Mature, C-B student with low U-World scores passes NCLEX with 75 questions!

Published Aug 2, 2018

31 Posts

Hello all, I just wanted to share my story with those that are in the same boat as I was. Hopefully this will encourage you all to not give up and realize that YOU can make anything happen.

My story begins in 2013, where my son was hospitalized for a abscess on his liver ( I was blessed with unplanned twins at age 40). An idiopathic occurrence that eventually resolved however while I was there at the hospital I realized that I wanted to get back into the medical field and become a nurse.

I was a nursing assistant sometime ago in the 1980's to early 90's at a hospital on a orthopedic/surgical floor and also was a accomplished phlebotomist. I was now 52. I started the ball rolling immediately enrolling in the local community college.

For the first 2 years I proceeded to knock out all of my pre req's and obtained my certification as a CNA (worked full time as a CNA)and completed every course except for my nursing classes and finally was able to apply to the nursing program.

Although, I was an A-B student prior once i was a nursing student the first 2 semesters I barely made it through. By the end of the second semester onward I had changed my study habits and was getting by with a high B in some classes but, it was still tough. Also the very 1st semester my husband was diagnosed with liver cancer and we were told that he would need a transplant(which he graciously received 5/17).

During nursing school I studied many, many hours and still never feeling like I had studied enough or knew the material. I would memorize the content prior to the exam and then do a "brain dump" afterwards. I never had study buddies, my social life was"0". Shed many many tears wondering why I put myself through this agony and why was this so hard for me? Feeling like my family was counting on me to get through this so we would be better off financially. I was so over all the stress of clinical, papers,labs,lectures,READING, exams,and practice questions. And then I graduated from a ADN program May 2018.

I took one week off and started to study for the NCLEX, I had set my test date for 7/11. I did the live Hurst review and then received the 14 day period of lecture review and the 3 simulated exams. My highest score was a 67%.

I obtained U world and did 75 questions daily,6 days a week. Read all the rationales with my scores ranging from a miserable 40% to 68%.

I also reviewed Saunders and between Saunders and Hurst did 50 -75 questions daily also. With Saunders I used tutor mode with U world I always used test mode.

I had an anxiety attack 2 weeks before the test. My scores were so poor how on earth was I ever going to pass? I was so sick of studying I just didn't want to do this any more. i went to the internet in search of ways to pass the NCLEX and came across this postBy nwatson83 In The SECRET to passing the NCLEX . This post literally gave me the secret of passing the test. I erased the doubt from my mind, I wrote down my name with licensed registered nurse on post it notes and placed them throughout my home. On my daily walks I would say my name out loud with licensed registered nurse with the date and time of my exam included. When I passed a mirror I would say "Hello, licensed registered nurse!" I lived and breathed positive thoughts regarding the NCLEX exam.

The night before I was to test I had a dream that I was looking at a computer screen and the results said passed. I went to the exam at 8am . During my exam I remembering not feeling 100% sure of any of the questions, I felt like all the questions were very hard. I received my 1st break, went to the ladies room, and tried to regain my composure. I returned to my exam and my computer shut off at 75 questions! I was in a panic! Surely I failed! I was prepared for the computer to give me between 140 to the 265 questions, not shut off at 75 questions! I cried all the way home.

Once I was home, I called my mom, another wise positive thinker and after talking with her I felt much better. I decided to not even think about it all for a week before looking at the status of my exam. Seven days later, I did rapid results and I had passed! I cried and laughed, thanked everyone and everything for giving me the opportunity and the situation and the smarts to pass this exam.

Believe in yourself, you are a good smart deserving person and you will be a LICENSED REGISTERED NURSE!