hey everyone *warning, long post ahead if you do not want to read, scroll all the way to the bottom, because i have some questions in need of answering in red. anyhoo, i just wanted to share with you all my nclex journey.
i graduated from nursing (pn) school in july of 2006. nursing school was pretty easy for me considering that the school i attended provided so much leway- taking tests straight from saunders, letting us retake tests up to 5x over, clinical instructors who took us on "field trips" to museums and/or only made us stay at clinicals for an hour out of a 12 hour shift, etc. it seemed fun back then, but come time to graduate & move on to the real world, i knew the fun wouldn't continue. i thought the nclex would be just as easy & in combination with my poor work ethic continuing from school, i procrastinated my way into taking the nclex. i ended up not taking the test until december of that year, only to fail.
i do not take failure well. considering that i did so well in school & breezed on by, i did not take this test outcome lightly. i went to a deep depression mode, even started lying to others & saying i did pass by test because my ego was more important. again, i started to procrastinate because all i can feel was failure. before you knew it, it was july of 2007 & my world fell apart when my dad suddenly died of a heart attack. my priorities changed & i then had to help take charge of things in my family. i began working even more at my job (i manage a nurse registry, lol) and the nclex just did not become a #1 priority anymore.
time flew by once again, and it was december 2007. i had been studying here & there but nothing serious. i just decided, screw it, let me take the test & see where i am at. and once again, i failed.
which brings me to the present day. it is march 2008. my studying has picked up, but as my life has been calming a bit, i have suddenly getting motivated to study once again.
and this is where you all come in. i did have a couple questions.:
-how do you all stay motivated?
-are there any refresher classes in southern california or through the web that have been proving helpful for students who have either failed or have been out of school for 2 years?
any & all comments/feedback are appreciated and to all of you, a very big thanks from the bottom of my :redbeathe for checking out my thread!
i have taken my nclex twice. sometimes i dont know what to study or where to begin. it is depressing. but my future depends on this test, so i have a couple of nclex books and some people that use allnurses website recommended hurstreview.com, which i am considering as well. what i can say to you as i say to myself, dont give up your dreams because you didnt pass when you wanted to pass, when you do pass it will be worth it and you advanced your time while in school to get your degree, do the same for your license.
I graduated in 2007 and sat for the nclex in October and failed my first time. I was working under my IPN and just did not commit to studying. Thought I was done with that (LOL).
I found allnurses.com website and found out about Suzanne's Plan
Wrote to her and was added to her list. I studied for 3 months (after leaving the hospital as my IPN expired). I would study for 4-8 hrs, studying 6 days a week. I did tons of questions as suggested by everyone. I reviewed the rationales on the practice questions I took, taking notes why I got them right or wrong (sometimes it was because I did not know the content too well, or read the question wrong, etc.) I wrote out flashcards and took them everywhere I went to study them.
I also went on the ncsbn website and practiced the questions on that website (cost me $50 for 3 wks).
I then retested on April 19, 2008 and passed with 75 questions. Just recently got rehired at the hospital I worked at under my IPN and am excited to start my nursing career.
Good luck with your journey. Don't give up hope, be positive knowing you will be passing the NCLEX soon.
This posting really motivated me! My brother passed away on October 30, 2006. For some reason I took the boards 2 months after that and failed. So now I'm not depressed and I can focus on studying. My Motivation is my God, My Daughter and My Brother. I'm working all these crazy hours and I really need a stable nursing job so that I can have more time my child and myself.
Good Luck to everyone and I will be praying for you all!!!!!!!!:redbeathe
I really appreciate finding this thread. I am Canadian and have been dating an American citizen for 2 years, racking up a ton of frequent flier miles! But would like to relocate to NC. I have Saunders and the ATI books and was approved to have a 3 month leave of absence from my job. Here's the tough part - I've been working as an RN/RPN (psych) since 1983, I look at these books and feel like I don't know where to start. I was a little too eager and got my ATT too soon, didn't realize there was only a 3 month validity, so will reapply and schedule the test for the end of Sept. Do you think that's enough time to study? I plan to do nothing else but study for 3 months. Is there hope for an old grad?? Best online reviews. I'd be grateful for any feedback. Thanks
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I really appreciate finding this thread. I am Canadian and have been dating an American citizen for 2 years, racking up a ton of frequent flier miles! But would like to relocate to NC. I have Saunders and the ATI books and was approved to have a 3 month leave of absence from my job. Here's the tough part - I've been working as an RN/RPN (psych) since 1983, I look at these books and feel like I don't know where to start. I was a little too eager and got my ATT too soon, didn't realize there was only a 3 month validity, so will reapply and schedule the test for the end of Sept. Do you think that's enough time to study? I plan to do nothing else but study for 3 months. Is there hope for an old grad?? Best online reviews. I'd be grateful for any feedback. Thanks
Welcome,
Yes there is hope and would suggest checking out Suzanne's plan which can be found as a sticky called 2008 version of Suzanne's plan. It is free and has a great sucess result with people passing
I can understand how you feel, i failed on my first atempt and i am already a RN in the United Kingdom before i moved here with 2 yrs nursing experience, i had to work as a nurse tech even though i have a BSN cos we needed the money and could not work as RN here, it was so degrading but i had to keep my head up and carry on.
After i failed the first time, i went through a spell of depression, where i did not really care what i looked like, stopped taking phone calls, thanks to my family for helping me pull through.
I woke up one morning and told myself God will make a way, when it seem there is no way, i got all my books out, checked on review classes, i did the kaplan online and classroom courses, studied pharmacology religiously, listened to the online contents always so it got stuck on my brain.
Took it on may 1, stopped at 75 questions, and i felt as if i was going through practise questions during the exam.
You and everyone out there preparing for the exam can do it, get up dry your eyes and know that you have a goal and u will reach it.
Just wanted to give a little of my advice, and let you know I know what your going through. I took the test 6 months after I graduated, failed and now I'm getting motivated and I'm back in the game of studying. To answer some of your questions, you can get motivated by reading alot of the positive stories on this bulletin about people who took it once, twice, three times, and I how they perservered and passed. You should also write some inspirations, stick it up on your wall, like you need to tell yourself you are smart, brillant, and you know with Gods help you will pass this test, and dont doubt yourself, visualize yourself passing even when your studying. Also, read inspirations from the bible, Psalms is really good, there are alot of scriptures in that book about God being your light and strength. Also one of my favorite scriptures is, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me". Quote it everyday!
Ok, to your next question, I really dont know about any refresher courses in CALI, but I do know you need a book thats going to help you with a review of material, a indepth review, I recommend Saunders Comprehensive review for the NCLEX, which leds me to tell you about a great program that is free and highly recommended on this site. The program is called Suzannes plan, alot of people pass using her plan, but you must follow it down to a T, and she uses the Saunders review book. You can find all her info about the program in the sticky note positng on the top of the nclex forum, and if you like, do some researching on the nclex forum of people who passed the nclex, and you will read alot of people thanking susanne for passing using her program. So anyway I hoped this helped, sorry so long, will be praying for you!:wink2:
but nurse to be of course
whoknows?
6 Posts
i have taken my nclex twice. sometimes i dont know what to study or where to begin. it is depressing. but my future depends on this test, so i have a couple of nclex books and some people that use allnurses website recommended hurstreview.com, which i am considering as well. what i can say to you as i say to myself, dont give up your dreams because you didnt pass when you wanted to pass, when you do pass it will be worth it and you advanced your time while in school to get your degree, do the same for your license.