HOW I PASSED NCLEX

[tnmatt76]

Sorry it took so long but I've been trying to get registered for the spring. I have 6 classes I need to take before I can apply for the LVN-RN transitional program. But here is my journey to passing NCLEX.

I graduated in May myself and I failed my first time. I was so anxious on taking it I just scheduled it and not really knowing what I was going into. We had to answer 3,500 NCLEX style questions before we can graduate and also our NCLEX prep was ATI. With the ATI we had to make 90% in order to graduate also with that I passed on my first try we only got 3 tries. With all this being said I still wasn't prepared for NCLEX. My first time I kind of look over some questions but I was so confident that I was going to pass I didn't put much into it.

When I took it the first time I had no idea on what they were asking me I was reading too much into the questions and half of the medications I had no idea what they were and also I was answering questions based on my clinical experiences, and that's not good. Well clearly I failed and I requested my results and I was nearly passing on all except for 2 that was very discouraging. I didn't want to retake it at all. After I decided to take it again I started answering questions out of my SAUNDERS book we had to buy for school. I did the NCBSN http://learningext.com/for the 2 weeks I paid $50. The questions on there are very challenging I was upset I was scoring very low, but I continued with it. After my 2 weeks was over I still continued to answer questions on SAUNDERS the book and online. Then I broke down and paid for the Hurst Live Review I drove 2 hours for 3 days to this review, I had scheduled my test the 4th day I spoke with the instructor of the review and she suggested that I reschedule my day until a later date at least 2 weeks with doing the Hurst review. So I took her advice and reschedule and some kind of way I missed that date I went to the testing center on the wrong date so again I was so depressed and I had to pay for it again they had me down as a no show again I had to wait on my ATT, during my waiting I did the hurst and saunders over and over again. I was scoring 71-86 on Hurst and for some reason I was able to access the RN part also so I was answering those questions also.

I focused on what I didn't know for instance:

any kidney problem they will not need protein except for nephrotic syndrome (I didn't know what this was)

anytime someone is restless think hypoxia first

Things that I didn't know I made sure I got a better understanding of it like the medicines: lol, april, one etc...

I brushed up on my lab values to know if something is not normal what the problem can be

I am also a visual learner I posted a site on here and that helped me visualize the pathophysiology it's free and it helped me.

I didn't try and answer a certain amount of questions a day because I felt like what's the purpose if I don't know the material I just honestly focused on what I didn't know and when I felt like I knew it I then answered questions and I did like maybe 50-85 a day and I split the test up on Hurst also. About 2 weeks before like every other day I answered select all that apply from NCLEX PN 3000.

As far as NCLEX this time:

I had 1 dosage calculations

4 drag and drop

it was quite a bit of select all that apply and most of them were like :

if a pt is taking this med what should the nurse expect

what are the adverse effects of this med

what should the nurse do if a pt with this condition

Just a few pointers:

don't get caught up in people saying they took 75 or 85 and passed

don't answer as if you were in school or in a clinical setting

answer trying to keep the pt safe and yourself safe

read the question for what it is, don't what if

the only pt you have to take care of is the one on the screen

Just take your time, pray and think safety I can honestly say that it was easy this time around because I knew the terminology you know in school well at least for me you just retain the information that was needed for the exams

If you need anything else you can email me I am willing to help as much as I can and I'M SO SORRY this is so long but I wanted to let you know where I come from but I depended on this site and people inspirational stories.

But I wish you all the best luck!

[laKrugRN]

Cheers!

[Xaldin4life RN]

congrats!!can you give some tips on the priority questions?? i am able to narrow it down to 2 options but end up picking the wrong one...the ABCs rarely apply so that doesnt work for NCLEX. I remember doing a practice question and narrowing it down to a patient having small rash on chest after femur fracture and another patient with a 100 degree temperature following a hip replacement..

I chose the patient with 100 degree temperature with hip replacement, BUT the correct answer was the patient with chest rash after femure fracture.(due to possible fat emboli) BUT how the hell would i know that chest rash is linked to fat embolus when nothing like that was mentioned??? and i thought someone with a fever would take priority over someone with chest rash?

[FinallyRNStatus, BSN]

I agree there were no prioritization questions that were ABC issues or unstable vital signs. It was usually a list of 4 different patients with 4 different complex issues. I didn't expect that at all and probably got quite a few of these wrong on the NCLEX. I have no pointers other than take NCSBN which had the questions that seemed most like the NCLEX to me.

[Lench01]

Your sample question shows the importance of practicing questions. As I read ur post I knew it was the patient with the rash BC when I was studying for the nclex I learned from reading the rationales that chest rash and fracture = fat emboli. I also was not aware of this before I had the question. If u knew this then ABCs would apply to this question. I suggest you keep practicing priority questions which will also help with content if you are reviewing rationales.