Hi everyone! I took the NCLEX for the first time in HK last July 30 and passed after 75 questions. My results arrived August 21.
1. When practicing NCLEX type test questions, make sure you target seven clusters of four consecutive correct answers (minimum) per 75 questions. It is not enough to get correct answers at random, consistency counts.
2. Go to the basics of nursing practice. And don't forget them.
3. Give yourself at least three months of intensive review. Schedule your days and divide your time.
4. When determining the correct answers, do not look for THE CORRECT ANSWER. Eliminate what is wrong until you are left with one option.
5. As in all exams, understand what is being asked, not what you think is the answer.
6. This is just an opinion, I think the speed at which you answer difficult questions somehow matters. If you answer a difficult question faster than most nurses who also got it right, then you have something good going for you.
7. Remember that if you end after 75 questions, only 60 of them will determine whether you pass or fail. In like manner, if you complete the maximum 265 only the last 60 will be counted. Point is: make every answer count. NCLEX gives 15 non-credit questions as a way of testing content validity of potential NCLEX question to be pooled in future exams.
8. Think outside of the box.
Good luck. Especially to my fellow kababayans! NURSES RULE!
thanks lorodz! you don't have to worry about the number of items you answer on the nclex. you don't really pass because you answered only 75 questions. if you do end up at 75, it can only mean two things: YOU REALLY PASSED (your answers were consistently above the passing mean) or YOU REALLY FAILED (your answers were consistently below the passing mean).
just tuesday september 11, i took my nclex!!! i was scared out of my mind...but when i checked my result yesterday...i passed..with only 75questions!! just to let everyone know, there is never enough preparation for this exam..i studied so hard, i bought every single book, enrolled in many preparatory classes but none of the questions that i ever practiced with came out...i actually started to cry during the exam because i felt as if i had failed but to god be the glory, i passed!!
my little advise for the future test takers is, you should just try and practice how to answer the questions, whether you know the disease/medication or not!! this is my little pointer for you: before you click next on your computer, ask yourself this little questions, "can i do this and go home and be certain that my patient will still be there when i return?" this question helped me to answer my questions on the nclex.
secondly, i will love to advise future nclex takers to try and enroll in the "national council state board of nursing review ((ncsbn))" i enrolled for a 3wks session, which only cost me $49 and believe me, it was worth it. as you study, they continue to give you a little pointers to help you answer the questions! remeber ncsbn make rules for nursing practice; therefore, you can not go wrong with them.
after i was done with kaplan long and confusing question, i switched to ncsbn and believe me the difference is clear. if i ever have to do this again, i will only go through them!
sinagbayan and above: thank you so much for the valuable tips! i will be taking my nclex rn in october. how did you come up with this minimum of 7 clusters of 4? it does seem to make sense. i noticed this type of pattern when checking my Qbank reviews.
eshadare: i've been wavering on whether to buy in to ncsbn and think i'll go for it---esp. after reading that it helped you. kaplan's great but i too have the feeling i need more...
Clustering your practice tests is reflective of the style of NCLEX. Remember that when we answer an easy question correctly, the next question that will be given is moderately difficult. In the same way, if we answer the moderately difficult question the next question that will be given is difficult. As we answer questions higher on the difficulty level, we rise above the passing standard (which essentially we must be above if we are to pass NCLEX). Hence, by achieving successive correct answers, we ensure that we are reasonably always above the passing standard. This essentially ensures a better outcome for our NCLEX result.
sinagbayan
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thanks lorodz! you don't have to worry about the number of items you answer on the nclex. you don't really pass because you answered only 75 questions. if you do end up at 75, it can only mean two things: YOU REALLY PASSED (your answers were consistently above the passing mean) or YOU REALLY FAILED (your answers were consistently below the passing mean).
goodluck on the nclex!