I've now failed NCLEX-RN twice....

Published

I just graduated this past May of 2010. I'm a 34yo guy and this is my second bachelors degree. My nursing school GPA was a 3.67. I made the Dean's List twice, the President's Honor List once, inducted into STTI, and I would have graduated with honors if my GPA from my first undergrad wasn't calculated, which brought my overall GPA down a bit.

About two weeks after graduation, I took Hurst Review and then used a friend's Kaplan account to use Kaplan's Q Bank, scoring each test in the mid-60's. I walked into the NCLEX cautiously confident....

....and then I failed the damn thing with all 265 questions, using 5 of the 6 available hours. I was crushed, to say the least. I moped around for a couple of weeks, beating myself up and generally feeling quite sorry for myself. Then I got back in the saddle and started studying again. I took NCLEX-RN for the second time the day before yesterday and I didn't fare any better: 203 questions and I ran out of time. I just got the results minutes ago: failed again.

Two themes were common on both of my exams: Many drugs I hadn't heard of and lots of questions with answers I couldn't make any sense of, which I of course find baffling for an exam that is supposed to test for minimum competency.

I keep asking myself how I can do so well and apparently not retain what I need to retain. I've always been a good-to-great student, yet I've always struggled with standardized tests, going back to the PSAT in Jr High. Does this make sense to anyone? Can anyone relate to this?

Anyway, moving on....

Things I've done and the resources I have available to me:

ATI - I took this in nursing school, but didn't take it too seriously because our ATI's didn't count for or against us, and we had to focus on the 'real' exams. The ATI NCLEX Predictor Test said I had a 91% chance of passing NCLEX on my first attempt. Har har.

Hurst Review - I took the live Hurst Review after graduation. I liked it. I also have their lecture videos saved on my computer. Before I took NCLEX the first time, I attended the live Hurst lectures and then I did the Kaplan Q Bank the following week. I didn't really study the Hurst content beyond what I did in the Hurst classes. As I mentioned earlier, I was doing well on the Kaplan Q Bank, scoring in the mid-60's on each of the tests. This is not to say that I didn't look things up in areas where I felt I was weak (looking at you, Labor and Delivery....I'm a guy, what can I say). For this second time around, I focused mainly on studying the content and re-doing the Hurst Review via my computer. This obviously didn't work out either.

I have a Kaplan book, my ATI books, a Saunders book, another Hurst Review book, and a handful of others that were given to me.

I want to take this in the next 45-50 days, and any suggestions would be very much appreciated --

- Should I take the Kaplan Review? I've heard Kaplan is question-focused, but I haven't gotten a satisfactory explanation at to what this means, really. Thoughts? I do feel that I need (and want) content....

- Should I start over with ATI? I'd need longer than 45 days to do this as this is a series of books, rather than one (albeit huge) book like Saunders, Kaplan, etc.

- Should I ignore Hurst completely, since that obviously didn't work, and only use another source?

- If so, what sources? I feel that I need the content, so I don't want to only do questions.

- In another thread, someone recommended The Illustrated Study Guide for the NCLEX-RN Exam, by JoAnn Zerwekh and Jo Carol Claborn. I'm more of a visual/tactile learner....I learn things better by seeing and doing rather than just reading, so this sounds intriguing.

I'm embarrassed beyond belief. I've been ignoring my nursing school friends (I went to school out-of-state) and wow is it rough facing my family and friends here at home. I'm pretty freakin' low right now....

Ugh. I feel like such a dumbass.

I guess I just needed to vent, so thanks for listening to me/reading my sorry tale. As is stands now, giving up isn't an option and I beat myself up enough after the first failure, so I don't think I'll be doing much more of that, either. I want to get this over with and get on with life!

Any and all thoughts and comments are appreciated, but please be gentle! My self-esteem isn't doing so hot at the moment....

And sorry to add another NCLEX-RN failure freak-out....

Thanks to all in advance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i too failed twice. going to take my 3rd when the 45 days is up but lately i've become so lazy like i just want to get it over with. i just need that push. i hate having to dwell on it. i borrowed this cd from a friend theres like no name to it but its this lady who did lectures on everything to do with nclex and i understood things i never understood before which is good. i think i'm gonna read more on content with the saunders book and proly do the lippincott 3500 questions, la charity, saunders Q&A and kaplan. hopefully i can. i heard kaplan is good and so is the hurst. i've read that a lot of people didnt like the ati one. i think we just need to do a lot of questions. i mean we've studied the content twice. what more do we really need to know! i think our problem is answering the test. i ignored so many of my friends too! i've been on hibernation for how many months now and its really depressing. i havent been out of the house and this is my way out of things. passing it would be the way out of this deep hole we are on! we can do this!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Don't beat yourself up. Many people take more than one try to get it. As long as you are persistent, you will pass.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just took the test for the third try and got the bad pop up! I can't stand this because I did so well in nursing school and this one thing is keeping me from doing what I love! I'm not giving up though but I struggle with the fact that I am failing at this! I wish you all the luck and don't give up!:up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for the support. I've been taking a couple of days to myself to try and collect myself.

