My NCLEX story...(75 Questions)

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I have enjoyed reading other people's stories on techniques they used to study for the NCLEX-RN, so I will share mine and help (maybe) someone else!

What kind of student am I? Well, I am an older student (36), and a single mother with 18 years of Dental Assisting experience. In nursing school, I read the chapters in my book so I was ahead of the instructor during lecture. I took notes, led study groups, and bought books to go along with the textbooks which I felt helped A LOT. ("Nursing Made Insanely Easy" and "Pharmacology Made Insanely Easy"). I would typically miss anywhere from 0 to 7 on exams. I graduated with a 3.7 GPA. I just graduated last month from an ADN program. (June 21, 2012). I scheduled to take the NCLEX on July 5 (which as I am writing this, was nearly 4 hours ago).

How did I study? I used:

NCSBN 3 week course (scored anywhere from 60% to 95% on practice 20 question exams, and a 77% on their pre-assessment exam)

Saunders (scored a 86% on the comprehensive test the first time I took it)

"NCLEX Made Insanely Easy"

some Kaplan (a used book)

ATI throughout my nursing program ( I took an NCLEX-RN predictor which stated I had a 99% chance of passing during the first try, but I was still skeptical)

ATI app on my iTouch

A few study groups which focused on how to narrow down answers and assigning a "yes" or a "no" to each possible answer

Reviewed "Nursing Made Insanely Easy" ( I love the cartoon pics and fast & dirty description) the night before the test ( looked at the pics)

Reviewed "Pharmacology Made Insanely Easy" the night before the test ( looked at all the pics and descriptions of antipsychotics, hormonal drugs, and vitamin/supplements)

How was the morning of the exam? It did not start out smoothly..I arrived at the testing center & found out that I did not have the Authorization to Test, which I was supposed to print from my email ( I live 15 minutes away and was to test in 30 minutes). I tried to hold in tears as the woman told me that I coud not test unless I had that paper. I ran out of the office and into the adjacent physical therapist office next door. Again, nearly in tears, I explained how I was to take the NCLEX and didn't have a paper from my email and asked if I could use a computer. The 2 amazing women at the front desk said they would help me! I gave them my email password info & everything was falling into place...except that email was GONE! Ok, panic again. 10 minutes left. Then we found a number to call in case the ATT was lost. I called, 5 minutes on hold to talk to a real person after which I said I was to test in a few minutes and needed another ATT. It was send immediately and they women printed it out. I thanked them and ran into the testing center with less than 5 minutes to spare. After checking in with finger & hand scanning, I did a yoga stretch where I bent at the waist and hung there for 30 seconds. Reset my mind. Let's do this.

How did you feel during the exam? Some questions were like *BAM*, nailed it. Others, I used the narrowing down technique, reminded myself to take deep breaths, and that I knew this stuff, and answered the best that I could. I was sort of paying attention to the number of questions, knew I was getting close to 75 but figured I could go all the way to 265, as supposedly one person is assigned to that number of questions (from what I was told by rumor, I'm not sure). Then at 75, the screen went blue. I started crying a bit because I felt that I should have had a few more questions to "prove myself". I raised my hand to let the proctor know that I was done. She escorted me out of the test area & asked if I was upset that it shut off at 75 and remarked that most people are happy when it shuts off at 75. I replied that I felt I should have had more questions, and wasn't sure how I did. She said that either people know their stuff & it shuts off, or people know they did not do well and it shuts off. I went out to my car, blew my nose & drove to starbucks.

I did the "Pearson Vue Trick" as soon as I got to Starbucks and got this message: "Our records indicate that you have recently scheduled this exam. Please contact your Member Board for further assistance. Another registration cannot be made at this time."..according to some forums on here, this is a good sign. I really hope so, but the skeptical part of me is still trying to schedule for my next exam.....

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That's it!! That's the good message so guess what.. YOU PASSED!!!! Congratulations :-D

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I'm an RN!!!!:w00t:

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OMG! CONGRATSSS, RN!!!!!!!!!!

I must say with your assessment scores, you make me look so dumb! HAhahahaha..honestly! 99% probability of passing? Darn! You are one smart cookie! I graduated with 3.6 gpa. But I feel like that doesn't even shine up to NCLEX's level. I feel so dumb and retarded whenever I'm studying. I test in a week n half (16th), and I'm already contemplating pushing my date back. I haven't studied Peds or OB!

I'm so tired of studying! I can't focus for more than 30 mins..I think I'm doomed! :madface:

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I feel like I couldn't have studied any more for it. Some questions I really had no clue. I felt like I got 40% of them right. Thank you though! I bet you will pass as well!

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congrats! what did you use to study?

and how was your exam set up? and

what was your study plan?

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Hahaha..very funny smarty pants

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