Just passed NCLEX-RN 1st time...my experience

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Took boards yesterday on March 6, 2013, and PASSED on the first try!! Graduated in December with a BSN, and have a job that starts this Monday!!

My test was at 2pm..I got to the test center at 130, and had my picture taken along with my palmprint, finger scan, and signature. I was then led into the computer room and the test began. There was a short tutorial on what alternative form questions would be like..took about 5 minutes. The computer then asks if you want to repeat the tutorial or if you want to begin the test...I began NCLEX-RN. My test had 4 EKGs, 5 exhibits, 5 drag and drops, 1 calculation, several SATA and the rest were multiple choice...no hot spots or audio questions. Tons of priority, no delegation or assignment, 5 infection control questions, lots of OB and Peds, no psych drugs, no fluid/electrolytes, no lab values, no insulin, some questions about diet/food choices, and all but 1 of my pharm questions were on drugs I had never heard of before.

I had the good popup for the PVT, and this morning my license number was on the state BON website and I had an email where I could print out my license.

I studied a ton for over two months and I'm going to tell you the truth...it didn't help. I've asked all my friends from nursing school about it and they all agreed. ATI...nice review, but didn't help..this includes the live review, the video version of the live review, and all of their practice questions. NCSBN review...nah. I did every single question they had to offer, and read every single module...the questions sort of looked like the ones on NCLEX in terms of wording, but none of the content or rationales from this program did I see. PDA by LaCharity...again, nah...the priority questions on NCLEX are so vague that no strategy from that book helped, and I didn't have any delegation or assignment questions.

The questions on NCLEX are so random and vague that, for me, I feel like I would have performed the same doing it straight after school without much review...all my friends said the same, as well. I think an excellent content base learned from school will be your best bet to pass. I felt that I guessed on the majority of my questions, and like everyone says...I did feel like I totally failed it when it was done. The questions on NCLEX are not like any you see from any study material. Don't kill yourself studying...several of the questions will leave you speechless no matter how much you studied. Do your best in school, be positive, take each question at a time, rationalize it the best you can, pray, and be confident! I was not stressed at all during my test and was very focused...this helped. Good luck to you all and believe that you WILL pass this test. If you have any more questions, let me know.

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Took boards yesterday on March 6, 2013, and PASSED on the first try!! Graduated in December with a BSN, and have a job that starts this Monday!!

My test was at 2pm..I got to the test center at 130, and had my picture taken along with my palmprint, finger scan, and signature. I was then led into the computer room and the test began. There was a short tutorial on what alternative form questions would be like..took about 5 minutes. The computer then asks if you want to repeat the tutorial or if you want to begin the test...I began NCLEX-RN. My test had 4 EKGs, 5 exhibits, 5 drag and drops, 1 calculation, several SATA and the rest were multiple choice...no hot spots or audio questions. Tons of priority, no delegation or assignment, 5 infection control questions, lots of OB and Peds, no psych drugs, no fluid/electrolytes, no lab values, no insulin, some questions about diet/food choices, and all but 1 of my pharm questions were on drugs I had never heard of before.

I had the good popup for the PVT, and this morning my license number was on the state BON website and I had an email where I could print out my license.

I studied a ton for over two months and I'm going to tell you the truth...it didn't help. I've asked all my friends from nursing school about it and they all agreed. ATI...nice review, but didn't help..this includes the live review, the video version of the live review, and all of their practice questions. NCSBN review...nah. I did every single question they had to offer, and read every single module...the questions sort of looked like the ones on NCLEX in terms of wording, but none of the content or rationales from this program did I see. PDA by LaCharity...again, nah...the priority questions on NCLEX are so vague that no strategy from that book helped, and I didn't have any delegation or assignment questions.

The questions on NCLEX are so random and vague that, for me, I feel like I would have performed the same doing it straight after school without much review...all my friends said the same, as well. I think an excellent content base learned from school will be your best bet to pass. I felt that I guessed on the majority of my questions, and like everyone says...I did feel like I totally failed it when it was done. The questions on NCLEX are not like any you see from any study material. Don't kill yourself studying...several of the questions will leave you speechless no matter how much you studied. Do your best in school, be positive, take each question at a time, rationalize it the best you can, pray, and be confident! I was not stressed at all during my test and was very focused...this helped. Good luck to you all and believe that you WILL pass this test. If you have any more questions, let me know.