So far, I'm leaning heavily toward taking Kaplan.

Also, someone sent me a PM, but I cannot respond to it. PM me your email address and maybe I can help.

Best of luck to all of you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

Kaplan helps you with ways to answer the question. It teaches you how to recognize what the question is really asking, reword it, and then has step by step ways that are SUPPOSED to work for every question. I did the book but not the class. I also did the qbank with kaplan. From what I've heard the strategies are no different from what you learn in the class so if you already used the kaplan book I'm not sure the class would be much help.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Kaplan helps you with ways to answer the question. It teaches you how to recognize what the question is really asking, reword it, and then has step by step ways that are SUPPOSED to work for every question. I did the book but not the class. I also did the qbank with kaplan. From what I've heard the strategies are no different from what you learn in the class so if you already used the kaplan book I'm not sure the class would be much help.

Thanks for the feedback, roma.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi! I'm new here..so glad having found a forum like this...as I am so so depressed right now...I just learned that I failed my NCLEX-RN exam :( and this is my second time...sigh...cry my heart out...I guess I don't enjoy CAT testing.

By the way, I am a foreign graduate . Honestly, this CAT testing makes me lose my esteem...I'd prefer the long long paper exam as there will be more chance to gauge our capabilities and intelligence and it is more standardized and the same for everyone..in length, content and difficulty and then scored . Maybe I am on the older side now that is why..:( - but I told myself never to give up and try until I succeed...I hope the third time will be the last time . Please God be with us. Wish I am younger to have more time to endure these struggles ( I am now in the stage of Generativity VS Stagnation..LOL) and hoping in God's guiding light I may pass and get my license soon so that I may age and grow old happy with success. God knows I was a real good student and had passed all my previous licensures (my previous degree/profession; and Nursing license in my country) at first take . But gee, this NCLEX-RN exam is the only one that had given me so much depression and questions? My husband ignores me now as if I'm invisible and our relationship and family suffers a lot from my failure ( he is a licensed RN for 6 years now)...but I did finished reading my review books Kaplan Qbanks online, La Charity - now I lost some confidence of myself. I took my first attempt last March 2010 stopped at 75 (I accepted this as I was forced to take at once though not ready yet);and then again this Nov.2010 stopped at 203 questions (I felt bad about this as I studied well esp the La Charity book - guess I run our of time and consumed all 6 hours) (both bad results though all subject areas are NEARLY PASSING). How I wish there are just books they would tell us to really study about - so we could master it and PASS the CAT testing of the NCLEX-RN exam. For me time is precious and gold- especially that I am not that young anymore. Just like anybody else, I am praying for God's guidance and glory and telling myself to stay strong -never give up and just do the best in reviewing with all my HEART all the study materials I can ever lay my hands on. I told my child that Mom's never gonna give up for him cause I love him too much--just askin' for his prayers though. I'm planning to take the exam in 90 days again for the third time and GOD please...with hard work on my part..please guide me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello purple nurple, we are on the same boat, I just don't know how to move on..and where to start?..please help..

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I took the live Kaplan course and rescheduled my test date. I found the course helpful, as is the Kaplan RN Course Book and the online info, which includes videos and practice tests.

I've got to get my test anxiety under control. I know so much about so much....I just freeze up when it's test time. So, I'm starting over and going through the book and the online lectures one at a time. I feel fairly confident that I'll pass this time if I can stay focused and get through all that Kaplan offers.

Best of luck!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know exactly how you feel. I have failed the NCLEX twice now. I have been down in the dumps to. There has to be something we can do to get over this hump. I am going to take a break from studying and start back up in a week. If you find out any good plans or strategies on studying let me know. We can do this!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency, Internal Medicine, Sports Med.
I took the live Kaplan course and rescheduled my test date. I found the course helpful, as is the Kaplan RN Course Book and the online info, which includes videos and practice tests.

I've got to get my test anxiety under control. I know so much about so much....I just freeze up when it's test time. So, I'm starting over and going through the book and the online lectures one at a time. I feel fairly confident that I'll pass this time if I can stay focused and get through all that Kaplan offers.

Best of luck!!

Your post has been very interesting to read. Although I haven't written the NCLEX yet, I am a Canadian RN (BSN) I also graduated the same time as you did. I am now living in Washington State and studying for the exam. In nursing school, I got fantastic grades and breezed through my RN exam first try. Now I am taking these practice exams, continually "failing" (ie, getting between 60-70% each practice test I take), and super frustrated. Makes me down at times bc I feel as though there's somewhat of a mountain in front of me in terms of new things to learn (meds, normal values, etc) and little time to learn it in (I will be taking the NCLEX next month).

I bought the Kaplan book (Alternative questions/strategies etc with the CD in it), the Saunder's flash cards (which I actually quite like) and I took the NSCBN's online review course, although I ran out of subscription time to really have spent as much time on there as I'd like. I am strongly contemplating shelling out for the live Kaplan course.

Failing that (if for some reason I can't get with the live Kaplan program) I'll go with the online course again, coupled with memorization of "new" med names. Keep us all posted on your studying efforts, and if you find a strategy that works for you, pls share. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion