My NCLEX Experience: Preparations, Study Tips, and Acing the Exam

[lilmonsterkray]

I am a registered nurse from the Philippines and I started working on my application for New York State last year. It took me 6 months to process everything, from CGFNS to NYSEd. Received my ATT last July and took the exam last October 27. It was very challenging for me to study in less than 3 months since I am working in a hospital. Time management, hard work, and determination will push you to achieve your goals in earning a US-RN license.

STEP 1: TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Best books/materials/online resources to study:

1. La Charity & et al. Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment
2. Saunders' NCLEX RN Book (Esp. the Safety chapter)
3. Kaplan Online (very difficult questions but a good endurance test)
4. Hogan's NCLEX exam (software, this is my main Q&A practice tool)
5. Audio Tutorials
6. NursesLab.com (NCLEX q&a)

I answered 100-300 questions per day and after each test I would always review which areas I need to focus on based on the summary of the exam. Answering this much will help you in sharpening your knowledge, endurance and test-taking skills.

Studying with a buddy will also help, especially those who friends who have experienced taking the NCLEX. These people are the most reliable sources of information regarding the exam.

STEP 2: DAY BEFORE THE EXAM

✔️ DO NOT cram! Keep focused and relax. If you think you have prepared well, then you should not be very anxious with the exam.

✔️ Give yourself a treat. Learn to unwind, watch movies and listen to music. This is the best therapy you can give to your self to lessen anxiety while counting the remaining hours before the exam.

✔️ Visit your testing site if it's near you. Getting familiar with the place will also help.

STEP 3: ON THE DAY OF THE EXAM

I took the NCLEX last October 27, 2016 9:00 AM. Answered a number of SATAs, hotspots (drag and drop, etc), prioritization, delegations, ECG tracings, and the typical multiple choice questions. SATA questions were hard, you really have to choose the best answers. Never get tempted to check all the boxes. Take time to contemplate which items you will check.

You will know that you're doing well if your questions are getting along the way. For example when you correctly answered a simple multiple choice item the succeeding questions will be SATAs and hotspots like drag and drop.

Take note: the last item before your computer will shut down is not a determinant if you will pass or not. Others said that if the last question you answered is difficult, you will surely pass the exam. I beg to disagree. My last question was very easy (multiple choice).

Take your time in reading each question carefully and make sure to use theories when you are not sure. Other questions will really challenge your critical-thinking skills.

My computer shut off after answering 75 items. This is really my goal.

I finished the exam in just 1 hour and 30 minutes.

STEP 4: AFTER THE EXAM

Tried the PVT trick after 12 and 24 hours and the "GOOD POP-UP" displayed. I think the trick is still reliable as a screening tool if you pass, but still the Quick Results is still the confirmatory test (sounds like lab exam LOL). Paid for the Quick Results after 2 days and received the good news.

I passed! Officially an RN of New York State.

STEP 5: FINAL THOUGHTS

Pray hard. Study harder. Manage your time well in preparing for the exam. Never cram and always be confident.

Good luck to all aspiring nurses who will take the NCLEX!

[sunlight1]

Hi all! I was wondering the best ways to study for NCLEX. I purchased the Saunder's comprehensive book and my school has Kaplan integrated into our program. Any other resources I should look into? Also for those who did Kaplan, what should I be getting on my qbanks and do you think Kaplan helped?

[GynoT84]

Uworld is where it's at!

[dianalynm]

I second UWorld.

[Butterflyangel73]

Well I wanted to post because before I took my NCLEX the posts and comments on this site helped me, so I want to pay my experience and what I did to pass forward.

I graduated April 3rd, 2017. I took 3 weeks off no studying. I mailed my application to the BON on April 5th. On April 26th, I got my ATT letter that I could sit for my boards, that day without telling a soul I scheduled a test date for May 17th. On April 28th, I purchased UWorld App and started to study from the Uworld question bank. I did on average 75 -150 questions a day. I started to take notes but was taking to long and I suffer from an old finger injury so I stopped taking notes after day 2. I did my questions and read every single rationale, so I could understand why answers were right and wrong. I did this every day off and on each day. My plan was to do 100 questions a day, finish all of the approx 1138 questions and go back and redo all the questions I answered incorrectly, then take the 85 question test that would test my readiness. Well as we all know, nothing in life is perfect and nothing always goes as planned. On May 8th I found out that one of my classmates and the first to test in my graduating class passed the NCLEX/PN with 105 questions. He was always a good test taker in class and smart. So I wasn't surprised. But that day I was talking to my boyfriend and since I suffer from SEVERE test anxiety said to him I should try to reschedule my appt before May 17th. I figured maybe a couple of days before, well there was an opening the very next day, May 9th at 1:30, he convinced me to take the test the very next day instead of May 17th. He encouraged me to take it before I could give myself enough time to build anxiety, stress, lose sleep, stop eating, ect. and turn into an emotional train wreck. But now I got worried, I did not feel I had enough time to study, I only finished 922 questions on UWorld, only studied for 11 days (minus 1 day because I broke my toe and lost a day) so 10 days total and I would be taking my test in less than 24 hours. I started to panic as at this point I couldn't change my appt. So I decided that evening to take my UWorld predictor assessment test I scored 52% and indicated I had a High chance of passing the NCLEX so this gave me a little hope and confidence. In case your wondering, my qbank scores for the 922 questions I answered was a 46% and in the 29th Percentile doesn't sound good, I know. That evening I didn't study anymore just did the assessment, watched a movie, went to bed. Test day: I arrived 1 hour before, checked in ect. And started my test @12:40. Two-hours into my exam I was on question 79 when the screen shut off, to ask me if I wanted a break, I declined due to the length of time it would waste with a newly broken toe to walk to the restroom and back because it wasn't close...lol...but my goal was to get past 85 questions because then in my mind I knew I was still hanging in there, (in my mind, I was thinking if my smarter, faster, better testing classmate did it to 105 questions, then I would be past that # of test questions).