I am so happy for you!!! You deserve it with all that you have put forth! Go celebrate and have a drink! Man, I can't wait to have that same feeling. Post like this keeps me positive because I suck at test taking lol

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Great!!! Congrats Nurse. Im taking mine Tuesday and I feel really nervous ?

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Specializes in MICU/Postpartum.

Congrats, welcome to RN-dom! Medman the name sounds so familiar...gsu grad?

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Everyone's NCLEX experience and exam is different.

Although you state that the resources you used didn't help you, they have helped other people. I do agree that the NCLEX is random, but it's not just "guessing" the right answer. If you know your content, you're much likely to do better. And practice questions can be very helpful. I found PDA by LaCharity to be helpful... you didn't get any delegation questions, but many other people do get them.

Oh and congratulations. Did your state's BON post your license the next day?!

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Good luck to you! - I'm sure you'll do great.

Stay positive and slay that beast once and for all!

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Thanks! Everyone's post about NCLEX is going to be their opinion based on their individual exam, which is why I said an excellent content base is the best bet to pass, and pointed out what my personal exam was like along with my opinion that studying didn't immensely help me personally.

I still don't necessarily regret studying because I got the end result I wanted :) - congrats to all who have passed so far, and best wishes to all us future nurses!!

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Took boards yesterday on March 6, 2013, and PASSED on the first try!! Graduated in December with a BSN, and have a job that starts this Monday!!

My test was at 2pm..I got to the test center at 130, and had my picture taken along with my palmprint, finger scan, and signature. I was then led into the computer room and the test began. There was a short tutorial on what alternative form questions would be like..took about 5 minutes. The computer then asks if you want to repeat the tutorial or if you want to begin the test...I began NCLEX-RN. My test had 4 EKGs, 5 exhibits, 5 drag and drops, 1 calculation, several SATA and the rest were multiple choice...no hot spots or audio questions. Tons of priority, no delegation or assignment, 5 infection control questions, lots of OB and Peds, no psych drugs, no fluid/electrolytes, no lab values, no insulin, some questions about diet/food choices, and all but 1 of my pharm questions were on drugs I had never heard of before.

I had the good popup for the PVT, and this morning my license number was on the state BON website and I had an email where I could print out my license.

I studied a ton for over two months and I'm going to tell you the truth...it didn't help. I've asked all my friends from nursing school about it and they all agreed. ATI...nice review, but didn't help..this includes the live review, the video version of the live review, and all of their practice questions. NCSBN review...nah. I did every single question they had to offer, and read every single module...the questions sort of looked like the ones on NCLEX in terms of wording, but none of the content or rationales from this program did I see. PDA by LaCharity...again, nah...the priority questions on NCLEX are so vague that no strategy from that book helped, and I didn't have any delegation or assignment questions.

The questions on NCLEX are so random and vague that, for me, I feel like I would have performed the same doing it straight after school without much review...all my friends said the same, as well. I think an excellent content base learned from school will be your best bet to pass. I felt that I guessed on the majority of my questions, and like everyone says...I did feel like I totally failed it when it was done. The questions on NCLEX are not like any you see from any study material. Don't kill yourself studying...several of the questions will leave you speechless no matter how much you studied. Do your best in school, be positive, take each question at a time, rationalize it the best you can, pray, and be confident! I was not stressed at all during my test and was very focused...this helped. Good luck to you all and believe that you WILL pass this test. If you have any more questions, let me know.

Hi medman, congratulations. So your telling me that all the study im doing wont help. I am taking nclex soon. I used PDA, saunders, nclex 3500, kaplan strategies, remar review, 35 page review from this site and exam cram. So all of these resources I took wont help.

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Specializes in SDU, Tele.

Congrats! I took my test today.i feel like I could have written this same post. Left the testing center feeling very confused. On one hand I felt like I had bombed it and yet I knew I passed. Indeed those questions were vague. Got questions on stuff I never studied. All over the place! But I think lacharity and ati questions were super similar.

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Congrats!!! :-)

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Congrats..

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

Guess ill find out how it's going to be in about 9 or 10 more weeks. Congrats! To you! I can't wait to be an RN!!!!

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