Hurst Review Opinion?

btab3 · Jul 2, 2014

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Sharon M RN BSN, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2014

I failed the NCLEX after taking the Hurst Review. Studied rigorously for 5 weeks after the review. Very few questions related to core content, which I knew inside-out. Had so many NCLEX questions on syndromes I'd never heard of before. Also had lots of questions on management.

lagu · Aug 14, 2014

Here is a snap shot of my NCLEX story:

I took Kaplan and received very high scores my qbanks and also my practice tests. As a matter of fact, I received a 72% on test 6, which had me feeling confident that I would pass based on my scores and time dedicated to the Kaplan "process". On April 29th 2014, I sat for my boards at 1:15pm in San Francisco California and answered 265 questions in just under 6 hours. I found out I failed 4 days later. My candidate performance report indicated that I was "near passing" in all areas. Needless to I was deflated and frustrated with the news. I ended up canceling my contract with Kaplan and received a full refund because I had completed all qbank and practice test. I needed to find something new. What I learned from sitting the exam was that I did not study hardly any alternate type test questions, especially SATA (select all that apply). There was also a lot of priority, delegation, and assessment questions that I didn't feel Kaplan prepared me for. Once I let the news set in and took a break from studying I decided to really evaluate my knowledge base in the areas of the exam provided on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, www.ncsbn.org

The fact is that I wasn't nearly as comfortable with the content as I thought I was. I chose to look for a new method to study and ended up using several tools that helped me pass my second time around. Now, some of you may disagree but I have to give majority of the credit to HURST ONLINE REVIEW. I researched may options prior to purchasing and I'm so glad I chose Hurst. The main focus of this review is not strategy but core content. It reviews each system and each lecture builds upon the last. I also purchased the current PDA book as well as the Lippincott's SATA book. I studied for a total of 6 weeks and devoted anywhere from 4-6 hours a day. Some of you may be thinking, "Holy S*%$, I can't study that many hours a day"! I am a single mother and work...trust me...you can do it! Each morning I would start out with learning my labs and repetitiously committing them to memory. I took it slow. Day one, I started with ABGs. Day two, I wrote down what I remembered from day one and added BUN and Creatinine..and then proceeded to day three adding days one, two, and writing down a new section of lab values for day three. I broke the lab values up into systems not only to help me to remember but also to help me to identify what I was looking for and what system was and why it is effected with a decrease or increase. By the end of week four I could verbalize the values and know what the significance was for each. I would then watch my Hurst Review Video's, making sure that I knew the content. Next, I would spend about an hour in each of the books mentioned above answering test questions and reviewing rationals. Finally after I felt comfortable with Hurst material I took their 6 online review trainer test. The tests are not as wordy as Kaplan and I felt to be more similar to the type of questions provided on the NCLEX-RN exam. I took my second NCLEX exam on August 5th, 2014 and found out August 13th I passed. The second time around was so different to the first. I answered 92 questions in just over 2 hours and when the computer turned off I thought, "This can't be it...Im done"? The test was equally as difficult as the first if not more. I had many SATA, PDA, HOT SPOT, and Pharm. questions. The difference was this time around I used critical thinking instead of strategy. No decision tree here. I did utilize the dry-erase laminated paper to hone in on the questions I needed to work through. Which brings me to another tool I used when studying. Folks...get a dry erase board and marker! I used it when I took my practice tests and it was just second nature to use it in the actual exam. I really hope that any of you who have failed in the past take it as an opportunity for growth. I am a 31 year old, single mother of a 7 year old who went through nursing school to get my bachelors degree while working 2 part time jobs. I am in the middle of a divorce and have a full plate...when I failed I felt sorry for myself for about a minute, only to realize that nothing could change the future outcome of my next exam except myself. I wish you all the best. Stay calm, confident, focused...God will get you through but you have to want it just as much as he wants it for you! With that I leave you with a quote I read the night before my exam...it just popped up on my instagram. "No matter how many times you get knocked down, keep getting back up. God sees your resolve. He sees your determination. And when you do everything you can do, that's when God will step in and do what you can't do."

~Be well and Good Luck!

Anis · Aug 27, 2014

Hi lagu, your post is very motivating, I also have a lot of responsibilities and I find it difficult to block at least 6 hours a day to the board study but I making this commitment once again. I took NCLEX twice with Kaplan and failed twice. I needed a fresh start and a fresh way of thinking so I started Hurst on line review recently, I also purchased a PDA book. May I ask the exact description of Lippincott's book so I can purchase please.

Thank you!

lagu · Aug 28, 2014

Hi Anis,

I am glad that you found my post motivating. I'm not normally the type to give my story or write reviews but Hurst Review really made a difference for me and I had to share. I hope that it is as helpful for you as it was for me. The Lippincott book I purchased was titled: NCLEX-RN Alternate-Format Questions, 5th Ed., Diana Rupert. I wish you endurance and peace in order to allow you to focus and pass NCLEX. Remember...this is just a little speed bump!

Best,

lagu

Anis · Aug 28, 2014

Thank you lagu, I'll definitely buy it, I noticed it has hot spot questions in the book too. I guess my next post would be when I post that I passed NCLEX! :nurse:

GoosbyLPN · Aug 28, 2014

I took my Boards after being out of school for 10 yrs and it helped me pass..Ive been a nurse now for 2 yrs and trust me I still can hear Marlene's voice till this day.

Justdoit86 · Aug 28, 2014

Check out my post too! It might help! Took my nclex earlier this august and I was out of school for 5 years! Passed the 2nd time! Hurst and kaplan was helpful! Good luck! :)

Fcat · Oct 30, 2014

Hey guys,

I took my nclex on the 14th and I failed. I did hurst review, but I guess I didn't study hard enough. After reading the reviews here I think I am going to give hurst review another chance. Hopefully this time around I will pass ;-)

Sharon M RN BSN, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2014

NCLEX is not passed by Hurst Review alone! It's a good foundation, but there's more to NCLEX than that! I also failed NCLEX after Hurst Review after 5 weeks of rigorous Hurst-based study. I easily passed NCLEX the second time around by also studying Saunder's RN-NCLEX book, the Kaplan NCLEX book, and the PDA (Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment by LaCharity) book. I also rigorously studied the Saunder's and Kaplan CDs that came with the books. NCLEX is not passed by Hurst alone!

darjana1 · Nov 29, 2014

Thank you lagu for this inspiring post. I failed nclex once and now I'm getting ready to take it again. I am purchasing HURST and PDA book. I am so nervous but this time I have more confidence to pass. I saved your post and I will be reading it a lot. I hope I pass it soon and get to share my good news with all of you. Also I would like to thank everyone for being so helpful with sharing their stories. We are nurses and we help each other.

nicole1284 · Dec 7, 2014

darjana did you purchase the hurst review?