I passed NCLEX RN!!! First attempt

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I visited this website on a daily basis to get all sorts of info and success stories and passed NCLEX RN the first time!!!

I got there an hour early prepared whith snacks in case I took a break. I was worried that I wasn't nervous, not even in the past three weeks. I started forcing myself to get nervous (lol...how do you even do that!) It didn't work, I realized that my confidence came from the fact that I felt really prepared - heck! I graduated nursing school. The four years I spent should have prepared me. So I embraced my confidence and rocked the boards.

Key points:

1) You have to believe in yourself and that your teachers have given you all the info you need to pass the nclex for the past 2, 3, or 4 years.

2) Don't believe everything that you hear about NCLEX. Everything that came in my test I had some knowledge about (except the 4 meds that I never heard of before). The questions that I missed were things that I had forgotten about or the SATA where there was always that one point that I wasn't too sure about. But nothing was from "Mars or Jupiter or Venus"

3) Prepare yourself adequately. Get a study plan, and spend the time you spend freaking out about NCLEX, on reviewing stuff that you are not 100% sure about. Take breaks in between questions. I realized that I did better in my practice questions when I took a break every 50-75 questions as opposed to doing 200 at once. I did 200-300 questions per day, this worked for me. You don't have to do that much so find what works for YOU and stick with it.

4) Ask for help if you need it. Someone might get a concept better than you do and they maybe able to explain it to you in a way that sticks.

5) If you have a study buddy, review stuff and teach each other. I would call a friend and teach her stuff that I reviewed that day and she the same, the concepts stuck with me. Find what works for YOU.

6) Take your time. No one is expecting you to finish 75 questions in 30 minutes (if you do and pass, that's fine. You have approx. 1.4 minutes per question some questions will need 2 seconds others 2 minutes or more)

7) Relax. Relax. Relax. After a long day of study from 10am to 6pm then again at work from 8pm to midnight I needed breaks to do things that were fun for me. I watched a movie/DVD every day/night or watched my shows online ( scandal/Revenge/Betrayal/Once upon a time/Nashville and Castle) I was very relaxed there after and energized to continue. So spend sometime to relax/rest (rest = change in activity) and especially the time you spend "freaking" out about NCLEX - You will be just fine.

I used HURST review for content ( I did the live review and listened to lectures online over and over).

Questions from Saunders and Davis Q & A (Davis was very helpful and reflected NCLEX questions - VERY, VERY HELPFUL)

More questions from certain websites online

There is always You tube - which helps break down certain concepts

The all nurses study guide was helful with infection control stuff and basic knowledge/concept.

I was disappointed I only got 2 labs that didn't even require the lab values! I had crammed the all nurses labs floating around and that was the first thing I wrote down on my board once I was allowed to unfortunately I didn't use that info - I'm not complaining lol.

I studied everyday (5 days a week) from 10am to 6pm for 3 WEEKS. Basically doing questions and if there was something I needed to review then I noted it down and reviewed it at work for upto 2 hours between 8pm and midnight (( easy Private duty - I worked nights 8pm - 8am the entire time (except the night before NCLEX) I was able to sleep from 1 or 2 am to 7 am)).

NCLEX wasn't/isn't as bad as you might think, honestly.

I had 27 SATA (mostly patient teaching) the rest were multiple choice. I had only one easy math and about 8 meds 4 of which I never heard of before. Half my test was Pt teaching, the rest were mulitple choice divided between priority/delegation/assignment/diets/dz processes/infection control ect. I had 5 OB and 5 peds and 5 psych a few fundamentals everything else was med surg. Screen shut off at 75. I was done by 3pm yesterday and license was up by 9am this morning.

Good luck as you study and as you do the NCLEX!

J, RN :yeah:

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Congrats!

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Congrats! Quick question on the NCLEX can you take as many breaks as you want or are there set breaks? Thanks

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Specializes in Critical Care.

ac1234, you are allowed to take the first break after 2 hours. You could take more there after.

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CongratZ! What state are you licenced? As it's really quick result.:)

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Virginia:yes:

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Congrats! I can't wait until its my turn to pass the NCLEX too... :up:

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Congrats Nurse, I love hearing stuff like this! I'm graduating in December and this is very inspiring. I have to get a study plan in order and stick with it...thanks for sharing! This just gets me excited!

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Specializes in cardiac.

Thnxfr sharing congratulations

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