I just took Nclex, I passed and I did terrible on Kaplan

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Specializes in acute.

Okay so I just typed all this up, it's laced with grammatical errors... but here it is:

I just wanted to put this out there -

Here's a little hx on me: I almost failed out of nursing school. Granted, we all did, and I was probably in average range most of the time..sometimes I got the best grades, sometimes I got the worst. I was a very inconsistent test taker. I memorized alot. I believed in knowledge base.. I never took nclex questions to prepare for tests.. I didn't see the point. I wasn't the average anal nursing student.. My last semester of nursing school I studied so little I failed the final (but passed the rest of class) BUT, I did well on exit HESI. (in the 900s) Needless to say, I have regretted some of my decisions.. I truly believe the easiest way to pass NCLEX is to do well in school.

I didn't have any hospital exp prior to nrsg school but sometime in second semester I shot above everyone else (perhaps my confidence) and was always one of the "better" people in clinicals. Things just clicked for me.

So, I graduated in mid December and took boards a few days ago. Why did I wait so long? Well, I took a month break while I went home (i live out of state) to relax w/ family and my boyfriend. No studying for this girl!!

Two days within arriving back to my current city, I was starting a new job as a GN. 9-5 M-F training and internship for the first month. For someone who hasn't had a Full Time job in a VERY long time..this was very hard..so I didn't study... I finally bit the bullet and about 2 weeks into work, I signed up for Kaplan. Best thing I've ever done. If I wasn't working.. I may have still got Kaplan BUTTTTT for being so busy..to have this website where I can log in and do a preset "syllabus" very very very good!

I scheduled my test for 2/23..then switched it..then switched it again. Finally I switched it to a date that nobody knew about except for my family back home, my boyfriend and my best friend in nrsg school.

Let me just say---

I did terrible on Kaplan. The best I got was an 80% on a 50 q/a Qbank. And um, that was BY FAR. Never got anything in the 70s..maybe 1-2 scores in the 60s. 90% of them (I did about 92% of the Qbank btw) I got 53-54% - i ALWAYS did 50 q/a on Q Bank.

I got 43% on 2 of the 3 "Nclex Test" things in Qbank. I got 67% on Question trainer 6 (which gave me much needed confidence) and pretty much 54-57% on all the other ones. I was scared like NO OTHER when I walked into that room to take Nclex.I knew my Kaplan scores were pretty terrible.

It's scary when you alk in. The guy behind me was hitting on me while we were waiting in line (he was taking an EMT test) I was like..really? I almost punched him in the face. I was wearing a hoodie..they made me take it off and all I had on under was a thin tank top (I didnt know you couldn't wear a hoodie? Guess I'm pretty oblivious sometimes) I was freeezing!!!!

I was shaking.. so nervous... but when I sat down I made myself focus....and I no kidding passed with 75 questions. I was absolutely shocked. I am like the happiest I have ever been and so proud of myself for passing with only 75 questions. And the best part? I knew I passed. I just did. I thought for sure I'd be the person who walks out crying. My boyfriend was on stand by to come get me if I needed him to.

I thought FOR SURE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT would I be one of those people who was struggling to pass in the 200 question mark. I thought I was going to lose my job (I had to take boards within 90 days of graduating and that's next week - if I didn't take them, or I didn't pass, I'd loose my job!)

I was SHOCKED when I got 75 questions. I had no joke like... 30 questions on infection control (whaaat??? IM NOT KIDDING)...and I think the saving grace is I randomly really looked infection control over the day before the test. Like I had no idea that for droplet precautions you could leave the door open *uh duh* But I was tested on that twice and randomly reviewed it the day before :)

I had like, 4 pharm which based on the fact that I sent to SATA after - I got right even though I couldn't for the life of me remember what any of those drugs were, 1 listen to lungs, 2 put in order, a TON of "first, most" priority questions. Let me just tell you it's the best feeling in the world to get a select all that apply and then get another and then get another. I truly feel like God was with me in that little cubicle. My first question was about ethics (blah) the next one was about traction and the next one was SATA. I just wanted to start crying. Also..very sad when you're getting SATA then get a stupid question cause youre like..oops. got that one wrong!!

Prior to taking this test, the girls at work said "nclex was so anticlimatic" I now agree. I honestly thought it was going to be so much harder, given the fact that I really thought I was going to be in that cubicle room for 4 hours. :coollook:

This is the advice I can give:

I really don't see how you can study for this test. I think I got extremely lucky because I just knew the answers. I found that I was always between 2 answers on nclex (if I didnt know it right away)..if you have any knowledge base at all, you should beable to narrow it down to 2..and then guess :) The pharm questions aren't as hard... It's almost like "well thats absolutely incorrect! so is that one.. you would never do that for ANY drug..." etc.

I do suggest Kaplan. Even though I did absolutely terrible on it. I also suggest going to the in person class... preferably within 2-3 weeks of taking your test. I did the online version..it was only a little cheaper..I didn't do it because it was cheaper, but because I didn't feel like giving away a weekend.

..Not sure how Kaplan works in person but it seems to me like they review the book in person right? Very important to review.. I don't care what anyone says! I watched the only videos which were helpful but it was hard to sit at home and do that.. I wish I had set aside a weekend and just did the in person class. The qbank was helpful - one thing I did do: I did Qbank then would go through and write down little tidbits that I didn't know. Don't do tutor mode - pointless.

At work, (Im a night nurse) it's slow sometimes and I would just sit down and review. I was very fortunate to have that time to study!

I know alot of people will say "don't review - only do questions" Psh.... if your knowledge base is no bueno, you need to review, you just do. Questions are invaluable... esp if you review EACH AND EVERY ONE..even the ones you got right because sometimes you guess right... you know? At first I was only reviewing ones I got wrong then it was like..ehhh....

Also, I studied until 2am the night before the test.... If youre that kind of person, be that kind of person. I am. It made me feel better to study the night before :)

Good luck to everyone. Being an RN is the thing I am absolutely most proud of right now. I'm not super duper confident...given my thoughts about failing prior to nclex....but wow I feel like I can do anything right now!!! :nurse: :nurse: :nurse: :heartbeat:heartbeat