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

British Bulldog · Mar 3, 2011

Wow! I have failed the NCLEX-RN 3 times now and planning to retake it end of this month. I took the Kaplan review class before the 3rd exam and FAILED! Its really hard for me to push myself and it is really quite depressing. Oh well! Keep going guys! If you really believe this path is for you then dont give up.

EAnnieV327 · Mar 3, 2011

I also just found out that I failed NCLEX for the second time! Its extrememly depressing! I feel like such a failure, and noone else understands. The first time I failed I thought it was because I had so much going on. I was in a wedding the weekend before I took the exam and Christmas and New Years was the week before that. My fiance and I are also planning our own wedding for July and had just started building a house. So when I found out I failed the first time, I wasn't too worried because most of that stuff was over. When I studied for my first attempt, I used the Kaplan book and disk. I read and studied the entire book but was not very dedicated to doing questions. When I found out I failed for the second time, I was destroyed! I am so nervous that Im just not supposed to be a nurse. I feel extrememly stupid and I also try avoiding people I know are going to ask about my exam. What should I do to study this time? I own the Davis Book and Kaplan book along with the Kaplan medication cards. But I feel like I have looked at them so much already. I also made notecards to learn medications, lab values, and diseases (and their patho)... what next? I feel like it would really benefit me to take a class but I haven't found any in my area. So I started looking for online courses and those are looking promising. I am trying to decide between Kaplan NCLEX on Demand, Hurst online review, and virtual-ATI package. Any suggestions? I avoided these classes the first two times because they were so much money but now I have spent far more than if I would have taken one the first time around. Help PLEASE! I would really like to register for one tonight, and I would like to retake NCLEX in early April. Is that enough time?

ann_08RN · Mar 3, 2011

hi annie,

i failed two time already. i used kaplan book and mosby before and ncsbn. but i did not make it. this time, i tried to read the comprehensive review book of saunders (5th ed) for the whole content. i am reading it page to page and understand the disease process. after each chapter i did the questions on the book and cd, and also do the questions on the same topic on nclex 4000. I also have LaCharity book with me.

i guess, we need to go back to the content study and do lots of questions before going to another exam. I will be taking again this april. and more prayers too this time.

there are lots of people who failed not only once but many times, but we will try not to be bothered but keep on our toes again. We can make it the next time. We will just give more time, more effort and more focus..

I know your feelings.... take care and i am sorry to hear that.

uaefan · Mar 4, 2011

Annie,

I'm sorry for your disappointment through your journey toward beating NCLEX. I'd recommend looking at my schpiel I posted a few weeks ago...I believe it's under "longtime lurker, first time poster." I conquered NCLEX 2 years outta school on the 3rd try with 75 questions. If you read my post you'll see that I didn't change up much...aside from praying. My post has several prayers that I'M convinced allowed me to pass...that and the knowledge that I graduated from school and thus knew what I needed to know. So do YOU! Please try the prayers, continue your studying, and get this darned test-that-doesn't-have-ANY-bearing-on-the-stellar-nurse-you'll-be outta the way!

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2011

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.

1. Ditch the ATI books...seriously, they will not help you pass anything, but ATI tests and are NOT a proven method of review.

2. Hurst...heard mixed reviews on that program.

3. Saunders...probably more nurses on this board passed with Saunders, using nothing else.

4. Kaplan...I have heard great reviews about their live reviews...at this point, it cannot hurt...may give you different insight.

My advice:

1. If you are running out of time, you are spending too much time on the questions and most likely are talking yourself out of right answers...testing standard is 1 minute per question and when you time yourself, you should be WELL under that.

2. Nobody walks out of the NCLEX thinking, "Wow, I NAILED it!"...seriously..nobody..probably the only thread you won't find on this board.

3. By getting fewer questions and running out of time, not to sound negative, but you are backsliding. Take a few days for yourself, regroup, then refocus.

4. You MUST read the rationales of WHY you got a question right...hardly anyone does this and it is KEY to successful testing. If you do not know why you got a question right, then if it is presented in a different way or with different choices, then it means you will not get the right answer the next time. I was always surprised on how often my right answers were correct using the WRONG rationale.

6. DRUGS...learn them by classes..you cannot memorize every drug out there...it is impossible. Usually there is something on the NCLEX that will clue you into which class the drug is from. Ditch the nasea/vomiting/diarrhea side effects...they never ask you that...focus on what is different.

