January 2015 NCLEX experience

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Hi future RNs :yes:Took my test yesterday got the good pop up, tried today and still works! Got to the testing center diaphoretic, nauseated, could feel my heart beat on the desk, sleepless (don't be like me, get some sleep! lol)

It cut off at 75 and poof! probably 50% SATA or more, so many charts, 2 drag and drop, prioritization, delegation, stips, community/management type, drug cal, and medications. very similar to Kaplan but easier. Just calm your nerves, because I didn't lol which did not help! My qbanks were 60s, and Qtest 6, I made a whopping 56 lol so I stopped. But NCLEX was more straight forward unlike Kaplan which had a lot of fluff in their questions and choices, not nclex!

my sources? I used Kaplan (for practice), Saunders (just the fundamentals part is a must) Hurst (know it like the palm of your hand *WINK WINK WINK, I cannot wink anymore my eyes hurt for Hurst!!!!* Get it!! and PDA (just, do the priority type questions, and the sequential types)

*lab values, pat down on ppe and head to toe assessment. Know how to properly assess!

Don't know where to start? Download the ncbsn candidate exam guide, that's where test writers pull topics from, that will be on the test! This was super helpful! Do it!!

*breathe, say a lil prayer, (I surrendered everything to God, he took me this far, even if I doubt myself, I know I fully trust him and he will help me with what I cannot do all by myself)

So here are my test taking that got me through the exam! (aside from ABCs and Maslow)

1. look for words like: suddenly, recently, acute, recently, developed

2. decipher subtle yet emergent vs dramatic yet expected signs and symptoms

3. single answers: Stop looking for the right answer, in my experience, there's really only one safest/best outcome and make sure it relates to the stem of the question, ignore the choice that has no relevance to is asked or at all! They could easily throw a basic idea and you could be thrown off, but it just doesn't relate/ help the situation even if is sounds amazing! Also, eliminating an option ask ur self why it's unsafe.

4. SATA: cluster them, don't add extra even though it sounds good or meh :/ lol Refer back to what they are asking and ask ur self (yes/no) for each option

5. Stuck between 2 assessment? which one would you do1st, what's more essential between the two that will help the client the most.

*the NCLEX has no fluff to their questions, unlike kaplan each and every word is there for a reason!

4. If you encounter a foreign drug, look for the safest/ most deadliest, when in doubt give it with food, when in doubt dont give it to a pt. with nephro/hepa pt. Also always question drugs that has similar effects or herbs that has similar effect w/ drugs that pt. is taking

5. Conflict issues? Don't confront! Be nice, always!

6. Psych pt. don't ask whys.

7. Labs, classic diseases but I had many rare diseases also, but when this happen, just go for the safest choice.

8. pt. teaching was a biggie and a lot of common/ high risk procedures

*Having a panic attack during the exam. Pause, close your eyes, breathe in and out slowly, focus on your breathing, you cannot stress and relax at the same time, well for at least a min or two, but heyy

* You got this! You survived nursing school and that was not by accident, it's because of hard work & dedication. Face the music, this is the last stretch & most importantly, pray, pray, pray!!

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Hi there! Congrats on passing the NCLEX and taking the time to share your wonderful tips/advice! I graduated from my BSN program on December 19, 2014 and I'm scheduled to take my NCLEX on March 5th. So far, I've been using Hurst for content (studying so that I know the content "without doubt and hesitation") and the Kaplan QBank and Qtrainers for practice questions. I also purchased the PDA book and will be using that for questions as well. I've dedicated 8-10 hours every day to studying simply because I know that's how much time I need to dedicate each day. I started this schedule on the 3rd week of January, giving me a total of 7 weeks to study for the most important exam of my life.

To be honest, I consider myself the average nursing student, who had to put in twice (or even three times) the amount of effort in order to get the same/near the same results as my peers did. I was often so frustrated every time I wouldn't understand something, while all of my colleagues understood it all. However, I eventually accepted the fact that not everyone learns the same way, and if this is how much it takes for me to learn and absorb something - so be it.

With that said, as days pass by, I feel more and more anxious about the NCLEX. I already have a job secured at a local hospital and passing the NCLEX would allow me to start work by April 6th (given that I pass *crosses fingers and toes*). On top of that, there's always the pressure from your family and loved ones to pass the first time.

Sorry for the rant! Thanks for posting this. I seriously appreciate it!

P.S.- How exactly did you utilize the Saunder's book? And about how long did it take you to prepare for the exam?

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Just like me! Prepped for 7 weeks and rescheduled 3x lol thinking that I would feel more confident going in lol I studied looong hours every day as well.. I highly encourage you to flip through the ncbsn candidate guide for the Nclex, really glad I did because I read through it made few lil notes on things I wasnt sure about and yup saw my lil notes on the exam, that thing was awesome like whatever EKG strips they listed on the packet, that's all you need to study. for saunders I just did the fundamentals which was about 2-300 pgs.. probably studied that 2 weeks, here and there, even my friend who took it for the second time read just that section,without kaplan this time. there was a lot of basic health assessment stuff, know your labs (know when to freak out and not to freakout) was sitting there trying to rethink this one lab value dang it lol. Also Kaplan is harder, personally and my friends who all passed felt the same way.just focus on ur weakness whether it maybe physio, health and promotion, etc. Don't get to hard on ur self if u score low on those test trainers, comes down to what you learned out of the rationales. Well I'm not the smartest person but I really studied for that one test. You got this!! also after the test don't judge yourself till you at least do the pvt trick, it may really feel like you fail, I was convinced and cried my way home í ½í¸© Why can't they limit SATAs questions lol anyway, breathe, be confident, you got this RN!! Wishing you the best!!

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Congratulations RN so proud of you, and thanks so much for the helpful tips

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Thanks so much!! I appreciate all of your encouragement! I'll forsure keep you posted! :)

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Congrats on passing! I too passed at 75 , on the 29th. My test was nothing like yours.. I was shocked to say the least.. Only 15 SATA's, no strips, no audio, no delegation.. A ton of meds!

But anyway good luck you did it!!

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Is not letting me PM you! So I found a post of yours to respond on. The test was really hard but I passed! I also feel like if you use ati and the nclex mastery app you will be ok, it really helped me :)

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