Is there anyone left studying for NC 5?

RNandRRT · Aug 18, 2009

I wish you the best of luck. I finished my NC's in April and am awaiting the beast. Just follow the study guide and take the EC practice exams.

fmoore723 · Aug 19, 2009

Im doing HDLS2---in the new curriculum. Im in the process of making my outline from the content guide and books right now. I just started working on the Metabolic Processes tonight. After my outline---I will take Practice Exam A---review other notes and practice tests I have----then Practice Exam B. I have it scheduled for next Friday (only cause it was a convenient date)---but may not be ready that soon. Im pretty focused though and am not working right now so HDLS2 is my JOB! Good luck on your exam...do you have it scheduled yet? And about the practice exams---I did pretty bad on the HDLS1 practice exams. I think it was something like a 64 and a 70 and still got an A....so as long as you review what your weak areas are...I think youll do fine...

Felicia

erinp88 · Aug 19, 2009

I'm scheduled to take it this Thursday.. I am so mentally fatigued and I've said about a million naughty words today.. As of right now, I'm keeping the appointment. I'll take Form B tomorrow. I don't know why I get so caught up with the practice exams. Probably because I failed the one exam last year and I had a mid 70's score. But I've had mid 60's on them and ended up with A's/B's too. I am dying for this to be over with!

Good luck with your studies!

TattooGirl585 · Aug 20, 2009

Hi everyone... it has been a while!! Failing that exam last summer really put a halt to my test taking!! Anyways, here I am with the worst exam left - NC 5 and creeping up to that nasty September deadline! I am signed up to take Microbiology this fall at my local CC (I want to ensure everything transfers in case I go on!) and that starts August 30th. I've taken a LOA from my job so I was hoping to knock this test out on Thursday so I can spend next week job hunting for part-time work. But of course, the practice test score was less than desirable - 64! The EPN NC-5 board is dead, so I am posting here to see if I'm the only one feeling the pressure?
I don't find this material challenging, it just seems so much more than the other exams! I'm trying to review constantly, but it takes me so long just to get through one or two disorders/diseases that it's difficult to get through everything. I keep trying to make a "study plan" everyday, and I end up freaking out and changing my method. I've been studying for almost 4 weeks (full time, no job right now!) and I'm about ready to pull my hair out. There are books everywhere through out my house and I'm basically tired of living like this!
So, is there anyone out there feeling the same way? Or am I crazy?

Hi Erin88,

I know where your coming from. I took NC5 in April and sweated thru it with a B. :crying2:Your practice scores are good. Review the EC practice test like crazy esp the hard questions. I have found that to be REALLY helpful.

I'm taking NC6 tomorrow and NC7 before Sept 30th. Yikes!! This is tough but you've come this far!

Good Luck to you.

All the best, Tattoogirl585 in NY:nurse:

EverNurseRN · Aug 21, 2009

i've found another person freaking out besides myself! lol...i have nc6 left before the deadline, and i am so stressed about faililng it (already got a d on it in april) that i can't study. like at all. im that messed up and nervous that i'm going to fail. counterproductive, i know.

i shouldn't have pushed myself this close to the stupid deadline :banghead: but s&%# happens...at least you've got your books open..i've chosen to ignore mine completely! haha..if i just schedule the stupid thing i will force myself to study. my problem is the fear of not passing again..then what?! convert to the new cirriculum?! aaaahhhh it took me 3 years to take seven stupid tests...i'd have to just hang it up if that happens...ugh...

how are you focusing???

side note: tattoogirl let us know how you did, and i'll be looking to you for inspiration! good luck...and once you get nc6 behind you, the last one nc7 is seriously like a freebie...all memorization of wars, nursing influences, and nursing organizations. i studied for 2 days and got an a....

erinp88 · Aug 21, 2009

i've found another person freaking out besides myself! lol...i have nc6 left before the deadline, and i am so stressed about faililng it (already got a d on it in april) that i can't study. like at all. im that messed up and nervous that i'm going to fail. counterproductive, i know.
i shouldn't have pushed myself this close to the stupid deadline but s&%# happens...at least you've got your books open..i've chosen to ignore mine completely! haha..if i just schedule the stupid thing i will force myself to study. my problem is the fear of not passing again..then what?! convert to the new cirriculum?! aaaahhhh it took me 3 years to take seven stupid tests...i'd have to just hang it up if that happens...ugh...
how are you focusing???
side note: tattoogirl let us know how you did, and i'll be looking to you for inspiration! good luck...and once you get nc6 behind you, the last one nc7 is seriously like a freebie...all memorization of wars, nursing influences, and nursing organizations. i studied for 2 days and got an a....

i failed that exam too! it's the only test i didn't go through and "double check" all my answers. i bombed the musculoskeletal area which was my best area on my practice exams!! i later found out that the chancellor module i was using didn't address half of the diseases listed in that section. that was last summer, i didn't take another exam (nc7) until march of this year.. and the only reason i took that one was because my test date was going to expire. when i hit the submit button i was thinking "well, you got a d before, you know what it feels like." i was so relieved when an a popped up! anyways, the second time around on nc 6, i forced myself to use the books and the content guide and outlined each and every disease and procedure. i was scared to death of failing it again. i was shaking so bad when i hit the submit button. i didn't remember a lot of material that was questioned, but was pleasantly surprised with an a (which took forever for the lady to hand it to me!). :) i have also been using an nclex review book. it has a great section in the front about test taking strategies. however, i don't feel that excelsior's questions are worded anything like nclex style but it did help me identify key facts of each question. this lisa arends, study group 101 notes drive me crazy.. too disorganized and unstructured for me to follow. not that i'm perfect, but i love clean, table type material to review.

