I failed Nclex today

ck29_2000 · Aug 14, 2009

check out the nclex forum, there are tons of suggestions there.

bringtherain · Aug 14, 2009

im sorry that you did not pass. but keep your chin up! get ready for the next go-around. :]

donnasRN · Aug 14, 2009

I'm sorry you failed, but I'm sure you weren't the first and you definitely won't be the last! Try the NCLEX-RN Review 4000 DVD by Lippincott and just keep working on those questions... According to my peers, the NCLEX was a piece of cake after they utilized this DVD lol. You can also browse the NCLEX section on the site for more tips like one of the previous posters stated. Good luck!

arelle68 · Aug 14, 2009

That's right. Use the Lippincott. Get the Saunder's too, and work at answering 100 questions a day. By using two different CD-ROMS, you get a feel for how questions could be styled. Read the rationals. Do further reading if you don't understand. I will pray for you. I don't know how good Kaplan is. I've heard mixed reviews. I know it's expensive.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Aug 14, 2009

Do all of the above and pay attention to TEST TAKING STRATEGIES. The Kaplan NCLEX Review is good, I teach it, and you can access it totally online if you choose. It is expensive, but you might feel that peace of mind is worth the expense. If your nursing school has a teaching lab I recommend taking advantage of it. You might even talk to an instructor for private tutoring ($ involved here I would expect).

waterpaint · Aug 14, 2009

You know, at first you may feel like you're alone. You're not. You might feel like you let not only youself down but also the people who have been supporting you. I did too. But you know what? Only worry about yourself. This exam is for you not them. I had a ton of people call me to ask me how I did, and I was embarrassed to tell them all that I had indeed failed. Yes it's embarrassing to say that we didn't pass, but that's not to say that we are not good nurses. Some of us are just horrible test takers. Kaplan can help with that.

I'm also new to allnurses.com and let me tell you, this is the one website that really helped me to get out of a rut. I became somewhat depressed after checking the Board of Nursing website or calling the automated number only to find that my license wasn't posted (i.e. I had failed). I read articles such as (https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/i-passed-ever-379209.html) that entailed stories of succeeding after having failed (and failed and failed). This poor woman actually failed 5 times and passed on her 6th try!! These articles and shared experiences are what really helped motivate me to not give up. Maybe they will help you as well.

We went through nursing school...we can't give up. Like I said, just because we didn't pass, does not mean that we are not good nurses.

My recommendation to you, is to evaluate how you studied the first time, figure out what you did wrong and change it. For example, I spent too much time doing comprehensive material and not enough questions. So now, I'm doing questions every day. Also, when you get the brown envelope that entails a summary of your weak and strong areas...focus more on the weak areas (not forgetting the strong). I would highly recommend you taking the LIVE Kaplan course. I took the online the first time around, and am now taking the LIVE. I am finding that the LIVE includes not only what the online course provided but even more.

Because your class is somewhat in the future, I would recommend taking therapeutic days to self-motivate yourself and to really re-evaluate what happened and what's going to happen. I took a couple of days off to write and really think about what had happened, and what I needed to do to get back on the horse.

After you take your therapeutic days, I would then recommend doing 50-150 questions every day until your Kaplan course starts. Any questions you do not know, look it up and write it down on a piece of paper. At night, you can review these cheat sheets. Books to get: Saunders Q&A (tends to be easier than Kaplan) and EXAM CRAM. Exam Cram is said to be similar to the NCLEX, has 5 tests and a CD with a MOCK NCLEX exam.

DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!! and have faith. It's hard right now, but only take a few days to recuperate...and get right back on that horse. The hard work will soon pay off

Nurseangel10 · Aug 14, 2009

I had a really good pathophysiology book by the author Porth, and I skimmed through that several weeks before I took the test. It helped me more than anything. I passed and was glad for it to be over with! I understand you feeling this way, but a lot of people fail the first time and pass the next time.

