I told myself that I would post my story up after I passed the nclex. I graduated from the Philippines last 2012. I chose to go to college there because of the expensive tuition fees here in the US and the unending loans I would've drowned myself in. Being an "American" raised girl in the Philippines was not easy. That's another story though. I'm not sure if any of you know this but California had passed a new law requiring foreign graduates to go back to school for medical-surgical and/or maternity nursing. I was included in that. I was devastated because I have already graduated from college and I thought I was already done with nursing school (though I understand that learning is a lifelong thing). But I kept going on. Searching for schools here in CA that would accept non degree students & finally I found a school here not too far from where I live. I started school again the summer of 2013 and finished 6 months later. To tell you the truth, I've learned waaaay here than in the Philippines (no offense). Anyways.....
Materials: Kaplan on demand review, Hurst live review, Saunders comprehensive review 5th edition (book & CD- mainly for SATA), PDA by La Charity & Lippincott's alternate type questions book.
Basically my study plan was this:
I started off reading Saunders comprehensive review 5th edition but it was just too much for my brain to handle so I stopped that and decided to purchase Kaplan on demand review. Their content videos were boring!!! But I stuck to it anyways. After, I did their q trainers and my scores were as followed:
dx- 59%
1- 53%
2- 51%
3- 48%
4- 53%
5- 53%
6- 65%
7- 60%
As you can see some of them were below 60%. I pretty much got worried about my scores and started comparing it to other peoples scores. My qbank scores were ranging from 50-78%. I finished 100% of it with an average of 58%. My sample tests were as follows: 1- 58%, 2- 60% 3- 90% & 4- 28% (got worried but it was hard. All alternate type questions). I was also reading PDA by la charity and I felt that it had helped me A LOT!!!!! It's a book that you would want to invest in! Trust me! At first I was getting low scores in the 40's and 50's then later on towards the end I was getting scores in the 60's. I decided to try Hurst review last Jan 16 (after doing qtrainer 5) because I thought that I needed more content review since I didn't like Kaplans. It helped me significantly!! I knew my content in and out. My hurst test scores were ranging from 83-96/125 (not in percent). After doing Hurst, I got higher scores on my Kaplan qbank tests. I also kept a rationales book where I would keep notes and read them from time to time. I tested on feb 17. I had 26 SATA (simple and some were common sense and some I had to think hard), 1 drag and drop, 1 exhibit, 2 med calculations, and the rest were pharma, infection control, prevention & priority questions. Like I said I above, I took Kaplan but I did not make use of their decision tree (it doesn't work most of the time. like the answer can't always be a respiratory answer. It just doesn't apply sometimes. You have to connect it with the stem first). I just went with what I know and my content. I believe that if you know your content then you'll be fine! You'll eventually know how to critically think because you already know your content! You'll know how to connect the dots and put everything together. When reading choices always ask yourself why... Why this option and connect it to the stem/topic of the question. Ask yourself, "what can kill the patient?", "what is wrong with this?" Yes it takes a lot of work to study content but just know if you really want to pass on your first time then you should be willing to do anything to achieve that. I thought the nclex was a bit easier than Kaplan. Yet, I still doubted myself sometimes. Anyways... I honestly walked out of the testing area feeling like I failed.
I just found out today that I passed through my states license verification website! I am beyond ecstatic! Nothing is truly impossible without the Lord :) It took a week since California has been adjusting to their new system. Everyday was dreadful. I am obviously not a patient person.
My motivation was pretty much my family & my future. I just kept thinking of that. I wore my class ring from college every day. I prayed & prayed & prayed. I had always put Him first because with Him nothing is impossible. I wrote "you will pass" on a sticky note and put them everywhere I could. I told myself "if my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it then I can achieve it." Good luck to everyone! Sorry for the long post. Hope I helped you guys out even just a bit! Never give up on your dreams!