so yes, now i'm worried i'll screw up nc 5 (which i postponed to next wednesday) and then what? i'll have to take two more exams, plus retake whatever is equal to nc 5, and the fcca... or whatever it's called!

i'm so mad at myself for letting it get to this point! but, i quickly learned that i was not able to self study while working a 5 day/wk job.. i know some people can, but i couldn't get the gumption to do it.. when i get home from work, the last thing i wanted to do is critical material! i did force myself to complete all of my general ed through my local cc online except for micro.. at least i did that! all of my nc tests except for two have been completed during the summer months when i'm off.

i'm incredibly happy to stumble across some other people who are as freaked out as me. :)

MsPC · Aug 22, 2009

i am with ya'll except i have a lot more tests than you guys and i have to wait at least a week to get my scores back. that part is the hardest part. if i had the money i would take the exams at pearson vue just for the instant gratification of knowing i passed. i have two tests next week but for some reason today couldn't get myself to study at all. with my campus classes starting next week and trying to find a job i will be stressed to the max with this darn deadline creeping up on me. i have yet to fail a course but gotten one too many c's to make me happy. i am studying myself stupid in each subject then the tests seem to kill me. hope to keep in touch with ya'll and see how we do. i really really really don't want to have to take the new exams and the fcca plus the job i was trying to take was in virginia which i'm told may not be an option anymore either... ~sigh hope to hear from ya'll soon gonna get back to studying.

erinp88 · Aug 22, 2009

i am with ya'll except i have a lot more tests than you guys and i have to wait at least a week to get my scores back. that part is the hardest part. if i had the money i would take the exams at pearson vue just for the instant gratification of knowing i passed. i have two tests next week but for some reason today couldn't get myself to study at all. with my campus classes starting next week and trying to find a job i will be stressed to the max with this darn deadline creeping up on me. i have yet to fail a course but gotten one too many c's to make me happy. i am studying myself stupid in each subject then the tests seem to kill me. hope to keep in touch with ya'll and see how we do. i really really really don't want to have to take the new exams and the fcca plus the job i was trying to take was in virginia which i'm told may not be an option anymore either... ~sigh hope to hear from ya'll soon gonna get back to studying.

where do you take the exams if you're not taking them at pearson vue? that would be a killer to not know your grade right away, but i am curious as to who and how your exam does get graded.

i am in the same boat as far as campus classes. i signed up to take micro this fall at my cc. when i'm done with that cpne, i want nothing left hanging over my head.

i'm also job searching as well. i was hoping to find a part-time job that would allow me to gain some more confidence in my clinical skills as i have not used any in a few years. as you see, i live in michigan where we have the highest unemployment rate in the country, no nursing shortage and west michigan facilities who are not supportive of excelsior education (doh!). i'm so thankful that my husband has excellent employment, but feel odd not having a job for the first time in 14 years.

try to relax with studying. i know it's easier said than done! i have to use a timer - so many minutes per section and then reward myself with a break. (often consists of a short walk or nap!). escaping the brutality of the material and clearing my head for a few minutes does wonders for me.

best of luck in your studying!!

MsPC · Aug 22, 2009

where do you take the exams if you're not taking them at pearson vue? that would be a killer to not know your grade right away, but i am curious as to who and how your exam does get graded.
i am in the same boat as far as campus classes. i signed up to take micro this fall at my cc. when i'm done with that cpne, i want nothing left hanging over my head.
i'm also job searching as well. i was hoping to find a part-time job that would allow me to gain some more confidence in my clinical skills as i have not used any in a few years. as you see, i live in michigan where we have the highest unemployment rate in the country, no nursing shortage and west michigan facilities who are not supportive of excelsior education (doh!). i'm so thankful that my husband has excellent employment, but feel odd not having a job for the first time in 14 years.
try to relax with studying. i know it's easier said than done! i have to use a timer - so many minutes per section and then reward myself with a break. (often consists of a short walk or nap!). escaping the brutality of the material and clearing my head for a few minutes does wonders for me.
best of luck in your studying!!

i take paper and pencil scantron exams at the closest military base's education office and they are mailed to excelsior for grading. they state it takes 2-3 weeks to get a graded response but it's usually online in about 1 week. i check everyday because it's a distraction to not know. i am looking for any part-time job as i have spoken to three nuse recruiters who have showed interest in hiring me upon completion but they are in three different states and none near here. i have budgets and savings plans to get through until december, but no actual job to accomplish this because i can't even get walmart to hire me... darn being over qualified. i relax with a movie or music or just a random tv show on for background noise then 'window shop via the internet', walk my dogs, eat, or change subjects for my breaks. i hope your studying goes well.

best wishes

TattooGirl585 · Aug 23, 2009

OK Good News I passed NC6 with a B. I'm sooooo relieved. :smokin:It was really tricky.

The EC practice test helped a lot. Now on to NC7 , gotta beat that deadline even if it kills me!!

Now gotta crunch some $$ to pay for it! :banghead:LOL!

Good luck to you all. it CAN be done!!

Tattoogirl585 future RN!

EverNurseRN · Aug 25, 2009

ok good news i passed nc6 with a b. i'm sooooo relieved. :smokin:it was really tricky.
the ec practice test helped a lot. now on to nc7 , gotta beat that deadline even if it kills me!!
now gotta crunch some $$ to pay for it! :banghead:lol!
good luck to you all. it can be done!!
tattoogirl585 future rn!

congratulations!!!! :yeah:what a relief that must be!!! nc7 is soo straightforward, you'll do fine...practice exams were also a huge booster for nc7..good luck and keep us all posted!