My NCLEX Experience: Preparations, Study Tips, and Acing the Exam
The story of how I passed the exam confidently with a goal. The preparations just to take and pass the exam was really challenging. With determination and hardwork, there is no way for you not to pass the NCLEX with flying colors.
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:
La Charity & et al. Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment
Saunders' NCLEX RN Book (Esp. the Safety chapter)
Kaplan Online (very difficult questions but a good endurance test)
Hogan's NCLEX exam (software, this is my main Q&A practice tool)
Audio Tutorials
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!
11/16/17, 12:30pm EST. I also took the NCLEX PN, got a bunch of SATA, no math, and it shut off at 90. Waiting for my results too. No kidding!
The good news (hopefully) is that the SATA questions are a lot more difficult to answer correctly. The odds of getting the correct combination of answers are so much lower than with the regular multiple choice questions, where you at least have a 25% chance of answering correctly. (I might have to google to find the odds of getting the correct answers on a random SATA.)
I'm hoping that maybe the NCLEX shuts down once you start getting 50% of the SATAs correct. If you are missing a lot more than 50% of the hard questions, you should be getting more of the easy questions, which would drag out the exam.
I wasn't sure what to think when I left the testing center, but after researching how CAT testing works, I don't feel so bad. I felt like I was guessing a lot with all of the back-to-back SATAs. If you are "missing" every other question it can feel like you might be failing. (During a normal classroom exam, you most likely WOULD be failing if you started missing 50% of your questions, right?)
I was wondering why it stopped at 90 questions instead of 85. (Maybe we just needed a couple of extra SATA questions to get 50% of them correct?)
In any case, this is the last time I schedule an NCLEX exam to be taken on a Thursday. Waiting "48 business hours" for quick results doesn't add up when you have a whole weekend in the middle of it.
In any case, this is the last time I schedule an NCLEX exam to be taken on a Thursday. Waiting "48 business hours" for quick results doesn't add up when you have a whole weekend in the middle of it.
My fingers are crossed for us both. Good luck!
Quick Results were actually available Sunday night...Passed...(yay!)
Thinking maybe I should change my user name. Perhaps UnofficialLPN54
There are only two outcomes with the NCLEX: Pass or Fail. There also is only 1 thing you can deduce from having your exam stop at 90 questions, that your results were close enough to the pass/fail line that it took 90 questions to determine whether you passed or failed. Once you have reached the minimum number of questions, if your answers are all well above or well below the pass/fail line, the system shuts off and your session is over. As soon as you go even 1 question above minimum, that means your responses are/were close to pass/fail and the system needed to ask more questions to determine whether or not you passed or failed. Remember that the NCLEX evaluation method is different than most, and probably different from every testing/evaluation method you're used to. Being close to the pass/fail line doesn't mean you're not a knowledgeable candidate. Some of the most knowledgeable classmates of mine (and darned good nurses too!) went to nearly the full run of questions before the system shut off. Yes, they're all licensed, working nurses.
While I passed with 75 questions, all that means is that I managed to pass (could be by a little, or a lot, I don't know) at that number. I'm also an extremely good test-taker so that also plays a factor in passing at the minimum.
Oh, and just so you know, of all candidates, about 85% pass their first time and that's without regard to how many questions they had to answer. Hopefully you're in the majority!
Hi Rachel. I was wondering if you found a review class in Ft.Lauderdale. I'm about to jump in full force and wanted to stare ASAP. Can you Please let me know so I can get started. Really appreciate it. Thank you
Hi all. Merry Christmas a d all the best for the New Year. I'm still hoping to find a review class in Ft. Lauderdale area. About to pit my all into studying to take my RN nclex very soon. Thanks for you help. God bless
I usually never take my time to post anything but I promised that if I passed my nclex lvn/pn I would post. I started studying for nclex 3 months before my test after being out of school for over 3 years. This was my first attempt at nclex and I PASSED January 2018!! all I studied was uworld, YouTube summit college comprehensive reviews, and occasionally I would google. I prayed every day to st. Joseph of Cupertino
"o great st Joseph of Cupertino who while on earth obtained the grace from God to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew, obtain for me a like favor for the examination which I am now preparing. In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked through Christ our lord st. Joseph of Cupertino pray for us. O' st Joseph of Cupertino pray for me, o holy ghost enlighten me, our lady of good studies pray for me, o sacred heart of Jesus seat of divine wisdom enlighten me".
I had all 205 questions and finished in 4 hours. About half of my questions were sata, only 2 calculation.... on all of my nclex I was reading and eliminating to choose the correct answer I wasn't 100% sure on any that I was choosing the correct answer, after my test I was hoping I passed but I was preparing to see fail, it's a hard test I did all of uworld qbank I started with 40 questions a day and reviewed all rationales, I would write all rationals down at first but a little before halfway through qbank I figured that it is taking too long so I just focused on reading and trying to fully understand rationals. started at 40% with adult Heath which is the hardest in my opinion when I ended the qbank I was at 51% overall and 70th percentile in passing. I reviewed flash cards the day before the test, had a good sleep and I found out I passed first through Pearsonvue trick right after my test while in my car in the parking lot and then 2 days after though quick results thank God I'm finally a nurse and thank st Joseph of Cupertino who praying to him would help me calm down my anxieties and help me believe that God would make everything fine for me as long as I have faith and give studying my all.
LunarpaddlerBS
17 Posts
11/16/17, 12:30pm EST. I also took the NCLEX PN, got a bunch of SATA, no math, and it shut off at 90. Waiting for my results too. No kidding!
The good news (hopefully) is that the SATA questions are a lot more difficult to answer correctly. The odds of getting the correct combination of answers are so much lower than with the regular multiple choice questions, where you at least have a 25% chance of answering correctly. (I might have to google to find the odds of getting the correct answers on a random SATA.)
I'm hoping that maybe the NCLEX shuts down once you start getting 50% of the SATAs correct. If you are missing a lot more than 50% of the hard questions, you should be getting more of the easy questions, which would drag out the exam.
I wasn't sure what to think when I left the testing center, but after researching how CAT testing works, I don't feel so bad. I felt like I was guessing a lot with all of the back-to-back SATAs. If you are "missing" every other question it can feel like you might be failing. (During a normal classroom exam, you most likely WOULD be failing if you started missing 50% of your questions, right?)
I was wondering why it stopped at 90 questions instead of 85. (Maybe we just needed a couple of extra SATA questions to get 50% of them correct?)
In any case, this is the last time I schedule an NCLEX exam to be taken on a Thursday. Waiting "48 business hours" for quick results doesn't add up when you have a whole weekend in the middle of it.
My fingers are crossed for us both. Good luck!