How long is too long?

eliza_mae017 · May 3, 2006

Hello speedtec, I repeated Saunders CD a month before i take the exam , my weak part in the CD(maternal, neuro,respiratory,fundamentals,renal) If i still have extra time. I review the other content also. 2 weeks before my exam, i stopped w/ the CD, and just go over the notes that i write in my notebook. Atleast those part, i know i;ll have trouble remembering in. And thatss it..... Rest rest. I just finished my exam yesterday. To God be the glory,continue praying of passing NCLEX RN .. As I see ur doing good w/ ur review so just keep it up since u still have a month. I answered Kaplan questions also, small lippincott review card but i didnt focus on there. I just love answering questions to see where if my mind is working. I mainly concentrate w/ SAUnders Comprehensive CD. They explain the rationale very well. I finished most of the content in the CD except pharmacology part. When i answered most of the content, ther's a link that makes me understand why for example this happening to this disorder because, Either u will connect FLuid volume deficit or overload...... In my exam i encountered some drugs thats very fresh in my eyes:bugeyes: what i did i looked in the answer choices to determine a clue what type of drug it is, OR APply SAfetY. I study the major drugs digoxin,elavil,bronchodilator etc but they didnt appear. o:uhoh3: But thats ok :lol2:

eliza_mae017 · May 3, 2006

I felt the same way u feel right now, u will continue to ask urself! Am I ready? But i said everytime i feel that "YES i am ready, then i ask God's strength" Be confident on the knowledge that u have bec thats will help u in the exam. I feel that ur ready to take the exam on June 5. We are meant to be a nurse, SO Lets prove That~...........

speedtec · May 3, 2006

Thanks for sharing your insight, Eliza. I truly appreciate it. :nuke: And I hope you'd pass the exam. We'll be praying for you.

I'll probably follow your suggestion about going back to my weak areas, particularly pharma. I have a difficult time memorizing all those medications and their side effects. It seems like there are a million drugs out there. I'm familiar with the common drugs (digoxin, morphine, heparin, and the like), but the others are just too rare. :sniff:

Moreover, I wake up each day feeling so nervous, because I keep thinking that my exam is approaching. I have to find a way to relax cz the anticipation is killing me. :stone

Anyway, I'll continue with my current pace and gradually slow down as the exam approaches. Do you think I should take a study break once a week or should I study every day till examination day?

Thanks so much, and I really hope and pray you made it! :nuke:

eliza_mae017 · May 4, 2006

Hello speedtec, if u feel tired, want to watch movies. Do it and relax..I am like that. .Ther's tons of questions in the NCLEX, and YES we don't know what questions will have... But u have good reviewers that will make u prepare for those major ones. AS i said to myself I know am prepared,Getting to know everything, will make my mind blow out... Especially in pharmacology, i studied the major ones. But since i didnt have them yesterday thats ok, just try to apply safety,ABc all the time...

GoodLuck~

Geena, BSN, RN · May 4, 2006

I'm taking the NCLEX-RN in about a month (June 5). I've gone over the Kaplan book and CD twice, I've covered every page of the Saunders book, and am halfway through its CD (4,000+ questions). At the rate I'm going, I'm probably going to finish the Saunders CD way before the exam. When I'm done, what do I do next? Do I go over the Saunders book and CD over again, or do I move my exam date earlier? It's hard to say how I feel about being ready, cz although I feel confident about my readiness, I'm also nervous as hell. I guess that's a normal response when you're about to take a very important exam. Do you think it would benefit me more to go over the Saunders CD one more time? I'm even thinking of subscribing to NCSBN's E-learning, but it seems that no one has vouched for its effectiveness. So should I just wait and stick it out with my original exam schedule? Thanks in advance for those who'll help in enlightening me with this dilemma.

Hi!

I have been going through the same questions myself. Did Saunders and am continuing the Cd with 100Q's day. I guess I have done 4000 + already. My exam is not until end of June!!!!!!!!!!

I guess i will just keep going with r/v pharma; labs and weak points as well as keep the Q's going.

Geena

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · May 4, 2006

Sounds like you are well prepared.

Last year when I was preparing for the NCLEX, I didn't even open an NCLEX book or start studying for it until the beginning of June. And I took (and passed) the test on July 14th. You are definitely more prepared than I was!

But I'll tell you one thing, you will NEVER feel ready for it. No matter how much you study, you'll never feel ready. Even going through the Saunders CD a dozen times, you'll never be ready. I used Saunders and then a week or so before the test I did the Mosby CAT. But truthfully, nothing can prepare you for it.

You'll do just fine. Good luck to you!

speedtec · May 4, 2006

I guess studying just boosts our confidence and makes us get familiar with answering questions. In a way, I guess raindreamer is right, cz even previous takers have said that the questions that come out in the actual NCLEX exam is different from the ones in the books. On the other hand, I don't think studying hurts anyway. It's also nice to gain a momentum going into the exam by doing a lot of practice questions. Like they say, practice makes perfect. Basically, those who have taken the exam have said that it's mostly delegating, prioritizing, and therapeutic communication. So those of us who are about to take the exam must prepare for these type of questions. More importantly, we need to couple our effort with prayers. Divine intenrvention can spell a lot of difference.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · May 4, 2006

I totally agree! I'm not saying not to study! I did about 4,000+ questions by the time I took it. I think that's VERY important. Saunders worked very well for me. That's all I used. Like I said I used only Saunders and then about a week before the exam I did the Mosby CAT (I HIGHLY recommend that).

Think POSITIVE! That is SO important. I actually went into the test not feeling too anxious. I kept telling myself that it'd be ok and that I would do just fine. I didn't get all worked up and panicy like you hear people talk about. I think it's so important to have your mind in a good frame of mind then. And prayers definitely work!

speedtec · May 4, 2006

Thanks, RainDreamer. I'll follow your advice and try to relax on the day of the exam. I'll just keep working on the practice questions (Saunders CD) for now to build up my momentum. BTW, what is that Mosby CAT? Is that a CD too? Thanks for enlightening me. :)

AmyD_RN · May 5, 2006

I have a kaplan cat is that the same thing? it is a cat test I think, gives you 180 min to take it I think.???? there is nothing else on the cd but that.

anyone know?

AmyD

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · May 5, 2006

The Mosby CAT is a practice CAT (computer adaptive test ...... like the NCLEX). Meaning it gives you questions, and depending on if you get the question right or wrong, it'll give you a different question (harder question if you got the previous one correct, easier question if you got the previous one wrong). Then at the end of the test it'll give you a percentage of what your probability of passing the NCLEX will be.

I definitely recommend this!

http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/703090/description#description

You can order the online version. They will give you a Test ID and password. I think it's $40, and that is good for 30 days unlimited use of the questions.

A little hint. What I did was just take the tests and not look at the correct answers afterwards. I did this because sometimes you will get the same questions on subsequent tests. So I didn't want to look at the answers and have it affect the tests I took later on. I did probably about 8 tests before taking the NCLEX. Once I was done taking all the tests a couple days before the NCLEX, I went through and reviewed some of the questions/answers (you can always go back to your previous tests). It was a definite confidence booster for me. It got me used to how the computer adaptive testing works. And while I can't say that some of the questions were the exact same as was on my NCLEX, a few of them were VERY similar.

It was very much worth the 40 bucks.