Without a doubt, prioritizing, safety and infection control dominates the NCLEX..moreso than the drug/disease specific questions. You have to thoroughly know these concepts.

ann_08RN · Mar 4, 2011

Annie,
I'm sorry for your disappointment through your journey toward beating NCLEX. I'd recommend looking at my schpiel I posted a few weeks ago...I believe it's under "longtime lurker, first time poster." I conquered NCLEX 2 years outta school on the 3rd try with 75 questions. If you read my post you'll see that I didn't change up much...aside from praying. My post has several prayers that I'M convinced allowed me to pass...that and the knowledge that I graduated from school and thus knew what I needed to know. So do YOU! Please try the prayers, continue your studying, and get this darned test-that-doesn't-have-ANY-bearing-on-the-stellar-nurse-you'll-be outta the way!

thank you uaefan.... i hope i can browse what you have posted before. but i do pray a lot too.. include me in your prayers too.

Aspiringnurse_1111 · Mar 5, 2011

hi aspiringnurse, when are you going to take your nclex? I am from the philippines too.

hey kababayan ann_08 am here already in the states after i graduate last year in the philippines but i been trying to pass the nclex rn exam took it twice already i have failed,,am planing to take it again this april we are in the same boat hopefully we will both pass in our 3rd attempt ...its not really over until u stop trying =) hopefully we can an rn soon,,, keep in touch,,goodluck we can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We can over come this adversity ,,from lots of pressure we can turn it around to a achievement and overwhelming happiness of pleasure =') god bless

ann_08RN · Mar 5, 2011

@aspiringnurse:

exactly... we can do it, and with god's help, I am sure we will be able to get that license we are striving for..more prayer, more study...

:saint:

Aspiringnurse_1111 · Mar 5, 2011

Hehehe yahh cnt wait to have a license,,by april hopefully we are rn already kabayan ,=')

thywillbedone · Jun 1, 2011

Hey everyone, sadly I took my nclex test today for the second time. The first time I took it, I ended with having to answer all 265 questions with nearly passing results and 2 below passing. I was told I was very close to passing. So I schedule to re-take it again, went back to studying and used lacharity, Saunders and Kaplan blue book that I got after taking the in class review the first time around. I went in today, had about 5 drug calculations, other drugs I was not familiar with, 8 sata, few infection, one delegation, psyche questions and lots of prioritization. This time I felt really confident that I passed, I walked out thinking I passed just bc I felt like I was answering at my best, it stopped at between 78-82 I couldn't keep track.. When it shut down I was relieved! Went home thinking so positively, then tried pvt and took me to the cc page! I was devastated! Cried my eyes out! So depressed! I know pvt is pretty accurate! But I feel like im in a state of denial bc I was just somewhat sure that I made it and passed it. But pvt did not agree otherwise. Needless, to say.. Hours after crying.. I'm finally accepting once again that I failed bc it's nit my time yet. Anyone out there who can help me out? Any suggestions what I should try differently? Please, to those who have been thru what I have and ended successful after trying again? Please help.. I feel so low right now--depress bc I thought I made it this time. I'm a little embarass to my family, friends, my fiancé bc we had so much plans after I pass.. I thought maybe we could finally start our life together.. But this ungrateful-sickening test is delaying all my plans. I would have gotten a job this month if I passed. I'm sooooooo sad. Somehow I'm still hoping that when I get my official report, it would say I pass but I don't think pvt is ever wrong.. Please help me! And thankyou in advance!

uaefan · Jun 1, 2011

Hi thy,

I'm so sorry for your disappointment. Not sure who I keep directing to my post, but if you haven't looked, peruse my post "long time lurker...first time poster." Your journey seems to be mirroring mine.

Go through the mourning period, pick yourself back up, hold your head high, choose a different way of studying, and repeat to yourself: I WILL PASS NCLEX! A positive attitude is a MUST for defeating NCLEX.

All the best!

emz28 · Jun 1, 2011

hey kababayan ann_08 am here already in the states after i graduate last year in the philippines but i been trying to pass the nclex rn exam took it twice already i have failed,,am planing to take it again this april we are in the same boat hopefully we will both pass in our 3rd attempt ...its not really over until u stop trying =) hopefully we can an rn soon,,, keep in touch,,goodluck we can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We can over come this adversity ,,from lots of pressure we can turn it around to a achievement and overwhelming happiness of pleasure =') god bless

hello... pinay RN here... i failed twice and took the third time yesterday.. when i did the pvt i got a good pop up.. still waiting for my official result.. anyway, if i can do this, you can do this too... this site helped me a lot.. i'll keep you in my prayers.. btw, i'm in the states too so just let me know if you needed help... :)