I just took the NCLEX - PN, my thoughts.

Simba&NalasMom, LPN · Dec 1, 2005

Ya know, I got tons of cultural/religious questions as well!!! :angryfire Was so weird. I went through exactly what you did...mine shut off right at 85 but I was so nerve-wracked that I didn't even remember what it was or if I got it right or wrong. I am an excellent test-taker and it had me pretty rattled; when I left I honestly didn't have a clue how I did, and normally when I take tests I can guess pretty accurately what the grade will be.

What I CAN tell you is don't pay any attention to what you have heard about how the test works...everything I have been told about it, i.e. "If it stops right at 85 you have passed/failed...if it goes the full 245 you didn't do well...blah blah blah" has not been too terribly accurate. It is such a sophisticated system and I don't really think anybody who is not part of its design has been able to pinpoint the rhyme and reason of it.

I know it's easier said than done, but try to not worry it to death when you're awaiting your results...although it does boggle my mind that CA doesn't have a faster way of getting you your results; in CO I was able to get my unofficial results online in 48 hours...don't know if I'd be sitting here typing this if I had to wait a whole three weeks! :rotfl:

If you do wind up having to test again, I recommend the Lippincot review. I found the questions in that book, while not identical to the ones on the actual test, were quite similar. There is also a CD that comes along with it on which are simulated tests.

BTW, I DID pass the first time. Have a bit of faith in yourself; you passed the program, after all.

Best to you. :)

rh39 · Dec 1, 2005

I too got lots of cultural questions on diet, and postmortem care. I took my boards in '04, but I felt (and most of my classmates I talked too) that nursing school was a waste of time, since I never saw or heard of 75% of this stuff. My computer shut off at the minimum # of questions (cant remember now, 85 or 86?). I had TONS of priorty, questions, which I thought were kinda mindbending. As well as some very ugly multi-step dosage and calculation problems.

I passed, even though when I walked out of there I wasn't so sure. I knew people that passed with the minimum and people that took 180 and still passed. Try and relax (much easier said than done) if you did that many questions, you put in the time and effort to be prepared. The people that didn't pass in my class did not bother to study much.

rh39

brown eyed girl · Dec 1, 2005

Oh my goodness! Please dont tell me that the sauders book doesn't work because i have 2 of them! I haven't taken my nclex yet and im already a nervous reck! are u sure u cant go to the board of nursing web site to see if you passed in 24-48 hrs??? see if there's a way to find out to relieve you anxiety. from one graduate PN to another I HOPE YOU PASSED! LET ME KNOW, IM SINCERELY INTERESTED!:)

NurseFife · Dec 1, 2005

Have faith. I understand how you feel. I had to take baord three times before I pass them the last I took was in Nov 05 and I only answer 86 questions and I found out the next day over the telephone. It going to be alright. You are going to pass.

I had alot growth and development questions and prirotize questions.

Take care.

BigB · Dec 1, 2005

Thank you all for the kind words. I am just overly stressed about the test becuse I thought I was ready and I didn't expect the cultural questions like the ones I got. I was actually happy when the computer shut off at 85. That was my ideal situation...walk in there, take 85 and get up and leave. Well, and pass it of course hehe.

About Saunders, it IS a great reviewer for content and rationales to build and strengthen your nursing content knowledge. But Saunders don't teach you to answer the priority type questions. I swear I got about 50 of them of my nclex. NCSBN.org and kaplan do adress these types of questions but not as thoroughly as I wanted. I think going threw saunders is a must before taking the exam though, because without the content knowelge it would be hard to pass.