2bR_Nswag · Aug 14, 2009

You know, at first you may feel like you're alone. You're not. You might feel like you let not only youself down but also the people who have been supporting you. I did too. But you know what? Only worry about yourself. This exam is for you not them. I had a ton of people call me to ask me how I did, and I was embarrassed to tell them all that I had indeed failed. Yes it's embarrassing to say that we didn't pass, but that's not to say that we are not good nurses. Some of us are just horrible test takers. Kaplan can help with that.
I'm also new to allnurses.com and let me tell you, this is the one website that really helped me to get out of a rut. I became somewhat depressed after checking the Board of Nursing website or calling the automated number only to find that my license wasn't posted (i.e. I had failed). I read articles such as (https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/i-passed-ever-379209.html) that entailed stories of succeeding after having failed (and failed and failed). This poor woman actually failed 5 times and passed on her 6th try!! These articles and shared experiences are what really helped motivate me to not give up. Maybe they will help you as well.
We went through nursing school...we can't give up. Like I said, just because we didn't pass, does not mean that we are not good nurses.
My recommendation to you, is to evaluate how you studied the first time, figure out what you did wrong and change it. For example, I spent too much time doing comprehensive material and not enough questions. So now, I'm doing questions every day. Also, when you get the brown envelope that entails a summary of your weak and strong areas...focus more on the weak areas (not forgetting the strong). I would highly recommend you taking the LIVE Kaplan course. I took the online the first time around, and am now taking the LIVE. I am finding that the LIVE includes not only what the online course provided but even more.
Because your class is somewhat in the future, I would recommend taking therapeutic days to self-motivate yourself and to really re-evaluate what happened and what's going to happen. I took a couple of days off to write and really think about what had happened, and what I needed to do to get back on the horse.
After you take your therapeutic days, I would then recommend doing 50-150 questions every day until your Kaplan course starts. Any questions you do not know, look it up and write it down on a piece of paper. At night, you can review these cheat sheets. Books to get: Saunders Q&A (tends to be easier than Kaplan) and EXAM CRAM. Exam Cram is said to be similar to the NCLEX, has 5 tests and a CD with a MOCK NCLEX exam.
DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!! and have faith. It's hard right now, but only take a few days to recuperate...and get right back on that horse. The hard work will soon pay off

Thank you,

I do feel that this forum has helped alot. I still feel down but I have already started studying. Kaplan in my area doesn't start in my area for another 6 weeks so I ordered the exam cram book. I have the Saunders book with the CD but didn't fully utilize it. I had ALOT of Pharm on the test so today, I'm starting with the Pharm content on the Saunders CD. I know that is my weakness.

I went to a school that is fairly new. My class was the second class of its history and I believe that I could have gotten a better foundation. I'm not blaming them, I just know I need to work harder. Before my school released me we had to take the HESI and pass with a score of 850 or more. It took 4 times to pass HESI so I thought I was NCLEX ready...

I had 45 days until I can take it again so today is the first day of the rest of my life. I'm back on that horse!

KAYBDT6, BSN, RN · Aug 15, 2009

I'm new to All nurses and just found out today that I FAILED NCLEX. I am do devastated and feel like I let down my husband and children. I know the power of prayer and know that God won't give me more than I can bear but right now, with it still being fresh, I feel defeated. The battle may have been lost but the war isn't over. I need to get myself together for the next time. I am soliciting any help, suggestions, prayers, anything to help me get thru to the next time. I'm in financial trouble so that makes this failed attempt even more painful. I haven't even told my husband yet I know he'll be supportive, but the embarrassment...
What should I do next? How do I study? I was thinking about Kaplan review but the next class in my area doens't start for another 6weeks.

Relax and think about the next step to move forward. Because you've worked so hard to be a :grad: :nurse: . Have a suggestion as follows

SCHEDULE STRATEGY

A. Spend 1/3 of your time reviewing content you don't understand

B. Spend 2/3 of your time answering test question

C. Used most comfortable NCLEX review book for content.

D. Begin with the area that is most difficult for you or area that are least familiar

E. Use a good nursing reference manual or internet to find information

F. Define the disease in terms of pathophysiological process and understand the disease process.

G. Identify the early and late symptoms of disease

H. Identify most important or life threatening complication associated with the disease.

I. Define the medical treatment.

J. Identify nursing intervention associate with early and late symptom of disease process

K. Identify what to teach patient and family to prevent in other to adapt to disease process.

L. list the area you need to review.

M. Answering question in a test mode will improve your test taking skills

N. Each time you answer question, check the number of question you answered correctly that will motivate you to read and study more next time.

O. Keep track of your score to see how you're improving in all area of your content.

P. If you answer less than 65% correctly, this is a WARNING SIGNAL!! Spend lots of time reviewing content and stop doing question on the weakest area

Q. If you answer 65-75% correctly your performance is improving and success is certain. Continue working with the content until your score is above 75%

R. Every wrong answer, identify why you answered it wrongly.

S. Practice 75- 85 question to known how you'll be prepared for NCLEX Exam and see how many you answered correctly

T. Do understand the question first, formulate your answer of hand and compare with the option given to see how close your answer!!

U. Anticipate Test question will increase in difficulty when you get the first question right!!

V. Do not panic if someone finishes before you!!

W. Do not CRAM!!

X. Remember that you have learned a great amount of nursing knowledge and the exam is only designed to determine whether you're able to practice safely @ entry level

Y. Keep a positive attitude and Pray!!

Z. Wish you all best of LUCK

Ack_RN · Aug 15, 2009

I prayed for you. You can do this!

Career#24me · Aug 15, 2009

Hang in there 2b. I'm sure the weight of not being successful this time is heavy, but try to put it behind you. Keep going and review the work that you coverd in your classes as well as practice the questions. The questions alone did not refresh my memory. The review of the classwork was extremely helpful for me. I used Saunders NCLEX for the questions and focused on the content section. Best wishes for your next test.