How I passed the nclex, sept. 2014

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I graduated in May and took my nclex in sept., and passed the first time with 252 questions. Idk if i would recommend waiting that long, I think concepts would have come easier if I took it closer to graduating. If i redid it, I would have taken it at the beginning of july or end of june.

I started studying 3 weeks before my test. I only used the 3 week ncsbn.com review coorifice. It costs $60, I think. I did all their questions, probably about 1400 worth. I read all the rationales and wrote index cards for them whether i got it right or wrong, and i researched what I was confused on. My ncsbn quiz grades ranged from 50%-75%. This made me nervous, but I think their questions are harder then the nclex. Five of my friends from school also used ncsbn, passed the first try, and got 50's to 70's on their quizes too.

I always procrastinate, and I didn't sleep the night before my exam, cramming in medication, lab, and maternity review. I do feel, however, that 3 weeks is enough time for studying, kaplan actually recommends 3 weeks. I ended up having to stay up the night before, because I spent several hours on youtube and facebook, instead of focusing and studying for the full 3 weeks. Every nursing school test, I procrastinated and didn't sleep the night before, so i thought it wouldn't make a difference for the nclex, not true. Not getting sleep without a doubt effected me. I was beyond fatigued, it took me five hours and twenty mins to get through the exam, with only one 10min bathroom break. No sleep is definitely one of the reasons it took me 252 questions to pass. Also, I had a headache afterword from staring at the computer screen. During the exam, i asked if they could turn the brightness down, but they said not when the exam is in progress. So if you want to not have a super bright screen and headache, ask before you start the test; idk, though, if all the testing centers are the same.

In studying, I feel that I didn't study enough easy questions, that is where i got stuck on my nclex. It took me sooooooo long to get pass the easy questions, I kept getting them wrong. It's almost like the ncsbn website only has hard questions and didn't review easy ones. By easy ones I mean precautions for different diseases and what RN does first. I had so many of those, I decided I was going to fail half way through, as I wasn't getting any hard questions. Finally, when I reached 200 questions, my questions started getting harder. They were definitely not impossibly hard though, like everyone was making them out to be.

Here is some extra review I used:

Kaplan's decision tree:

http://www.kaptest.com/studenthome/syllabus/assignment/Classroom_Posters-1-5-Complete-8x11.pdf

I used this review sheet from a fellow allnurses person. I didn't read the whole packet, I think it would be helpful though. I actually just read and understood the maternity section. That's the only maternity I studied for the test, apparently it's enough to pass. I am going to attach the review.

I made sure to know this food/vitamin sheet that I'll attach below.

I couldn't find a review sheet that focused on medications, so i used a bunch of sources to form my own med. review. It is basically all I memorized for the test, with exception of med.question rationales from ncsbn. I will attach that too.

One of my friends who passed used saunders review book and ncsbn. She said that saunders has a lot of easy questions, so that might be helpful if you feel you might get stuck like I did.

Anyway, I wish everyone the best of luck on their nclex and their future RN careers. And don't let people psych you out :D

General Review NCLEX.doc

Food Diets NCLEX.doc

Medications.doc

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I love how real this post is! In a lot of posts I read, the person trained themselves to get up early, studied for months (I did haha), and used every source under the sun. The fact that you admitted to blowing time on FB and YT had me like :roflmao:. That was so me on some days! I am glad you passed, congratulations!!

Enjoy this new chapter of your life. It feels good to have those letters after our names :nurse:

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[COLOR=#003366]elbvon I am so happy for you! Congrats on passing! I failed first time due to anxiety!

I am using Hurst since I was weak in some contents and I am using Kaplan too and finished Kaplan strategy book! I will probably add NCBSN for 3 weeks too since been I head good positive feedback about it! Thanks for the review post too!

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Thank you so much for the advice:up:

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Specializes in Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities.

Thanks. I graduate from a BSN program in May. I plan to trying in late June. Your post sounds very real. Thanks for the tips and encouragement.

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Congrats and thank u!!!!

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[COLOR=#003366]elbvon I am so happy for you! Congrats on passing! I failed first time due to anxiety!

I am using Hurst since I was weak in some contents and I am using Kaplan too and finished Kaplan strategy book! I will probably add NCBSN for 3 weeks too since been I head good positive feedback about it! Thanks for the review post too!

I just took my NCLEX on 9/19, and the questions I practiced with from NCSBN were most similar to what I saw on the test!

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NursePallasFNP2b Thanks I will be doing NCBSN 3 weeks as soon I complete Kaplan online Review!!
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