I'm so ANGRY!!!

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

She's gotta keep trying. She could be having a block when it comes to the test. Could be she is misreading the questions i dont know.

Hope she keeps trying and doesnt give up, i know its frustrating but good things come to those who wait,, and keep trying.

Bipley · Nov 24, 2005

This post is about my fiance.... we both went to nursing school together, both got the same grades...we graduated in june and took the NCLEX in July (both studied using saunders)..... I passed and she failed (265 questions)..... she was upset (understandable) and hit the books and studied using exam cram...took the exam the 2nd time and failed(265 questions)....she then hit the books AGAIN...using Kaplan material...and went to the Kaplan courses. She took the exam two days ago...her 3rd time(75 questions).I was almost 100 percent sure she passed. Today...on Thanksgiving morning we found out she failed...we're both devastated. I dont understand how people who were complete IMBESILS that were in our graduating class (I mean they were barely passing exams and asked the DUMBEST questions in class) passed the NCLEX from the first time. After I took the NCLEX I thought I failed for sure....I was trully surprised that I passed. Since then I've been working for 3 months in a local ER as a staff nurse. I'm just really pissed off at all this. My fiance is a great nurse and I dont understand why they make the NCLEX so damn retarded. What do we do at this point. I know she has the knowlege to pass. She's broken down and needs some words of encouragement and advice.

I used to teach so I'm here to tell you that some folks just aren't test takers. It has absolutely nothing in the world with not knowing the information, they do. They just start to stress over a test and the more important the test, the more stress they feel. Often times they don't have the slightest idea how stressed they are. They really believe they feel fine but they aren't. Stress causes anxiety, anxiety causes people to read the questions different from what they are. They miss subtle things, plurals, they read something as saying one thing when it says quite another.

I'd have a student that could answer every bloody question I had and did beautifully. Call it a test and the same person can't do it.

My heart really goes out to you both. Please tell her to hang in there, she darn sure isn't the only one. It will happen, it's just going to take another shot.

KEVIN88GT · Nov 24, 2005

thats the thing...we really worked on any test anxiety that she might have had the first and second time...she went into the 3rd exam with a solid head...yes she did have a lot on her shoulders but she was focused and wasnt freaking out like you are mentioning....plus she took a zillion tests with me in nursings school....INCLUDING insane finals which were going to determine 2 years of our lifes and we both PASSED. I'm thinkin she take the Feurer Nursing review in Jan..... I just dont know what to tell her...which book to study from....

TypicalFish · Nov 24, 2005

I am so sorry for you and your fiancee; it is not her! Some people really aren't test takers. Please tell her to NOT give up! I have known some great nurses who struggled to pass the NCLEX. Maybe she should, if possible, switch test centers-change of Karma and all that, you know? Please give your fiancee a big hug for me-I'll say some prayers for her. Please let us know what happens!

I don't know if she can find something like it, but our class did a great review with a person who taught not only a basic review, but HOW to take the test.

Bipley · Nov 24, 2005

thats the thing...we really worked on any test anxiety that she might have had the first and second time...she went into the 3rd exam with a solid head...yes she did have a lot on her shoulders but she was focused and wasnt freaking out like you are mentioning....plus she took a zillion tests with me in nursings school....INCLUDING insane finals which were going to determine 2 years of our lifes and we both PASSED. I'm thinkin she take the Feurer Nursing review in Jan..... I just dont know what to tell her...which book to study from....

I'm not saying people who aren't test takers tend to freak out, I'm saying it is a matter of sometimes they don't even realize how stressed they are. To look at them they are calm and cool. If you ask them they honestly respond that they are a bit nervous, but they really feel fine. They believe they are fine. Anxiety works in mysterious ways. LOL It just doesn't show up the same for everyone. Your S/O knows the information, she has studied and prepared, there are many others who have passed the test so we know it isn't a matter of the test being impossible. That *usually* means anxiety over the test.

It's too bad in any testing situation. You can quite easily get someone who knows the info inside and out. They are confident in their knowledge, they know what it takes... but test anxiety is really really difficult.

May I ask what you refer to when you say you worked on test anxiety? Meaning, specifics. What did you do?

IcantThinkofaName · Nov 24, 2005

Im sorry to hear about that. Application and keeping it simple is really the key. Kaplan helped me.

SFCardiacRN · Nov 24, 2005

She should try a weekend review course instead of books or CD's. These classes give test taking stratagies and build confidence. The NCLEX is built around critical thinking not memorized facts. She needs a different approach to the test not more memorization. We have an RN on staff that failed twice in a similar scenario but passed after one of these classes.

KEVIN88GT · Nov 24, 2005

as far as working on anxiety we practiced breathing techniques and meditation....helped a lot the few days before the exam...she said she didnt even have to use them right before the exam....

KEVIN88GT · Nov 24, 2005

Yes she has tried Kaplan..not only has she done all their additional questions online she attended a week worth of live classes... what irks me is how can she come so close to passing 265 question both times...and then get 75 this time...meaning the computer thought she was so bad that it stopped it at 75.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

Ahh ,Kevin,, if she has practiced the breathing and meditation techniques and it helped, but she didnt think she needed them before the test. She does.

She needs to arrive around 10 minutes early for the test, go ahead and check in, dont walk in right at the time she is due. She needs to sit in the waiting area,, realx a minute, calm herself with breathing and meditation and take a few minutes to acclamate herself with her sourroundings. If she can get comfortable with her surroundings before she starts the test maybe she can get through it.

We have had new nurses it took a few times to get through it. One was about ready to give up,, i think she took it like 5 times, but she works right along side the rest of us now and is a very good nurse. Again,, keep trying.

Jerico, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

I used to miss questions because I'd read too much into them.

When I took the NCLEX, after I read each question, the first thing I'd ask myself was:

"What principle of nursing are they trying to see if I know"?

Safety?

Hemodynamics?

A certain disease?

Then I'd answer it BASED on WHAT (I thought) they were trying to find out I was competent at.