If you're freaking out...(Passed at 158)

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:nurse: Hi New Grads!

This post is to give my 2 cents on my experience with the NCLEX that would've been helpful to me when I was totally freaking out before, during and after the exam.

A good friend of mine from school was sitting next to me in the other cubicle and finished at 75. So many people think if you get 75 you definately passed and 265 means you failed. That's not the case. It doesn't matter what number of questions your computer shuts off at. I was so upset when I get to number 76. I thought, "Great. What am I doing wrong?" Then I hit 150 and definately thought I blew it. I left the center and went straight to the bathroom to ball my eyes out. And as soon as I got into my car I continued to freak out and cry. For 2 days I began to make arrangements for a new job, a back up loan for income, and an application to retake the NCLEX-RN. Daily phonecalls from classmates asking, "Did you hear anything? I know so-and-so that failed at 130" and so on didn't help the anxiety. I was so stressed out I was sick when I sat for my board exam.

I studied for 3 weeks on and off for my exam. I held a GN position on my med/surg floor for experience which really helped me when I was stuck on a couple questions. I suggest to keep in mind the difference between the real world and the NCLEX world to answer questions. I used 4 prep books, but the one that helped me was Kaplan. It helped me break down the question so I didn't jump to conclusions and pick the wrong answer. I used the little eraser board they provide you to eliminate 2 questions right off the bat and kept thinking, "I have all the time in the world with this patient and all the supplies are here. What is my immediate next move?"

Hope this helps anyone with test anxiety. Wear comfy clothes, drink water, not coffee or you'll crash midway, and clear your head of everybody's comments and opinions. Believe me you'll be surprised at who fails and who passes when your classmates tell you. Worry about you and only you. You'll have enough time in your carreer in nursing to hear what others have to say about this one and that one, unfortunately!

Good luck and God bless!

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Thank you for this great advice and congratulations on your passing. :) You will be helping a lot of new grads that will be taking the exam and your advice will help so much! Congrats again new RN :)

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Specializes in LTAC, Homehealth, Hospice Case Manager.

Congrats!!! :yeah:

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thank you.........you helped ease my depression

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Specializes in Critical Care Transport/Intensive Care/Management.

Nice work!... well done you!

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congratulations!! Good job on passing and you are right...you never know who is going to pass or fail.

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Congratulations!:nurse:

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i took the nclex test last saturday my computer stops at 194 whew, im very afraid for the result.i know the number of questions is not the basis for passing or failure,i just want to clarify my knowledge does it mean that questions answered more than 75 & lesser than 265, you should have a last difficult question answered before the computer shut down to be sure that you have better chance of passing since nclex rn CAT is like a trend that if you got the minimum competency it will stop &in oposite you will fail.

another thing is that you should be sure that you last answer should be correct before the computer shut down to have good chance of passing? any opinion about my understanding&conclusion?

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i took the nclex test last saturday my computer stops at 194 whew, im very afraid for the result.i know the number of questions is not the basis for passing or failure,i just want to clarify my knowledge does it mean that questions answered more than 75 & lesser than 265, you should have a last difficult question answered before the computer shut down to be sure that you have better chance of passing since nclex rn CAT is like a trend that if you got the minimum competency it will stop &in oposite you will fail.

another thing is that you should be sure that you last answer should be correct before the computer shut down to have good chance of passing? any opinion about my understanding&conclusion?

You can't predict pass/fail based on those factors. I responded to your post in the other thread.

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Specializes in Clinical exp in OB, psy, med-surg, peds.

YAAAAAAAAAY! Congratulations:monkeydance: :monkeydance: :monkeydance:

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i took the nclex test last saturday my computer stops at 194 whew, im very afraid for the result.i know the number of questions is not the basis for passing or failure,i just want to clarify my knowledge does it mean that questions answered more than 75 & lesser than 265, you should have a last difficult question answered before the computer shut down to be sure that you have better chance of passing since nclex rn CAT is like a trend that if you got the minimum competency it will stop &in oposite you will fail.

another thing is that you should be sure that you last answer should be correct before the computer shut down to have good chance of passing? any opinion about my understanding&conclusion?

No, there is no tricks, clues or short-cuts for this exam. That's what I am trying to get out there. It does not matter what the last question is. It doesn't matter how many priority, communication, knowledge, renal, cardiac, maternity or any other quastion you get hit with or in what order or whatever. The only meaning for the numbers 75 and 265 are the least amount of questions or the most, that's it, nothing more. Good luck to you and best wishes. You're in my thoughts.

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