HOW to Pass NCLEX, KAPLAN and Saunders, NCLEX 2016

[baharehm]

I was on this website one day freaking out and the next day more relaxed depending who's post I was reading. Yes nursing school will freak you out for no reason and every single person will have their own personal opinion about the NCLEX. My program was intense it was 15 month and so I finished my courses by November 1^st, 2015, and got pinned December 19^th. I took 3 weeks off and went to Brazil for study abroad course for my Nurse Practitioner class.

I did take a Kaplan course with my school, which was 1 week long, and I learned more tricks for the test. I began to study January 1^st and I was literally studying day and night for about 15-16 hours a day. I did not think the Kaplan videos were helpful at all. I wanted to do some basic review on subjects I was weak and so I opened the Kaplan book up and reviewed the main subjects for 2 weeks. I also studied that 35 page study guide that's going around and besides that I studied the basic infection control, all the different tubes (Ng, Chest,etc), and main disease process. I spend about 2 full days reviewing OB and 2 full days for psych and the main medications for OB and psych. I had both Kaplan and Saunders open when I reviewed these 2 subjects. I also did all the practice questions in Saunders when I studied a subject I was unfamiliar with. I made flashcards for the things I was unable to remember easily like all the Hypo and hyper for (Mag, K, Na, C, Pho, etc), hypo/hyperthyroid, Addison, R/L heart disease and I also got a question on muchenproxy look it up It was in Kaplan so that's why I knew the answer.

After 2 weeks reviewing on my own than I started doing the 75 Q-banks each day. I started doing not so great at the beginning so I was very scared; I scored a 42% on my first test. After I finished I spend time reviewing the questions and tried to understand why I got it right or why I missed the question. Sometimes with the difficult once I would write it down and reviewed them 2 days before my test. Once a week I would do a trainer and review those questions as well.

T1:42%

T2:43%

T3:48%

T4:52%

T5:66%

T6:65%

T7:68%

READINESS TEST: 75%

I studied day and night and would only take a lunch break with a 1-hour gym session daily. I would go out only once a week or every other week and would turn my phone off when I was studying.

I was consistent and with doing more question on Kaplan I realized I was getting better with answering the question. Honestly I thought the NCLEX was a joke the questions are simple and straightforward. Kaplan is harder and honestly you will do fine once you do Kaplan program for 1 week, review the Kaplan book and some chapters in Saunders. Study that 35 page study guide it really did help me I got a lot of questions on infection control and which person I put in which room and who would I see first. And know your positions I got 3 positions and I had to click on the graph that was best for my patient, I also had 3 math questions really simply it was subtracting and adding. Make sure your know your lab values, I also had a lot of OB and psych questions. I was bad with medications, so what I did was I cut out some of the medication tables from Kaplan and only focused on Narcotics, CCB, Beta-Blockers, ACE, know your (Hypertensions medication side effect, when to give when to hold, etc) Psych(make sure you know side effects, what foods contain Thymin , SSRI, etc), OB(oxytocin, etc). Make sure you know the basic side effects and adverse effects on BP meds, psych, narcotics I got (Select All That Applies) for meds and thank god for Kaplan Table I knew the answers.

My computer did not shut off at 75 however it did shut of at 130. Right after 75 questions I freaked out and I know I started doing bad because I started getting nervous. I did notice that towards the end I was getting questions that I know I messed up, the questions were really similar and at one point I thought it was the same questions, lol . The test works with you if you miss it than it will give it to you again, I started doing well and so that's why it shut off at 130. Honestly the questions were so easy I thought it was joke.

I tried to work out and relax each day and worked on myself to not freak out for test day. Couple days before the test I stopped studying and started reviewing my notes and my flashcards.

I did put all my notes away 2 days before the test and went shopping, worked out and chilled by the pool. Test day I had a healthy breakfast and looked at my lab values and drove to the test center by myself. I know how I got to the test center but I don't know how I drove back home L. I did not do the Pearson trick I was too nervous. So I sat in front of the computer and kept refreshing the page every couple hours. After 28 hours my results were posted and I passed. Honestly hard wok pays off. I know nobody studied as hard as I did and I earned it. Don't listen to anyone and don't let anyone scare you. Just study hard everyday. If you think you are not ready for your test day, DON'T TAKE THE TEST, I pushed my date back by 5 days and I was very happy with my decision and everyone else told me I should not push it back, DON'T LISTEN TO ANYONE BUT YOUR GUT. Let me also tell you that English is my 3^rd language, if I can do it you can do it too J

Two weeks after the NCLEX I got hired by private client and now I am in traveling around the world with my patient. Write down on a paper and stick it to your wall that you will pass that test. Dreams do come true just tell yourself everyday you will pass that test.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I went to Disneyland right after graduation. Beyond that, I looked at one review book for ten minutes while I waited for a rental car.

I was no A student, either. I think it's actually possible to over-study.

[Bunsen]

Congrats on passing! I also did an accelerated program - 13 months non-stop.

I just used Uworld and did 150 questions/day for a couple weeks, although my classmates used Kaplan and it apparently worked since nobody has failed yet. Almost everyone in the class has had theirs cut off at 75. Hopefully college teaches each person how best to prepare for tests and everyone can study in the way that works best for them!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Moved to the NCLEX forum.