How to study for the NCLEX-RN after a long layoff?

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Hello:

I graduated in December 2010 and proceeded to fail the NCLEX twice. The last time I failed was in September 2011. I think it is time to get back up on the horse and pass the test already. I hate to say this going in to the study portion of the NCLEX but I feel like the NCLEX is my unicorn which I know is bad because it sets me up for failure. I am going to try to think positive.

How do you recommend I jump back in to preparing for the exam? I have an ATI tutor that is helpful and I also have access to both Kaplan (purchased a sub), and to Saunders - Fifth Edition. I also have access to NCLEX 4000, Lippincott, amongst other material but I would like to stick to ATI, Kaplan, and Saunders.

Am I in trouble because so much time has passed between my graduation and the last time I took the exam?

Thank you in advance for any support you can provide.

Joe

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Hello:

I graduated in December 2010 and proceeded to fail the NCLEX twice. The last time I failed was in September 2011. I think it is time to get back up on the horse and pass the test already. I hate to say this going in to the study portion of the NCLEX but I feel like the NCLEX is my unicorn which I know is bad because it sets me up for failure. I am going to try to think positive.

How do you recommend I jump back in to preparing for the exam? I have an ATI tutor that is helpful and I also have access to both Kaplan (purchased a sub), and to Saunders - Fifth Edition. I also have access to NCLEX 4000, Lippincott, amongst other material but I would like to stick to ATI, Kaplan, and Saunders.

Am I in trouble because so much time has passed between my graduation and the last time I took the exam?

Thank you in advance for any support you can provide.

Joe

sounds to me like you have the right materials to start with. just wanted to share a little tip, i have noticed. Nclex 4000 has the alternative format, which is the SATA quesions, fill in the blank, hot spot etc, that is the same exact as the book Nclex RN 250 New Format questions ..I guess that makes sense since they are both by lippincott. i got the book and i love it. i also love 4000 because it give a clear and understandable rationale. i dont like shot rationale that dont explain why the other answer is wrong...thats just me....all the best and just do something everyday, you can do this

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Outpatient Surgery, Nurse Informatics.

I think it doesn't matter how long you've been gone out of school. If you think so, you can start by brushing up on your content. I graduated 4 yrs ago also, failed my first attempt last 2010, and that's what I did, went back to content before I started answering questions. And use whatever sources you are most comfortable with, in that way, you can learn more. Have faith in yourself and in Him! You can do this!:cool:

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Hello:

I graduated in December 2010 and proceeded to fail the NCLEX twice. The last time I failed was in September 2011. I think it is time to get back up on the horse and pass the test already. I hate to say this going in to the study portion of the NCLEX but I feel like the NCLEX is my unicorn which I know is bad because it sets me up for failure. I am going to try to think positive.

How do you recommend I jump back in to preparing for the exam? I have an ATI tutor that is helpful and I also have access to both Kaplan (purchased a sub), and to Saunders - Fifth Edition. I also have access to NCLEX 4000, Lippincott, amongst other material but I would like to stick to ATI, Kaplan, and Saunders.

Am I in trouble because so much time has passed between my graduation and the last time I took the exam?

Thank you in advance for any support you can provide.

Joe

Joe, it seems we have the same situation here. I plan to enroll in online review (can't decide which one though). Like you i am also struggling to pass nclex. I will not quit of trying!!! If you need some notes from allnurse the study guide. i can share it with you also. You can email me if your interested with the study guide. [email protected]

-Ness-

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Specializes in Emergency.

Hey Joe,

I know what your going through. Like you I wrote my NCLEX 2 times and failed. I just wrote my second exam this past Saturday. I did the pearson vue trick and it brought me to the cc screen so I knew I failed the second time around.

I found that for my exam I had ALOT of priority and pharmacology questions, two areas that I struggled with when I was prepping for my exam. I am waiting for my performance review from the Florida State Board before I start studying for the third time.

Like you I am frustrated, who really wants to study for this exam again? Not me!!! But It is what it is and I am manning up because I want to move from Toronto Canada to Florida to continue my nursing career.

I graduated from nursing school in 2009 and I am a practicing RN in Emergency in Toronto Canada. The Canadian and American exams are totally different.

For my first exam I used the Kaplan online review and I did not find the lectures, the review book or customer service to be helpful at all. I was missing a section in the pharmacology lecture and no one knew what I was talking about...Talk about a waste of money and time. I was doing the review questions that come with the program and I was scoring in the low 60's. Needless to say I wrote, had 76 questions which was a blur and Failed.

The second time I took the Hurst Review and I found it helpful. I did a live review, had a teacher who was helpful, a nursing textbook and documents from their website. You are also given 6 different tests of 125 questions. I had a saunders textbook which i started to use but got turned off by the in-depth content in the book. On the tests I was averaging about mid 60's. I failed yet again. This time I had 265 questions.

