Just passed the NCLEX at 75, felt it was not too bad. My study plan.

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I know there's a lot of these going around, but I just wanted to share how i passed the boards. I'm not sure if this will work for you, but it did for me. I passed at 75(in an hour) and found the exam relatively easy.

These key points are what I had in my head while taking the NCLEX:

You have to know that most questions revolve around patient SAFETY, ABCs, and maslow.

You guys already know that when in doubt check the patient.

Assessment is always the first thing, then positioning(since it's the easiest thing to do, I.E. mother is in distress position left lateral).

Any time there's something wrong with the mother most likely you check the baby's FHR, if not then the mother.

When there's something that requires intervention that's out of your hands, ALWAYS call up the doc. You cannot get ABGs, draw blood etc., if you don't have a doctor's order.

Why questions always wrong. Yes/no questions are always wrong, but they try to trick you with these, ask yourself the question, if you end up answering no/yes, it's wrong(etc Do you feel better today?)

Antipsychs usually cause anticholinergic, EPS, and agranulocytosis.

DKA = hydrate first. Sickle cell = hydrate first.

I have another things but I feel i'm writing too much. If your interested please post or PM me.

1) Kaplan Review book 14th edition: (usually you can find this book on craiglist)

2) Saunders NCLEX review : http://www.amazon.com/Saunders-Comprehensive-NCLEX-RN®-Examination-Nclex-Rn/dp/1437708250/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1335389707&sr=8-8

3) The all nurses comprehensive study guide: https://allnurses.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8687&d=1310076980

4) ATI NCLEX app for the iPhone

5) Saunders NCLEX app for the iPhone

6) EXAM CRAM: http://www.amazon.com/NCLEX-RN-Exam-Cram-3rd-Edition/dp/0789744821/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335389765&sr=1-3

7) NCLEX 4000: http://www.amazon.com/NCLEX-Review-4000-Software-Individual/dp/0781777909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335389796&sr=8-1

8) Feuer NCLEX review Audio tapes(all 28 of them, listened to them almost twice, you can find a leak somewhere online): http://www.amazon.com/NCLEX-Feuer-Nursing-Review-Study/dp/B004GY0920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335389837&sr=8-1

I lagged. Ended up taking the test in 4 months time. I would study material for about 4 - 5 hours per day, then finished up between 100 - 265 questions while reading the rationale for each question.

As the exam grew closer, I started increasing the amount of questions on NCLEX 4000 until I reached 265(simulating the NCLEX).

The day before the nclex I did very few questions, most of the time I just played xbox 360 lol. The key is not studying too hard the day before(you already know the material by now, do not doubt yourself).

The day of the exam relax, I was cool and calm.

During the exam I changed nothing to my pattern and I answered the questions exactly how I did at home. Do EXACTLY the same thing. This is very critical. If you change up how you answer your questions during the NCLEX you WILL panic.

I finished in an hour, felt pretty great, got the good pop up, saw my license 2 days later.

Good luck guys.

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.....and thanks for sharing your tips with us.

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gratzzzzz

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I tried to PM you but wasn't allowed. I had a question...when you get to a question and you have no idea what they are talking about (some medical condition or drug I haven't heard of)...what do I do? I am aware of Kaplan's decision tree. I took the NCLEX in February and didn't pass and take it again next week. Any other tips?

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Thank you for sharing!!!!!

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Congrats! Did those apps really help? Is it worth purchasing?

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I tried to PM you but wasn't allowed. I had a question...when you get to a question and you have no idea what they are talking about (some medical condition or drug I haven't heard of)...what do I do? I am aware of Kaplan's decision tree. I took the NCLEX in February and didn't pass and take it again next week. Any other tips?

Then go back to the question, read 2xs and try to rephrase the question in terms of what they are asking or trying to find out.

Then go back and look at all of the answers- see if anything jobs your mind-

Try to eliminate the obvious incorrect answers. Even if you don't know what they are asking if the you recognize the answers as for something else, then eliminate

If you can get it down to 2, go back to the stem, try to look at key words, prefixes or suffixes in meds or use med terminology skills to try to get you close or at least in the ballpark et mylogram- you know mylo has something to do with muscles or Metopropol you know that antihypertensives have a category of meds that have suffixes of -lol and they are betablockers etc

all this if Kaplan decision tree doesn't work. If all else fails, use process of elimation and if you are left with 2 and can't realisticly pick the correct answer, just guess, you at least have a 50% chance of getting it right rather than 25%

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:yeah:congrats!

"when there's something that requires intervention that's out of your hands, always call up the doc. you cannot get abgs, draw blood etc., if you don't have a doctor's order"

this is wer i get confuse i am not sure maybe im just not reading or understanding the questions because i notice in kaplan calling the doctor is "passing the buck" you have to assume that you have a doctors order already?? compare to saunders and nclex4000 you have to obtain doctor's order..hmmmm:cry: confuse.

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congratsss:hrnsmlys:

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When reading a question. Ask yourself, can you obtain an ABG? No, a doctor would, but you have to call the doctor to ask him for one. Reading those kind of questions, close your eyes and actually imagine the situation. What would you do based on what you've learned. (ADPIE, ABCs)

You know you have to intervene within your scope as much as possible until you've exhausted all your interventions. Only then would you call the doctor.

"Passing the buck" would be you're already calling the doctor in a patient with SOB when you having even raised the HOB.

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More people ask for tips so here you go:

My mentality prior to taking the test is that the NCLEX is written at a basic ENTRY nursing level. Meaning it's testing your ability to perform the first day on the job without harming a patient. You do not need to read every detail. Look at the bigger picture. Use acronyms(LAT = latent, active, transition. SRA - serosa rubra alba.)

Do not dwell on an answer for too long. And always go with your first instinct, try not to read into the question too much. If you stare at it too long, the other answers may start sounding right. lol.

People who are stressing regarding pharmacology - I studied very little pharm. When I mean little i mean, i just learned what meds are associated with what diagnosis.

Lidocaine - VTACH

rifampin, ethambutol, etc - TB

compazine - schizophrenia.

allpurinol - purine

MAO - no tyramine, may cause HTN

That's as basic as I had it. Associating meds with their diagnosis really help trust me.

Know your basic nutrition -

gluten, PKU, purine, diabetes, celiac disease, chrohns disease

Know what EKGs look like. And the EKGs on the NCLEX are extremely basic. You should not memorize numbers. (V-tach appeared extremely easy to spot.)

Know you're order of procedures. Like what order do you inset a foley, how to sterile suction, how to open a sterile package. Close your eyes and visualize yourself doing the procedure, the EXACT steps. Is it gown gloves mask? or mask gown gloves? Go with what you know.

Earlier I stated i always had ABCs in mind when taking the test. A lot of my questions on the NCLEX were like this:

67. The nurse is caring for the client following a laryngectomy when sudden-ly the client becomes nonresponsive and pale, with a BP of 90/40. Theinitial nurse’s action should be to:

  • ❍ A. place client in tendelenburg
  • ❍ B. increase infusion of NS
  • ❍ C. administer atropine IV
  • ❍ D. move the emergency cart to the bedside




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Is it A.place client in Tedelenburg?

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