How to Pass the NCLEX for average to low cummulative test Takers

Published

5:06 am by [COLOR=#003366]mitch21sud 5:06 am by [COLOR=#003366]mitch21sud A member since Sep '13. Posts: 1

Alright, I have enjoyed reading the posts on this page in the past. Here was my experience with the NCLEX exam. Finished nursing school. I knew that I really struggled with the cumulative tests during the nursing program and was worried about the NCLEX. So I waited about a month and a half Bought the Kaplan online review with Q bank questions. I started watching the online content but there is like at least 45 hours worth of content. Felt a little exhausting and not as specific as I would have liked. So I just used the Kaplan quizzes to prepare myself. Took the first 5 quizzes got between 54-64 percent on them. Then I took the NCLEX got around 125 Q's test shut off. I did not pass. Felt pretty disappointed, discouraged, almost depressed. Fortunately for me other class mates had similar problems. Seems like a third of our class didn't pass the first time. So they all retook the exam 45 days later and passed. I had stuff going on vacations. They got me in touch with the Hurts review services. Wow talk about night and day. So I started watching the online lectures they have about 20 Hrs total that reviews basically everything. "core" content they call it. The lectures were focused, organized "in a manner that made it easier to learn and understand", read through the core content book that follows along with the online lectures. read through their 5th day materials. and probably did an additional 700-800 online questions from kaplans bank and hurst review questions. I only got 63% of kaplans Quiz 7 that is 265 questions long. Then took the NCLEX for the second time today 9/23/2013 felt like actually recognized most of the topics on the test this time. Sure I had question that I was very unfamiliar with, but I knew enough of the Hurst core content to feel much more confident. Test shut off and 75 questions. 90% sure I passed.

Moral of my story is... I do not feel like a really smart individual. crammed for tests in nursing school. Knew the NCLEX was going to be hard for me. I knew that the material I had learned over the last two years was not fresh in my mind.

Here is what I would have done to prepare for the test the first time

1. Hurst review with the book, Watch all lecture material at least once. Get the info back into your head!

2. Read that book as many times as you need to get the core content Fresh in your mind. I didn't memorize it all but read book 3 times.

3. Review the 5th day materials. Covers types of precautions, Meds, Nursing basics like pt ambulating with cain, crutches... Read it all at least once or twice. I didn't worry about memorizing it all I knew I couldn't do it and Core content med surg knowledge was most important.

4. Watch Management and Delegation material again day of or day before test. You will get these questions! The lecture is like 40 min long and it will show you how to take these types of questions. They don't teach you this in nursing school.

5. Print out lab values from Hurst 5th day materials "This you have to memorize, No questions asked"

6. Do at least 600 practice questions with reviewing rationales after you will learn info that wasn't taught in book.

7. Do whatever it is you feel you nee to do to get ready for test, let your personal intuition guide you on your studies, Ex. "I heard don't study two days before test let your brain rest..." I don't care I studied my butt off before my tests nursing school and studied until I walked through the door to take the test. It helped! Do whatever it is you need to do to take the test. Can't compare to friends that took test and passed. I studied probably 10x more than my buddy that passed the test in 75 first time, I don't care he is a good cumulative test taker I am not.

That is all... If you are a good test taker and have most nursing school info ready to take test go for it this may not be for you. If you struggle with this type of test, are concerned about knowing enough info, take practice tests and don't feel confident enough. This is for you! Follow these steps I swear it worked for me. Taking the test the second time, I felt so much more confident understood the diseases better, knew what to look for and how to eliminate patients in the management and delegation section. Pay the money for Hurst, you will not regret it! Follow those Steps and you can have success on the test the first time. Take the exam seriously and don't underestimate it, study and refresh your mind.

Thanks for Reading Good Luck, Pray, and Eat treat before you take the test. "Feed the Brain Sugar"

& Remember if this Guy can pass the test Anyone can, probably a monkey could do it. Thanks Mitch

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical-surgical.

Your story was great!!! Congrats! Knowing someone out there that had the same problems during testing in school gives me some faith I will conquer this NCLEX exam on the 10th!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Congrats!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I did pass the exam. One other thing I though of is that many people are saying there are lots of select all the apply type questions. First time I took the test. Wasn't sure what to do I selected like 3 of the answers every time. Next time I took the test I looked at each of the options tried to think about each one individually and selected the answers I actually thought were correct. didn't choose just 1 didn't choose all 5. Anywhere from 2-4 of the answers are correct. Just keep in mind you will get some multiple choice. They are not easy but at least you know its coming.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

your post helped calm me down thank you!!! i wish i found it sooner! i am also not very confident in my abilities and crammed my way through nursing school. it's been 3 months since grad and i feel like i've forgotten everything and i am only using hurst to prepare and am kind of freaking out/wondering if that's enough because it skips out on a TON of info... the book doesn't cover the areas that i am weak in like pharm/safety and infection control and i hope the documents on 5th day are enough for that?! there's no way i can study all that pharm though so i've really only studied cardiac meds... how did you study pharm? i don't want to fail the nclex because of pharm ahh. i heard pediatric developmental milestones were important on nclex too which hurst also doesn't have... do you have any suggestions that would be helpful to study that is not available on hurst? i also won't have time to do any other practice questions i hope that is okay... i just did the 6 q-reviews and about 500 ati questions that weren't very helpful in my opinion (straight facts). were the kaplan trainers helpful? i found some online for free maybe i could do a few questions

Up Vote Up Vote ×

sorry I did not get back to you, I would love to know how the test went for you ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Congrats!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i took it today and i'm not sure at all... i didn't think it was that bad so i'm kind of concerned. i also took it on 0 hours of sleep and i was dying the entire time. of course i guessed on the majority of the questions and i feel like i failed, but i guess i was expecting it to be a lot worse from what everyone said. i am getting the good pop up but i know that's not 100% accurate. i had a handful of SATA, a ton of pharm that i completely guessed on and a lot of peds which is my weakest content area. i had a few purely recall questions though like my last question at 75 so i am concerned. did you have recall questions too? ahh i do not know!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion