If I could do it.....so can you!

[qeitRN]

Let me start by saying that I graduated in spring 2007 from a nursing school in a foreign country. I moved to US the same year and had a long run before the BON in Ca could get all the paperwork from my school and let me know that I needed to go back to school for 2 more classes ( which was not easy to get in).

Fast forward to December 2010. I finally was done with all the classes and in January 2011 got my ATT. I could finally sit for the boards and I was scared but, had faith I would pass. In preparation, I took the Kaplan refresher course and did their Qbank ( all of it) and scored between high 50s to low 70s. My readiness test score 63%. Teacher said that I would be ok but was everybody wrong! I took Nclex for the first time march 7, 2011 and was there for 6 hrs and for the full 265 questions. I felt like I knew most of the questions but after doing the pvt, I knew I didn't make it. I felt really bad, sad, upset and every other feeling that a person who has failed this test knows very well how it feels. I didn't know what to think, what to do and how to go about it again? I needed motivation and new study material, I needed a different approach.

I was decided to go back for the test when 45 days were done but due to some family issues I had to postpone the test to first week of July.

This time around I found all these free materials from this same site. ( thank you to everyone for sharing them). I went to the county library and got all the books I could get my hands on ( the ones that everybody here was giving good reviews) and read them all. Marlene Hurst, Saunders 4th ed, I already had bought Mary Ann Hogan's book " Reviews and Rationales", Exam Cram. I did questions from all these books also but really couldn't stick to a regular schedule. I would just read one book at a time and then do some questions from that book. If I found the questions too easy, I would just go and do questions from another source like Saunders cd, or Mary Ann Hogan cd.

I also made a list of all the areas that I felt I needed to review more in depth and I would set a day to concentrate on that particular area to master it.

Well June comes and my husband and I found out that we were pregnant. :yeah:The only bad thing was that I got very bad morning sickness ( all day and night sickness if you ask me) and I was put on meds and still could not find relief. Could barely eat, drink or anything! I postpone the test once again and for about 8 or 9 times after that because I could not feel well enough to go and handle the test God forbid for 6 more hours, without puking or fainting in the test center. Well, I finally felt better by October and decided to go for the test on OCT 21, 2011 at 1330. During the last 2 weeks I read the Kaplan book, did some more questions from the Q trainers and Saunders and made sure I had gone through my list of weak points.

On the test day I tried to stay calm. I told myself you can do it and in case you don't....well is not the end of the world. You will try again! Don't give up! Just take your time and don't rush through the questions.

So, there I am, ready to take the test again after 7 months. I tried to remind myself as often as possible to stay calm so I took a lot of deep breaths. After 2 hrs, I had gone through about 60qs. ( I also hid the timer and q# to reduce the stress. It worked:)). I took the break, had a snack, drank cold water, more deep breaths and went back in. I was there for one more hour and after what I estimated 100 - 110 qs, the screen turned blue! I took my time to answer the questions and wrote down every one of them in my own words ( English is not my native language) and then I would go through the options and cross out the ones that didn't make sense. Then I would argue between the ones that I thought were the best answer.

Now the thing is that this time around I felt like I knew waaay less and so many of those drugs that I had never heard of. When I got out I was feeling numb, not sure of what happened in there. I knew that I did my best and that kept me from crying. I didn't try PVT till the next morning because I was so scared I failed again. But then I gave up, tried pvt Saturday morning and got the good pop up. Great, but still couldn't believe it. I saw my name on the BON on Tuesday and my License came in the mail on Thursday! :yeah:I did it...and if I could do it, so can everybody else. Don't give up hope! Be positive and don't let this test put you down! I was feeling in disadvantage towards the students who had graduated recently in US schools but hey, It didn't really mean anything. Set your mind in it and just go beat the beast!

Ps. Sorry it was such a long post but this site has been a good source of hope and support for me.

[odoumu]

CONGRATULATIONS

[cardiacnurse1]

congratualtions - geitrn

i am so happy for you, and congrats on your bundle of joy;)

i am scheduled to take the nclex_pn exam on 11/4/11. i am in ca. this will be my second time around. i took my first test on 7/11/11, and the moment i found out that i failed it, i felt so depressed. i felt like i didn't know how to get back on my feet and gather myself together to re-study again. i prayed and prayed every night that god sends me blessings and knowledge that i must know in order to conquere the exam. i have classmates that keep bugging me about the test, and i feel so ashamed to tell them i failed and i am retaking it soon. i am keeping it to myself and give it all to god. wish me luck and good luck with you as well.

[trachkids]

Congratulations to you, very inspring! Cardiac nurse, I wish you luck on you exam:)