July 16th the NCLEX defeated me! Sept 5th, I slaughtered the test!

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I made a promise that when I passed the NCLEX I would come here and tell my story and hope that it gives someone hope - like this site did for me. I took the NCLEX for the first time on July 16, 2013. I prepared by doing the Kaplan review. I did all the Qtrainers and did all the Qbank questions wrote down all rationales and was scoring the above 62% on all the questions. I walked into that test center scared but I said to myself, "I was scoring these high scores on Kaplan I should be fine." 6 hours and 265 question later went to car did the PVT it took me right to credit card page.

In my heart, I knew I failed because there were things on that test that I never saw before which caused anxiety to go sky high. Found out I had failed. Cried for 2 days.

The job that I was offered was to start soon. I had to contact the recruiter and let her know what happened.

I came on this site and read how other people had passed and what they did to pass and this is what I did!

  • I prayed everyday before the test I had faith but I got "too carried away" with life things that come with life that I wasn't following my faith as I used to. I asked God for forgiveness and for him to come into my heart.
  • I got my refund from Kaplan and used that money to register for the test again.
  • I went ahead and got the Hurst review THE BEST $300 I ever spent!!! I did Hurst everyday for 2 months listed to the lectures twice filled out all the blanks on the worksheet
  • I bought the NCSBN 3 week review and only used it for the questions because I felt like the content wasn't that great.
  • The Saunders 5th edition book. After I finished a system on the Hurst review I went to the Saunders book to reinforce what I learned and did the practice questions at the end of the chapter.
  • PDA book that helped me out with priority and delegation. Good Good Book!!!

I also was working full-time. Immediately after work I would go right to the library and study until they closed usually by 9 and then I would study for another 2 hours once I got home. So I was putting in about 7 hours of study time a day on the weekdays and on the weekends 10 hours. I got rid of my Facebook and Instagram because I didn't want any distractions and I went back to the gym and hung out with my friends.

Day before the test got a massage reviewed some labs went into the test and that test stopped at 77 questions! In my heart I knew I did well! My test was the Hurst review and the meds were the meds I learned from Saunders! I am glad that this test is over! To those who have to take it a second time PLEASE BELIEVE IN YOURSELF THAT YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Kamryn BSN, RN

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Congratulation new RN! I am reviewing for my 2nd attempt. Did you have a lot of SATA type questions?

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Congrats, it so good to hear that you did not give up. I will take this information with me when it is my turn to study and take the infamous NCLEX exam. Good luck on your new career:up:

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Congratulations! You devoured that test indeed!

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@chicagoboy This time around I had 6 or 7 at the most 10

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Thanks guys!!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

Congrats RN! I used Kaplan because our school got it for us, but i did not solely rely on them. Like you, I used Saunders and PDA as well. Both excellent resources :) I didn't use NCSBN 3-wk course this time around (I used it when I was studying for the nclex-pn and its a good course) but I did use their free pharmacology app available in the App Store. I do believe the nclex was most similar to Kaplan but you gotta know your content and how to prioritize.

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Thanks guys!!!

You were blessed. I read stories here one getting as much as 25 SATAs!

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Specializes in internal medicine, telemetry, medsurg.

Congrats and well deserved.

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Congrats!! We have such a similar story. I failed this past June for my first time, but just passed at the end of August! Great advice and I hope others can learn from it! Ultimately failure made me stronger and pushed me to strive harder towards the goal of wanting to be a nurse, and it sounds like that happened for you as well! I loved reading how your faith in God grew as well, God uses failure sometimes to bring us closer to him. :)

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Congrats :)

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Congratulations, when I found out I passed my nclex vn, I yelled, whooped and hollered. And if it was suggested by someone else saying "let's go streaking" I probably would have, just kidding. I thought I failed the test, and had a dark cloud over my head, for the following two days until I could pay the extra money to see if I passed. I was extremly relieved to pass it the first time around. And failing once doesn't mean your a failure, Thomas Edison failed plenty of times, but never gave up. And if something comes easy to us we don't appreciate it as much. Congraulations again, nothing is as sweet in life as passing the nclex. Because it confirms that your brain and heart are up to par with being the nurse that you want to be.

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