partly because I got very distracted during the summer following nursing school. However, as a graduation present, my grandparents paid for me to take the Hurst Review course. But, I did not take the nclex for the first time until almost 7 months later! I used the Hurst Review online lectures and took 3 of their QReview scores (ranged between high 60-mid 70, they said I needed to get around 84 to pass the NCLEX). Anyways, I went into the first test very unsure of my knowledge and shaking like a leaf! I literally thought I was going to pass out at any given moment, but I proceeding with facing the beast. And lets just say the beast kicked my ass, the test cut off at 75. And the funny thing was I left out feeling like I had passed because the test cut off at 75! Boy did I learn quickly that the test cutting off at 75 meant the complete opposite, I had done absolutely horrible. Majority of my categories stated below passing standard and I was really at a lost. My boyfriend and I had planned to move out soon, and I had already started a nursing job that was waiting for me to just pass this test to make it official! I felt defeated, disappointed, and worthless. But I knew I had not gone through 4 years of nursing school to just not become an RN. I waited a little longer than 45 days to take it a second time because I picked up a job so I could pay for the test again and whatever other resources I needed. I purchased the LaCharity book for practice questions and also continued to use my Hurst Review resource for content and 3 more QReviews. I completed every single question in LaCharity, wrote out my own interpretations of rationales from the book into a separate journal (I studied from the journal, just the rationales, for about 2 hours twice a week). I focused on specific content that I knew I sucked in such as pharm, and I honestly did not know much about safety and infection precautions. And I also, PRAYED. For me, that changed everything the second time around. Talking to God gave me the understanding to realize that I had to block all negative energy to pass this test. I needed a clear and peaceful mind in order to pass this! And thats exactly what I did, created a peaceful environment. I prayed, I relaxed, I shopped, visited my mom a lot, and I studied long and hard. The second time I went to take my exam, I didn't tell anyone EXCEPT my boyfriend. I went to bed early the night before, prayed, got up early, chatted with my boyfriend, got breakfast, and I went into the testing center as calm as ever! I couldn't believe how shaky and embarrassing I had been the first time. I started my test and it didn't seem any easier than the first time but with my newly restored critical thinking skills, I felt I could work my way to the answer! This time the test did not stop at 75 and this is something that I had not prepared for. My hands started sweating and I started to get a little fidgety, I didn't take the first break because I wanted to get done. But then when my test continued to go to question 150 now, I decided I definitely needed a break. I went into the bathroom and just knew I had already bombed the test. Why hadn't it cut off? But I went back because I knew had to do this for God, myself, and my family. I think I had about 20 mins left when I got to question 265. I left the test center and went home and cried, then I read a forum that told me to just stop thinking about it because the test has already been submitted, don't try the PVT trick, and don't check on the license website for 48 hours, DO something good for yourself and just try to ease your mind until its time to look for results. So thats what I did, and this morning I found out I am a REGISTERED NURSEEEEEEE!!!!!!! Life is not easy, and this is just one challenge you may face in life but you can't give up! Focus on what matters to you the most and use that to motivate you!!!! For me that was God, myself, and my family!!!!!! IF AT FIRST YOU DONT SUCCEED, DUST YOURSELF OFF AND TRY AGAIN