My journey

[linemans wife]

I promised myself that once I finally passed that dreaded test, I would post a thread about it. I graduated from school in May of 2010. I took a review course, and studied my doing a little reading and a couple thousand questions from Kaplan, Drexel and Saunders. I took my test the first time in July of 2010 on a Friday, all 265 questions and 4 1/2 hours later I was done. It was awful, I felt torn apart and exhausted when I left. I heard of this Pearson vue trick and so I tried it, it let me go all the way to the credit card page, since it was the weekend, I had to wait 48 hours for the official fail notice. It came and I was devasted. Getting that bog white packet in the mail is no fun.

So, I waited a few weeks, paid my fee's again. Due to life, I had to reschedule my test a few times, but finally had a date of October 25th, and I was not changing it this time. My mother being the wonderful person that she is bought me a review course from http://icanpublishing.com/, about 3 weeks before my scheduled test date I started to study my butt off. Here are few tips that I learned, GET OUT OF THE HOUSE (this is probably the biggest mistake I made the first time) getting out of the house created a much better learning environment. Barnes and Noble and their Holiday Tea became my friend every night from 7pm - 10pm and Monday's and Friday's for 6 hours a day for 3 weeks. My husband was a great support, and just kept hoping this time it would pay off for me. This time around I did the review from I Can, and their Pharm review. They were both great, I only did a few hundred questions. I also got a book called http://www.amazon.com/Prioritization-Delegation-Assignment-Exercises-Medical-Surgical/dp/0323044077. This book was helpful.

So, after 3 weeks of studying, sleep deprivation, no sleep the night before because of nerves, I walked in sat down in that uncomfortable care and started answering questions. I did not analyze the questions as much this time, I read the questions picked my answer and moved on. I kept hoping it would shut off at 75, it didn't, it kept going, so I remebered what Loretta Manning said in the review course, if it goes past 75 you are still in the game. I kept going, I felt like I knew none of the next 25 questions, and then 100 questions hit, and the computer asked if I wanted a break, I said no, kepy going and about 6 questions later, I am not 100% sure where the computer shut off, but it did. I sat there for a minute not knowing what to think. Is this, is this bad. Oh, crap it is OVER! Now what?? I raised my hand, the nice lady escorted me out. I had the day off of work, so I went home and played with my puppy until my husband got there. He took me out of the house to distract me. I told him I did not want to do the Pearson Vue Trick this time. But at about 8pm, I caved. My husband logged into Pearson Vue and I GOT THE POP UP that everyone talked about. Not sure if it was good or bad, but this morning at about 7:45 am the state board of nursing updated their website and all that I could do was let the tears roll down my face. There was an RN number next to my name!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you that have to take the test more than once, do not be discouraged, do not give up, it will happen. Just take your time, take a deep breath and tell yourself I got this!!!!!

[moonisbright]

I was in the same exact position as you...I took it in july and failed with 265! but then studied my brains out and re-took it on Oct 15th and passed!

It was a real relief, and I think you probably felt it too! :)

[crystelle]

Congrats!!

It's funny that what really helped me study my butt off was also TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE and off to Barnes and Nobles. I noticed that even with the noises around the book store or at my spot at the cafe did not really bother me at all; if not made me even concentrate more.

Good job to you!

[caliotter3]

:ancong!:

[PinayLaLa21]

yay!!! Congratulations!!

[linemans wife]

Sorry for all the typos!!!

[NurseLil-lea]

:ancong!: