We see all the time on allnurses how people graduate with honors, do Kaplan/Hurst/PDA Reviews, answer hundreds of questions and hit the benchmarks and still fail this exam - sometimes multiple times! I can tell you what I did but this test is so bizarre and thousands have done what I did and more, and did not pass it. I honestly don't know exactly how I was successful nor do I know why others failed who did what I did. My biggest tip is probably that there really isn't only one way, but that there are multiple ways to pass this exam.
OMG! I can't believe it!! I checked on Nursys too and my name is there!!
I can tell you what I did but this test is so bizarre and thousands have done what I did and more and did not pass it. I know that is so disheartening but it's true. I have a BS in Education and taught kids and adults for many years with a strong interest and experience in curriculum design and tests and measurements. I have lots of issues with this whole process but that's another topic.
I had 75 questions. I graduated in May from an ADN program and barely worked this Summer and studied a ton! I got a prescription from my PCP to calm me down since I know that I can get bad test anxiety.
Here's What I Did To Pass The NCLEX
✔️ Kaplan Classroom Review on my own and 93% of the Qbank completed with 62% correct. I watched almost all of the videos and read all of the Content Review Guide- a lot of the time taking notes while watching the videos. I did 2 Sample Tests and the horrific Alternate Type Quiz (25% less than a week before I took the exam and that's not an uncommon score!) Their screen looks almost exactly like the NCLEX and that was so comforting!
✔️ Memorized all of the lab values by writing them on index cards listed in the Guide. I did not use the Decision Tree knowingly (maybe sub consciously I did a bit!) but I think it's a valid and helpful exam strategy.
✔️ I had to do ATI all through school and had to go through their Live Review and used the book and online questions minimally. The best thing that I got from ATI was 9x12 card with all of the Content Areas, specific sub topics and percentage range. You can print out the same info from the NCSBN in several pages-which I highly recommend-but the card was so convenient.
✔️ I bought Prioritization, Delegation and Assignment by LaCharity and did questions by hand in the book and also did them using the interactive textbook. I liked this BUT I ran across a question that I got wrong where the rationale was the opposite from Kaplan. Also, if you do the interactive questions they can repeat. Overall, it was helpful and feel it was worth it even just from a psychological perspective.
✔️ I did about 100 SATA questions from NCLEX-RN 4000 that I borrowed from a friend who passed using it.
✔️ I went over a ton of content lectures from school. Skimmed through my A&P book on the Brain and the Heart mostly, skimmed through my entire Fundamentals book. (It's amazing what I forgot and highly recommend it as a refresher!)
✔️ I am a visual learner so I looked at bunch of stuff on Pinterest and went to the links that other visual learners placed here last week. Really good!
✔️ Did study conference calls with @30days2nclex which were awesome! She found a free conference call set up which I highly recommend others doing since we learned a lot and supported each other. She's a gem and also started the current red hotLets play the drug of choice game.
✔️ I came on AN a lot and got so much support from people who truly understand and that is worth it's weight in gold!
If you haven't taken the exam or will re-take it, I truly wish you the best of luck!
Also, A HUGE "thank you" to all of you here who have helped and supported me during this time!
Well Graduatenurse14 you are now RN14!!! So happy for you! Now your time to shine is finally here as you begin down the path of being a RN. May each patient (client) you care for be a blessing to you and you to them. God bless you and thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us.
I just got my NCLEX-RN results today. I passed with 75 questions as well. ?
DEFINITELY TAKE A BREAK A DAY BEFORE THE TEST. Review the most important facts such as lab values and infection control precautions. Do not overexert yourself the day before the exam. You need to keep your energy just in case you have to do 265 questions!!
First off congratulations. I took my NCLEX-RN on august 6th, 2014 and did exactly what you have done to prep for NCLEX. I passed!!! I felt that reading the rationales to every question, right or wrong, helped me understand what I needed to know. Spent one week reviewing content then spent the rest of the time doing a lot of priority/SATA/delegation type questions. Well congratulations!!!
Congratulations, nurse! Thanks for sharing your story. You mentioned several resources that were new to me. I haven't even started nursing school yet but I'm already tensing up over the NCLEX. I'm so grateful for people on the other side who are helping me to plan a path through this rite of passage.
I passed nclex one my first time with 75 questions. I used ATI because we used it in school, I used the Kaplan review book and an app on my phone NCLEX Mastery I loved how convenient it was and that it gave rationale for all answers. Keep doing questions daily is my advise and read all rationale for the right and wrong answers you get. Also TRY to keep calm and read all the question and possible answers while taking the NCLEX; take your time they give you plenty. One more thing when the computer shuts off you will freak out just a bit, this is normal.
I took my Nclex this past friday and i did the pearson vue trick and got a good popup that day!
I got 75 questions and i honestly felt like i did deserve to pass this test. However i did the pearson vue trick again yesterday and today and did not get a good popup but instead they transfer me to pay the $200.00 again. so i was really disappointed and got confused. Has anyone got a good popup one day and got a bad popup the next day? if yes, what does that mean??
However, i noticed that they have updated the website on saturday and website seemed like a lot different when i got a bad popup yesterday. My husband was telling me that maybe they have fixed the trick that they can earn $8 for fast result. I'm very anxious and scared because i honestly felt like i was ready to take the test and even during the test, I was even able to notice that the test level was getting harder and got a lots of multiple response questions. I remembered second question to the last one was multiple and the last one that i got was a matching question. Please please tell me that only the first good pop matters and i passed..((
Congratulations Ms. RN! It is the best feeling ever to see those wonderful results of passing! I was on too of the world when I saw mine just a little over a year ago. I still feel the anxiety of my program though! Now I am in a RN-BSN program and the anxiety continues but it is a totally different type! Lol
Anyways, I just wanted to say congrats and best wishes in your future career of nursing!!
Can you update us on this? Your husband can definitely be correct as the website was definitely revamped. Please let me know as I am about to take the exam shortly. This is huge information if indeed the trick no longer works.
dbrenda1510
173 Posts
Well Graduatenurse14 you are now RN14!!! So happy for you! Now your time to shine is finally here as you begin down the path of being a RN. May each patient (client) you care for be a blessing to you and you to them. God bless you and thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us.