How i passed the NCLEX and what helped me pass with 75 questions

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Because I always read your stories, i always said i would sumbit my story when i passed the NCLEX.

My first attept was in december of 2014. After graduation my school made us do ATI in order for us to get our ATT and ATI was not the greatest thing to do so i cheated my way through it in order to get my ATT and tested as soon as i could. I got to question 75 and my nerves kicked in and i realized i was starting to do bad. My computer shut me off at 130 and i failed my first attempt.

*also, my second to last question was a SATA and i thought i passed because like they say that type of question is difficult level question.. NOT TRUE!

My second attempt was with kaplan. I figuired if everyone was passing with it, so would i. Did the whole thing before i tested and failed with 75 questions. Big bummer.

I started to feel like a failure and took almost a whole year off. in december i realized my problem was not with the questions rather it was lacking content. I started studying again december 2015 and here is what i did to pass my NCLEX on febuary 15, 2016.

Remar's quick facts review: ordered this book to get started with learning my content. I MEMORIZED this book. Took about 10 days i would do 7 pages a day! And would review it daily until the day i tested.

NCLEX RN premier with 2 practice tests(kaplan): this book was helpful because it gave me content to review and had a practice quiz at the end of every chapter.

first practice test: 180 questions-65%. Reviewed every rationelle and added what i didnt know to my remar review book or my notebok (that is full)

second practice test: 265 questions-68%. Did the same as the first

uworld: AMAZING! i loved this website. Worth the 60$ for one month. Every day for one month i would do about 3-4 practice tests 75 questions each. And when i finished all the questions i had about a week to test and i kept practicing the missed questions. I recommend this because the questions are alot like the nclex and the screen is just like it and everytime i practiced a test i would act as if it was the real NCLEX.

PDA book (prioritzation, delegation, and assessment): highly reccomend. I did it online on evolve and would practice about 75 questions a day!

Saunders practice questions on evolve alsos: did about 75 a day with this.

Yes i did about 500 questions aday with rationeles. I pushed myself because I wanted to pass the NCLEX. Every questions with the rationelle and if i did not know it i wrote it down. And reviewed all my content before i went home. I spent sbout 10 hours a day at the library. But it was all worth it knowing i am finally a REGISTERED NURSE.

TEST DAY: My time was at 1230 arrived at 10 and revieed my material for 2 hours in my car. Went in at 12 and walked out a little after 2.

I started with a question that was similar to UWORLD AND i knew it. At about question 4 i got my first SATA. i kept getting 2 after each other everytime. i had a total of 20 SATA. 5 exhibits and ALOT of priority and meds.

when i got to 73 i had a SATA. But my 74 and 75 seemed so easy that i thought i failed. I also googled my 75th question and i forsure got it wrong. So dont let it worry you if that happens to anyone because i passed my nclex witg getting it wrong. No i did not do the PVT i waited it out to see my license on the website.

Its an awesome feeling to finally say im an RN and i wish everyone the best of luck to conquer this exam because i myself know how it feels. Good luck to everyone still testing!

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Congrats. What helped you retain the volume of information doing 500q daily? Repetition?

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With my questions i was practicing, i would write down what i did not know and before i went home that night i would review what i did the day of. Sometimes if it was an honest mistake i wouldnt write it down or if it was simething common sense i would just remenber it without writing it down. The week before i tested when i was doing my missed questions, when i missed it again i would write it down and be sure to review it.

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Thank you!!!

Did it help to really know your fundamentals or infection control and how did you study for pharm? Thanks :)

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Yes it did! I was lacking alot of content and when i knew my content it was alot easier to answer priority questions (who to see first).

Aslo knowing what percaution to take with every disease really helped knowing how to answer questions. (Airborne, droplet, contact)

To be honest i did not focus alot on actual meds, rather i focused on the group (anticoagulants, anticonvulsant, antihistsmine). The remar quick facts review had about 30 pages just focusing on meds and i had it memorized and when i would practice meds only when they came on the questions i was practicing.

The meds i had on the exam were meds i knew honestly. The -olols, dig, ondosteron, opiods ect.

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Thanks for sharing. what category(s) did you do on Saunders and how many questions total did you before taking the exam? I tried Hurst review but feel like I learn best by doing questions instead of listening to lectures and I am back and forth with reading the Saunders book even though many have said its a waste of time.

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I have both the saunders book and the saunders questions only. I felt like if i read the book i would drain myself so i used it as a go to when i didnt understand something. The question book had a website where i got online and would practice the questions on evolve. I would do all types of questions but i made sure i would select the application and analysis questions as they say those are the difficult level ones and did every caregory. Saunders questions gave a great rationel as did uworld so if ur reading rationels as your doing questions it helps. Like killing 2 birds with one stone; getting review as u practice questions.

I didnt do well with lectures like kaplan because it was lectures and i am more of a study alone and learn on my own speed. I felt rushed with kaplan.

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Congratulations!! :)

I applaud you for not giving up! Great job!

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

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Thread moved to NCLEX forum.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

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