CA unfortunaty doesn't have the "quick results" from pearson. I think my name may appear on the state lvn website as soon as 5 days after I passed, so I will start checking next week.

nursemomruns · Dec 1, 2005

I feel like burning most the LVN review books I bought as they did me no good what-so-ever on the NCLEX. The questions I got came out of left field. Stuff that wasn't taught in school like post mordum care for jewish men and questions about the Buhdist faith. I couldn't believe the questions I got. It felt like I guessed at half the questions. What a terrible feeling I have now. I have went threw the ENTIRE Saunders LNV review book and cd TWICE, that's 6,000 questions, as well as the kaplan review book, "lvn made easy", and the mosby cd. Total review questions and rationales done exceeded 8,000. Yet it didn't help me at all. Yes I read the rationales for ALL the questions/ answers. The NCSBN.ORG review was the only thing that helped me as the questions were similar to the NCLEX.
The VAST majority of question were priority questions. I had learned all the tricks to answer these in the Kaplan book. Only one big problem....the priority questions in kaplan are a complete joke (very easy) compared to the actual NCLEX ones which were brutal.
My computer shut off at 85 and I am positive I got the 85th question wrong because I looked it up when I got home. I hear if the computer stops at 85 and you miss the last question ...you most likely failed if you weren't doing so hot. I wanted to throw up when I left the testing center.
So hear I sit and have to wait 3 weeks to get result in CA. I will start checking the LVN board website next week, but I have a bad feeling my name won't be up there and I will have to take the NCLEX again.

You cannot tell if you passed or failed by the number of questions or by if you got the last question right or wrong. 85 is the minimum number of questions for the PN exam. You have to answer at least 85 questions. Just because you answered the last one incorrectly does not mean you failed.

popcorn21 · Dec 2, 2005

wow bigb im right there with you i just took my boards on 11/28/05 and mine shut off at eithere 103 or 104 but i was freakin shocked :angryfire . That was so random. HAS ANYONE EVER SHUT OFF AROUND THERE? it just seems so odd for me. And i do agree the saunders didnt help one bit. I didnt get one calculation or check all that apply mine were all priority.So are you guys sure that in CA that if we pass we will be able to tell just by seeing if our names are on the website? The reason i askd that question was because when my friend passed her name wasnt on there until about a month later. Anyways hang in there and please let me know how you did ..il keep you updated as well were both on the same boat.. :uhoh3:

BigB · Dec 2, 2005

From what I have read your name "could" appear on the state board of nursing list before you actually get the results. It makes sense since the board of nursing gets your test results within 2 days after you test. I can't confirm your name will be on the lvn list before you get the results, as I have heard that some people weren't added to the list until after they got thier license. I am gonna start checking monday nontheless.

You said your computer shut off around 103. The average number of question given is 85 - 125 or something like that so you are within the norm. I got 85 , so I either did really good or reaaly bad. The thing is I felt ok while taking it. I had to guess at a lot, so I didn't feel great at all though. I hope I didn't just bomb the test. It will be hard to get back to studying after I went threw 8,000 questions only to fail misearably. I will keep everyone updated , and I wish you the best of luck in passing your nclex.

pinefarmgirl · Dec 2, 2005

Hey, I know how you feel. I took my test Nov. 15th, and I still have to wait another week to find out if I passed. Every student in my program has received their results in exactly three weeks, so I'm hoping it isn't longer than that. My buddy from school took her test one week before me, and we had similar questions-both shut off at 85, and she thought for sure she had last question wrong, was sure she flunked. She called yesterday- she passed. I know that for a while I thought I was doing great, then became sure I was flunking when I could not answer many questions and had to guess. It is really hard to wait this long for results- I'm broke and need to get a job! 7 more days... :crying2:

Try to forget it for a couple of weeks- everyone thinks they failed, even those who passed!

NNEKA RN · Dec 2, 2005

I'm sure you all would pass your NCLEX. I had a lot of cultural questions when i took the NCLEX -PN in 2003. My heart dropped in my pinkie toe. But i was able to pull thru

pinefarmgirl · Dec 2, 2005

I forgot to say- from searching the posts here and checking it myself, it seems that it probably will not do any good to check the lvn board site for your name, like they can do with the RN site. You have to send them more money and get your real license issued before they post lvn licenses on their site. And, there is no phone number to call. You just have to wait until the pass or fail notice comes in the mail. :crying2: Welcome to California!