How to pass NCLEX-RN!

Published Nov 26, 2014

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You are reading page 2 of How to pass NCLEX-RN! by NurseKath1

The NCLEX-RN has been one of the biggest challenges I have faced in my life (and I'm a single mother). I took my boards several times before passing, FINALLY! I decided to share my experiences on how I passed, and what I did to make myself struggle with passing.

ORGANIZATION AND CONFIDENCE

1. Set a schedule that works best for you to focus on studying about three hours a day, 4-5 days a week (essential).

2. Make sure you are giving yourself sufficient amount of rest each night.

3. Incorporate exercise into your lifestyle-it gets your endorphins moving and helps stay structured!

4. Let your family and friends know your schedule. This helps so they can be apart of your focus factor.

5.Never lose hope. If the scores on your practice tests are poor or have failed your NCLEX before, so what!!! Face the fact that you are only failing yourself by not defeating this test! If you have failed NCLEX, don't wait to retest, keep your mind fresh with knowledge. I have made this mistake and wish that I had overcome my insecurities.

TEST PREP/STUDY GUIDES

1. Kaplan RN test prep is a necessity! I purchased Hurst, NCSBN, and various study books (Exam Cram, Saunders, Incredibly Easy NCLEX-RN Review), and Kaplan was the key. The questions are harder than actual NCLEX questions, but they make you critically think and it gives you a good foundation to analyze questions appropriately asked on NCLEX (using the decision tree) and also provides a great overall review (which is basically what Hurst is).

2. Purchase "Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment: Practice Exercises for the NCLEX Examination" by Linda A. LaCharity, Candice K. Kumagai, Barbara Bartz. It doesn't really matter if you get the newer edition or not. The point is to really focus on being able to answer questions on what the book is about; prioritization, delegation, and assignment.

SET A TEST DATE

1. Set a date that is a least three weeks away after you have done your comprehensive review (if needed).

1. Practice test questions within the three weeks prior to testing. Study questions make the world of a difference for when you go to test. You will feel more comfortable and confident when you actually sit down in front of the computer on your test day.

2. Set a goal of at least 100 questions a day studying, 600 minimum a week.

3. Prepare yourself for long tests. Try to answer tests that are 100-180 questions (Kaplan does this with there Qtrainers).

TEST DAY

1. After you sit down at the computer and have answered all the pre-testing questions (how to use the computer, etc), look at your name on the top left corner of the screen with the "RN" abbreviation in front of it and know, you've got this! Close your eyes afterwards and picture it in your head, control your breathing, then begin your test. Nerves can be overcoming.

2.When you get to question #50, FOCUS!!! This is where you really want to try and get as many questions right, and stay at the above passing level.

3. When you get to question #75 and after, answer the question, and before you press submit or the next button, re-read the question with all the available answers and the one you selected, so if it shuts off, you can remember the question to look up the answer afterwards. My personal experience, if you get the last question answered wrong, you fail. Last question answered right, you pass (except if you go to the full 265, then this doesn't apply).

4. Try the PVT trick. Yes, this has changed as of August 2014, where if you pass then you have to pay $200 to reregister. So what? It will keep you moving forward in still studying. Here's a link explaining how to do it, and it works (from personal experience, its never failed me): http://caring4you.net/pvt.html

Lastly, GOOD LUCK! Never lose yourself in this test!