I got to my 85th question, clicked next and it shut off..... I was like Nooooooooooo! I failed. No way in hell, I passed with the minimum amount of 85 questions. I finished @ 2:50 p.m. I got in my car and started to cry. I tried the PearsonVue Trick right away on my phone in the parking lot and I got a message that said "The candidate currently has an open registration....." The test was harder to me than my UWorld questions. So I knew I failed. I felt like I guessed many questions, but always got it down to two. When I got home at 4 pm, I tried the PV trick, over and over, every 30 min and nothing. I was scared and a mess. At 8 p.m. I got an email from Pearson that said congrats on completing your exam, we are sure you have questions, please visit our website for frequently asked questions, so I decided to try the PV trick again, yes, I entered my c.c info each time. But now I got a different pop up "Our records indicate that you have recently scheduled this exam" and this was the "good pop up" that everyone says means you passed. However, there are many mixed reviews on that and I really didn't go with that. Still a mess I went to bed, got up at 3 a.m. I tried the PV trick again; same pop up still, and I went on the FL BON website and it still said results pending. At 6 a.m. nothing new on PV site or BON site, tried again at 8:05 a.m. and on the BON website, beside my name said PASSED!!! I am officially an LPN, I was in shock!! Not only did I pass, I passed at 85 Questions!!!

I tried NCLEX Mastery app and UWorld and by far loved UWorld the best!! It looks just like the NCLEX, so it gets you familar with what the actual test will look like. It also had better rationales. It's pricer but so worth the money. My advice is do UWorld and read all the Rationales, even the ones you get correct. I will only do UWorld when I have to study for RN next year.

Good Luck and Best Wishes to all of you, I hope my experience helps you!

You will never ever feel ready 100% ready.

New LPN :)

[jasminecymonelee]

Graduated nursing school 6 months ago for LVN, took my NCLEX in January and failed. Been using uworld and NCLEX PN mastery currently to study right now but I feel it isn't helping very much. My school used ATI but my subscription expired. I am just so lost and don't even know where to start when it comes to studying. Any advice? Is kaplan worth it?

[CNAbutLPN2be2017]

You sound like me exactly! I too am in Florida and I too rescheduled my test to a sooner date( by 3 days) anyways I also got 85 questions and I first I freaked out because I went into the testing site expecting to get at least half of the 205. I went to my car did the trick, got the good pop up, and was a nervous wreck for two days. I started to get nervous but I kept telling myself that there is no way i bombed this test because failing at 85 would pretty much mean I didn't know anything. Anyways, I passed, you passed, and we are now new nurses!!!!

[Krn2014]

Hello I'm planning to take my NCLEX this coming september I'm a little nervous. I'm only using Saunders comprehensive examination and UWORLD you think this would be enough for my study to help pass the exam. Thank you for your comments it's gonna help me

[Scottishtape]

You scheduled 4 months out? With that kind of study timeline, anything should be good.

I'm a big fan of Uworld and Saunders though.

Good luck.

[Krn2014]

Thank you it's help me built my confedence passing this test . Gods will

[RBFNurse2b]

Omg congrats!!! You guys are giving me so much hope...I'm currently in the same predicament. Scheduled my exam out on a whim, haven't told a single soul. Devised to do 100 Q a day from UWorld until my test date. I've been studying sporadically since I graduated late June, and my school offered a live review for 3 days mid July. Got my ATT a few days ago and scheduled the soonest (reasonably possible) test date. I've got exactly 2 weeks. Feeling like YOLOing it, it was either 2 weeks from now or Sept 30 (way too long in my opinion) please pray for me and wish me luck! Hope everything works out.

[DeeMcgraw88]

This gives me so much hope!! I have been so stressed out cause I didn't like my Saunders books or programs. My friend just told me about the Uworld so I just started that but I don't feel ready. My nerves are shot. But I'm hoping if I keep studying uworld I will feel better about it all. Please say a prayer everyone! Lol

[osis]

NCLEX mastery app was helpful for me too. I used that and saunders nclex-pn 6th edition book to study and eventually pass my nclex-pn on 1st try(Sep 2017) with 85 questions :)