So my third go at the test will be different. I plan to utilize the information that comes with the saunders 5th edition textbook. They have a prep-cd that looks at your current knowledge. Depending on your score they breakdown a study schedule (Usually a month) that you follow enabling you to work on your strengths and weaknesses. This time around I will read the whole book, covering my basic nursing skills. I plan to buy the LaCharity Delegarion and Prioritizing Book and read that from cover to cover as I found that my test was loaded with questions on these items. Saunders also has an in-depth pharmacology review that I will utilize. Some other areas that I know I am weak in are thyroid, math, mental health, diabetes.

I found some good videos on you tube, a nursing school from the university of maui placed some lectures online that was helpful...even though I only sat through a quarter of the items.

I hope this helps, try to think positive. Your are not the only one in this boat...Best of luck

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MiRNvice

"Some other areas that I know I am weak in are thyroid, math, mental health, diabetes."

I just wanted to say from mu experience and others Endocrine is a bigger on Nclex....

that includes Thyroid and diabetes.....i just gone thru Thyroid information and finally i see to have an understanding of it. all the best with yr studying.

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Don't feel discouraged!! I took mine on Sat for the 2nd time and as of now I THINK I passed b/c I got the good PVT pop up but its not official yet. A LONG time has laspe since I have graduated. I graduated in May of 2010 & b/c I was a transfer student was required to finish several extra non-nursing courses to complete my degree. Therefore I wasn't granted my diploma & certification to test until I finished those courses in the spring of 2011. I took my NCLEX-RN in June 2011 for the first time and failed at 265Q....I knew I was at high risk of failing b/c I was out of school so long & didn't completely review everything...but I did do half the ATI course that first time. Because of life circumstances I wasn't able to take my exam again until the New Year. I had it scheduled in Jan but pushed it back to Feb 18, 2012. If I can do it after being out of school so long so can you!!!!

when I get my official results and know 100% I passed (even tho they say PVT is accurate) I am going to write up a post on how I studied..... in the meantime here is the post I just wrote where I explained how taking breaks during my exam REALLY helped me! https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/took-nclex-rn-676278.html

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Hurst did an excellent job re endocrine and fluid and electrolytes. I always had a trouble keeping the following straight but after viewing the Hurst videos 2xs and filling out the book, their explanations were so succinct and simple that I totally understand these items without reviewing in the book

ALDOSTERONE – RETAINS SODIUM AND WATER AND LOSES POTASSIUM- MINERAL CORTICOSTEROID

Addisons

Too little steroids

EXCRETES sodium and water and holds on to potassium so increase potassium

Hyponatremia (losing sodium), Hypotension (losing sodium and water/losing volume), Hyperkalemia (retaining Potassium), Hypoglycemia ( less steroids), Fluid Volume Deficit (losing sodium/water/fluids)(losing weight)

TX- adrenal insufficiency- give mineralcorticosteroid i.e Aldosterone/Florinef, increase sodium in diet, I/O & daily weights,

CUSHINGS

Too much steroids (increased Cortisol = steroids if you do a 24hr urine on the client), urine contains ketones and glucose

Retains sodium and water and excretes Potassium so decrease in potassium

Hypernatremia ( retaining sodium), Hypertension( retaining sodium and water), Hypokalemia (losing potassium), Hyperglycemia (steroids increases glucose), Fluid Volume Excess (retaining sodium/water/fluids)

TX

Adrenalectomy- Uni or bilateral),

Decreased sodium, increase protein (body breaking it down), increase Calcium ( steroids decrease serum Ca by pulling from bones and excreting through GI tract), quiet environment, low stress, increased potassium in diet pre-treatment,

As you can see if you learn the manifestations for one , it’s the opposite for the other. Hurst did a fantastic job is explaining the whys for each condition and if you fundamentally understand how Aldosterone works you won’t have to remember down, down, down, up, down or any other pneumonic for Addisons/Cushings. I always had a hard time once I had taken an Endocrine test in retaining the info. Hurst content videos did an excellent job and I can spit this info out with my eyes close without looking at a book or referencing pneumonics.

Parathyroid glands (4) = regulation of Calcium and Phospherous

Secretes PTH- pulls calcium from the bone and puts it in the blood

Too much PTH, calcium will be high

Too little PTH- Serum calcium will be low

Hypoparthyroidism = Hypocalcemia = Hyperphoshotemia

Too little PTH, decreased serum calcium , not sedated

TX = IV Calcium, Phospho binding drugs – Renagel, Phoslo, Oscal, - phosphorous will decrease and calcium will increase

Hyperperparathyroidism = HyperCalcemia = Hypophosphotemia

Too much PTH, high serum calcium, serum phosperous will be low

Will look sedated as Calcium acts like a sedative,

TX – Partial Parathyroidectomy – so serum calcium will decrease but it could bottom out to hypocalcemic post op so look for S/S rigid/tight muscles

Thyroid glands – Metabolic

One does not have to do with the other

Hypocalcemia – rigid, tight muscles, laryngeospasm and seizure possible to keep trache at bedside.

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