My nursing school and NCLEX experience 2016 - plus tips

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I promised myself that I would write a summary of my experience pertaining to nursing school and my NCLEX preparation (and some of what came after.) Well, I've finished my NCLEX and in the next 2 weeks, will be starting in a residency program for a telemetry unit.

Here goes,

A little background: I started my pre-requisites in a community college in Galveston. To begin with, I never thought I would be studying nursing. As a kid, I've always wanted to study journalism, but much to my parents' influence (and my due inspiration being them), I urged myself forward.

Let me tell you, I WAS NEVER AN 'A' STUDENT IN MY NURSING CLASSES (AND even some of my pre-requisites). I struggled a lot especially during nursing school. I think I've failed about 2-3 exams during the whole 2 years of the nursing program, but with much diligence and perseverance, I made it through. My one advice: TRY NOT TO MISS A SINGLE DAY OF NURSING SCHOOL. I never had an absence--prolly even through how much I actually did not want to be there some days. I've had my fair share of scary professors and 'mean' nurses I followed during my clinicals. But again: I forged on.

My college implemented HESI on our last year (it was ATI prior) and it was frankly scary to have been told about the immensity of the exit exams (2 more chances after the first one). I was very, very, very anxious because, like aforementioned, I was never the stellar 'A' student. I KNEW to myself that I would not pass the first exit, but lo and behold, I passed with a 1000-something score. I remember the coldness I felt in my feet and the weakness in my knees. I remained seated in my seat for about 5 minutes before I tried to stand up.

Then graduation occurred.

Then my NCLEX preparation started. I took it as if it were the test of my life time (and it is), and that it was life and death (again; it is).

During nursing school, KAPLAN representatives came to advertise KAPLAN. During one of those advertisements, they gave a raffle for a free KAPLAN course. 10 out of the 40-something students in my class came, including me. I mostly came because they posted 'free pizza will be provided for lunch'...and I did not pack lunch that day, so I thought, 'well why not?'

*drum roll* I won the raffle for a free $500-something KAPLAN course for me to take!!! Even better, I took about 3 slices of pizza home with me. Double win! I opted for the in-person course since I needed the structure of a class to help me study.

THE NCLEX PREPARATION:

The in-person KAPLAN course took 4 days. I started it about 10 days after my graduation. I cannot really comment so much about the instructor, but I do commend their resources--the questions, QBANKS, rationales, trainers etc. After attending all course days, I religiously took the question banks about 6 days out of the week. When I was in school, I learned how to be a sort of OCD with things and would always write down my schedule for the day (i.e.: 7:30--wake up, 8AM--drive to school). I kept with that sort and scheduled myself about 4-6 hours a day of studying KAPLAN's resources. I will repeat again--never an 'A' student (this is to encourage y'all non-A students like me to not be scared) and my results from KAPLAN were also discouraging at first. I made the usual 50%s to my highest being 70%. I took all of the question banks.

In their QBANKS, the max Qs they will let you practice is 75. 75 being the minimum number of Qs the NCLEX will let you take. My KAPLAN instructor never mentioned how it's best to take those 75Qs--meaning mixing all of the categories (Pharm therapies, mngm't of care, etc). What I decided to do was take each category in 75Qs. For example, Pharm therapies had about 300+ questions, so it took me 4 days (one QBANK each day, then studying it) to complete those. Another tip: STUDY EACH QUESTION YOU TAKE, EVEN IF YOU GOT IT RIGHT. So which book did I use? I had the Saunders book during nursing school, so that was what I use for rationales and back-up. Either type up or write the questions and rationales--whatever it takes for you to remember.

Another tip: Pharm was the hardest for me--you will never learn EACH AND EVERY DRUG, but at least study the drug endings and general use for each class (olols, etc). That will help.

My NCLEX was scheduled for June 28. 2PM. I was scared sh*tless every single day.

DOOMSDAY (NCLEX day)

So, it was a very gloomy, overcast day south of Houston during my drive. I was eating a PB sandwich while driving in my new car (did I mention I brought a new car 2 weeks before the NCLEX? Another tip: buy a new car prior... it will help you in remembering that you need to pass the NCLEX, get a job, because you need to start paying for car payments.) I got there about 45 minutes early and sat in my car for what felt like forever. I was texting my boyfriend most of the time because he has been very instrumental to my success during school. I went up the building, had to use the bathroom, and felt like screaming. I followed the receptionist's instructions and sat in my booth.

I cannot express to you how cold I felt, but I had my moment of strength and inner peace.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. If you have worked hard, you will achieve.

I took that test knowing very truthfully in me that I came in with the things I know, and the things I don't know. And I hoped there will be a balance in between.

I had very, very many SATA questions, very many priority questions, and many isolation precaution questions (another tip: remember the pneumonic SPIDERMAN, MTV, etc!), no calculations, many questions on schizophrenia. Also, since it was storming by that time, the electricity shut off for about 3 minutes and I'm sure everyone in that room was dead scared. No worries, power came back on and I ended where I last was. I recall during the last 10-15 questions, the questions got 'easier' and I got anxious because I had no way of telling if they got easier because I knew the questions, or if I was being handed lower-level questions.

Was there a balance?

Yes, there was.

My screen closed at 75 questions and I prayed (to some mysticism since I'm not very religious) to PLEASE GIVE ME MORE QUESTIONS, NOOOOOOoOo0O. Like my experience with HESI, it took me a while to get up from my seat. Another tip: know that the NCLEX gives you a chance to pass. I believe that ending in 75Qs is better, thinking it does mean you pass. And I say that the NCLEX gives you a chance to pass because even if you're getting a string of questions wrong, it keeps throwing questions at you, hoping you get them right.

I went up in the storm and tried to sleep the two days of waiting. It was impossible.

Note that I did not try to do any of the 'shortcuts' or 'tricks' because I did not want to become paranoid with those unofficial results. I paid for the fast results and it came in a minute exactly after 2 days. 2:01 PM on a Thursday.

I shook from the news. My hands were very cold and I couldn't keep them from shaking when I saw that I passed. I automatically texted my boyfriend, then facetimed my mom and dad. My mom cried. Please remember that you are not alone in your struggle of accomplishing nursing school, or the NCLEX. Know that you are supported by the people you love! That was the #1 thought I had during all of my preparations.

So here I am during my final summer break. I'm looking forward to starting in a hospital down here in Texas for their residency program. I like to think that that chapter of my life has ended and I'm about to begin a new, scary, yet exciting and rewarding one.

I hope the tips have been helpful to you test takers and nursing students. The struggles and hardships are imminent, but your upcoming success will be eternally rewarding.

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Sour Lemon

5,016 Posts

Jul 29, 2016

Back in pre-millennial days, when you wrote a letter like this, you "set it free" by throwing it into a fireplace. Congratulations on passing NCLEX. I feel like I know more about you than your own mother does ...and I admit to only "sort of" reading what you wrote. :eek: