How do you know if you are ready to take the NCLEX

Bonny619 · Jan 17, 2008

I don't think anyone ever REALLY feels ready. I'm kind of in that boat right now. I take my test on Tuesday and many of my friends are rescheduling and that is freaking me out a bit.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2008

I don't think anyone ever feels truly ready. Honestly, nothing can really prepare you for it.

But before I took the NCLEX, I took some of the Mosby CATs to get a feel for how the computer adaptive tests work. It also gives you a percentage prediction probability of passing the NCLEX. If anything, it boosted my confidence!

Good luck to you!

jessi1106, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2008

I never felt ready and studied up until the very last minute (even went over lab values one last time in the car before I went in!). I did lots of practice questions and made sure I understood the rationales. I focused on my areas of weakness....NCLEX is just unpredictable, most of what I studied was not even mentioned on my test....but I passed first time w/75 questions.

You can do it! Good luck!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jan 17, 2008

No one ever feels ready, the main thing is practice as many questions as you can and understand the rationale to why you got a question wrong

tamz04 · Jan 17, 2008

I was relieved to see this post. I am starting a review course on Saturday and already want to reschedule my date, I cannot seem to get my score above the suggested percentage. I am scared.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jan 17, 2008

I was relieved to see this post. I am starting a review course on Saturday and already want to reschedule my date, I cannot seem to get my score above the suggested percentage. I am scared.

Are you understanding the rationale to the questions you are getting wrong? That should help you, also concentrate on answering questions

pugmama · Jan 17, 2008

Well, I haven't received my results yet, but the computer shut off at 75 and I know I got a lot of questions right. . .

I agreet that practicing questions is vital to your success. Be comfortable answering questions. It makes you feel a lot better if you know how to narrow down the answer, especially since you might get a question about something you have never heard of. I encountered that, but I was able to use my test-taking skills to get the answer right! (I looked it up when I got home). I did review certain subjects that I forgot about, or had trouble with.

Good luck with your studies. Believe in yourself. If you feel like you are not ready, reschedule.

labrador4122, RN · Jan 18, 2008

How did some of you know that you were ready to take the NCLEX? Did you take a test finish studying, or what?
I feel like no matter what i do I will not know it all for the Test?
Becks

when you study everything 5 times

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2008

I felt like I wanted to reschedule it, but I didn't, and I'm glad I didn't. I kept thinking if I reschedule it, I'll just be putting it off and I just wanted to get it over with. I wanted the studying to be over, the stress to be over, the worrying to be over.

If you've been doing questions everyday and studying a little everyday ..... then you're probably ready to take it. You will never feel 100% ready to take it. Rescheduling it and putting it off won't make it better and you won't feel any more ready.

pugmama · Jan 18, 2008

If you feel like you are not ready, reschedule.

Maybe I should put it this way--if you feel like you might be a complete basketcase, or you have such anxiety that you won't be able to think, reschedule it. We all know what the sympathetic nervous system does. Stress makes you stupid. Your brain is not working properly during stressful times.

I know people who have test-anxiety and it got in the way of their success on the NCLEX. Do what you have to do to relax a couple days before the test.