If you passed on the SECOND try...

nivek21 · Apr 18, 2005

Please post what you thought your mistake was the first time (if any) and what you think you did the second go-round that helped you to pass. Thanks for your input! I'm studying like crazy now for the second attempt...
Dawn

I think that my first time around I didn't really understand "WHY" this and that happens, I didn't understand how to answer the questions, and I really don't feel like I was fully prepared. Also, I was SO NERVOUS when I took my test the first time that I couldn't concentrate. This time around I did atleast 3000 questions from my Saunders CD-ROM, and I would look up things I didn't understand. Also, I really wanted to concentrate on the question why. There is really no way of knowing everything, but I wanted to atleast know the patho & Phys of my major diseases. I stayed focused, positive, and used a daily study routine. The day of my test I tried to stay as calm as I could and I would continually tell myself "I can do this." Because of all my studying on the computer I was at ease while taking my test. These are things that helped me the most and I passed with 75 questions. Good luck Dawn. I can't tell you to not have anxiety because I think that it's impossible not to when studying for the NCLEX. :rotfl: :chuckle

ISM · Apr 19, 2005

Please post what you thought your mistake was the first time (if any) and what you think you did the second go-round that helped you to pass. Thanks for your input! I'm studying like crazy now for the second attempt...
Dawn

this would be my third time, but let me also re-enforce that using a CD to answer questions on your computer will definitely help. on my previous two tries i was not relaxed and could not concentrate so i really did not understand what i was reading. right now i am using as many CD's as possible, just to be in the habbit of answering on the computer. also keep answering as many questions as possible to get practise. i have a CD which shows you what the grading is like. you answer the first question correct and you get 100%; if the second on is wrong you loose points. so basically to each correct answer your percentage goes closer to 100. but you loose points for wrong answers. this helps because at the end you have an idea how you are doing. also a nurse wrote to me saying, do not concentrate on how many questions you have in X amount of hours but focus on the first 100 and do it well. the exam may shut off before then if you do well. that was my problem; focusing on the number of questions to answer in time frame. just relax and read carefully but 1 min per question.take the break to re collect yourself! hope this helps.

TNnursejane, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2005

I'm a seasoned nurse (20+ years) but the art to taking your boards hasn't changed. What I did was finally RELAX! What I did was not take any notes with me to study and just had fun! We went out the night before and had a nice dinner and a few glasses of wine. We did get a good night sleep too. I had come to the conclusion that if I didn't pass, I'd just go back to school if I had to. (We only had 3 chances then)

I'm a terrible test taker. I truley have test anxiety! Even now. I became an ACLS instructor and BLS instructor just so I wouldn't have to take a test every year or two.

Good luck to you all!

Janie

nursy2b · Apr 19, 2005

ISM- I would like to know the name of the CD that tells you how good you are doing while taking the test....Please share the name....Thanks

rikomom · Apr 21, 2005

I totally agree with Nivek21. My first time I did not study for NCLEX itself. I went through Mosby's questions without checking the rationals. Then, I had 96 questions, and failed.

From February, I took the Hurst review online course, which gave me so much information including practical nursing knowledge, and then, I practiced questions from Saunders content review CD. This CD included about 4000 questions. Many of them are really tough you have to know the content. So, I focused on more for Hurst review because Marlene was telling me that you cannot know everything but you should build how to make a clinical judgement when you encounter something you don't know. It happens all the time in the real world. You ask for help when you don't know but you also need immediate clinical judgement for patient's safety. So, this online review really helped me.

I didn't go through all the questions from Saunders because sometimes it was just too much detailed. However, it was helpful to make a RIGHT answer from tricky deceiving wrong answers. Their rationals are good to build test-taking strategies.

I focused on major diseases, major drugs, memorizing lab values which are also just major ones such as lytes, BUN, Cr, Hgb, Hct, PLT, & WBC. I am working in med/surg area so that I tried going thoroughly around maternity and pediatrics which are my weak areas.

Still, on my second trial, I had some questions which I never studied for. If you still have time to study, don't pass the pages for legal issues and therapeutic communications. Anything in your book can be questioned. At the same time, don't panic when you see a thick material which includes just endless topics. Nobody including physicians would not know all diseases or all drugs. So, whenver you encounter something unfamiliar on the test, tell yourself "well, I don't know this disease which means nobody else would not know this!" I also had a really relaxed day a day before the exam. I went to a restaurant with my husband and just had a good time. On the morning, I checked one more time just someting I had to memorize such as G&D stages, and lab values. This worked. I had a couple questions from G&D which were very tricky if I did not go through in the morning.

Lastly, you should make two weeks "concentrated" study days. I prepared for the second trial about two months, but I have a baby and also work as a full time RN right here in Canada. So, I just tried to do 200 questions per day when I am off, I did not study when I worked, and I used my vacation two week off for studying. As the exam date was coming up, I was feeling "ready" although I thought about cancelling the date many time! I just wanted to try to write to see if this was enough. I was almost fed up with studying.

Today, I got a result of "PASS" and I am so happy and relieved. This website gave me so much information including Hurst online course, Saunders, and test taking strategies. Check this site whenver you have problems. It will help you a lot! Good luck and I wish your success :Melody: :Melody:

suzanne4, RN · Apr 21, 2005

congratulations on passing! :balloons:

i know how hard that you worked to make this happen........... :)