I passed NCLEX - my story

Jessica-5 · Sep 7, 2015

Since I stalked this board continuously during my graduation, studying for NCLEX and the dreaded 48 hour wait until QR were in (mine actually came in a few hours early which made me really think I failed!)

I graduated July 30 and after some issues getting my transcripts to the BON I finally got my ATT around August 25. I scheduled my test on Sept 25. A classmate of mine was able to snatch up a spot a week ago and passed and said it wasn't that bad blah blah blah. She said the questions were cut and dry and I should go ahead and take it.

I started stalking the testing centers near me and on Wednesday a spot came open for Saturday so I took it. Long story short... I had been fighting with my husband, working more than I usually do and just generally distracted. I wasn't ready and should have postponed it. I mostly studied using UWorld and our ATI review book on Thursday and Friday.

I went in to test on Saturday and was blown away. The questions were so random! It was the opposite of cut and dry. SO much mother/baby and psych and PRECAUTIONS! By this time 4 classmates had taken it and all four got 75 questions. When I kept getting questions (130) I was freaking out. I tried to make myself slow down but I honestly could hear my heart racing in headphones! I didn't take the offered break but in hindsight maybe I should have.

I finished just knowing I failed. I didn't feel confident at all walking out of there. I did the PVT (1 hour after testing) fully expecting to schedule another test because I was going to have to anyway. I got the good pop up. Hmm. Well I know its not good for 24hours so I didn't put much stock into it. I did it again at 24 hours and got the good pop up again. I started googling some of the questions I could remember and it seems like I did get some of them right LOL.

The wait was a killer and I tried to busy myself and kill time. I knew my classmates didn't get their QR until exactly 48 hours from the END of their test but I decided to give it a try a few hours early and the PURCHASE button was up. I freaked. I called my husband and just knew that meant I failed. I paid for the results and saw the most beautiful word - PASS!

Just to recap... I used KAPLAN (didn't find it very helpful, the QB was much easier than my NCLEX but I think I got some weird, random test), UWORLD (very very helpful. GO buy it now) and the ATI review book (helpful for labs etc).