My Total CA NCLEX Experiance. Tips, Tricks, & Time Frames

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Hi there!!! So I told myself, and God, that if he allowed me to pass the NCLEX I would repost here my total Experience in hopes of alleviating the nerves and anxieties of future NCLEX takers. * This blog will only contain my NCLEX-RN Experience. I was an LVN who bridged over, MY LVN NCLEX was difficult. I went all the way.. 205 questions in 4 hours and 45 mins I believe (5 years ago)* With that little blurb being said I was scared poopless for the NCLEX RN. :scrying:

TIMELINE:

- Graduated with honors December 2015

- ATT arrived 6 days after graduating!(Some of my friends are still waiting for theirs)

- Kaplan review course 1/11-1/13 2016

- Sat for my NCLEX 1/14/16 (I skipped the last day of the review session)

- My Name posted to state website 2/10/16. Yes. A day shy of 4 weeks waiting!!! I literally thought I failed.

* I had friends start getting their results who tested 2/2/16 so I'll call the BRN and spoke to a supervisor basically in tears. The next day (2/10/16) at 12noon my name posted as a Registered Nurse!!! :woot:

KAPLAN SCORING:

I did all 7 trainer tests. With out look up answers. Then reviewed each ones answers and rationales of all the answers after I completed each test. I scored anywhere from 51%-62% on all then trainer tests. I did not have time for the QBanks because I scheduled my test so quickly.

My NCLEX Exam:

75 questions. Like 22 of them were SATAs... 12 of which I got right in a row. I just remember mouthing the F bomb in the middle of that.... Ick, those are Terrible. The test took me 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a 4 minute stretching & water break. HARDEST TEST OF MY LIFE. I felt like I knew NOTHING. 1/2 the questions

or problems were never even gone over in school. But I'm gunna tell y'all how I got through it.

Study Tips:

- Don't pick the answer! Eliminate the wrongs and it will show you the right!

- I spent about 2 minutes on each question, dissecting it, making sure I was clear as to what it was asking of me.

- The first 10 questions seem to be the most important and if done right will lead you far above the "passing line". Seriously spend 40 mins on the first 10 if you have to.

- AIRWAY AIRWAY AIRWAY. If it affecting the pt airway. That is always your answer.

- Assess before implementing. You wouldn't never just implement something without assessing the pt first. If you are stuck between 2 answers and one is implementing and one is assessing. Choose to asses.

- SAFTY. The point of the whole test. Are you a safe practicing nurse? When in doubt. Choose the answer the will potentially cause the least harm.

- Know your basic lab values

- Even if the question is completely off the wall and you never learned about a particular thing... Know that, you WILL know SOMETHING about that question. Find something, anything you do know about it and go with it.

- This cram sheet really helped me, but please don't solely use this, use it as a guide to study deeper about the items listed. http://www.brcn.edu/upload/docs/brcn/lrc/nurseslabs-cram-sheet.pdf

- Slow down, breath, and pray. I prayed that the lord would guide me to the correct, safest answers, so I may help others, no matter whom or where. I promised to spread my love and strength and to carry Him with me always. I knew this was my calling and where he wanted me to be and he would guide me as he saw fit.

- I also promised to post here when I passed... so I may help someone else, the way many of the posts on here helped me.

Good Luck to all of you, I hope this helped!! Feel free to message me if you have any questions or if I can help in any way!!! BREATH! You got this! :yes:

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Thanks for the tips, and Congrats!!

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Specializes in Emergency.

22 SATA? Damn...I had 12. Ugh.

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Thank you for posting your experience! Congrats RN!

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Thanks for the resources and Congratulations!!!

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Specializes in A little bit of this and that.
22 SATA? Damn...I had 12. Ugh.

As long as you had a lot of prioritization questions, and got those correct you're fine. Knowledge questions are below the line, prioritization are at the line, and SATA are above. The line I'm referencing is the passing line.

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I know. Talk about brutal!!! I got 12 of which in a row. I was like F! I just missed 12 in a row. Damn!!! Lol

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No problem! And thank you!!!! The worst part was waiting 4 weeks... I was like WOW, I was the dumb ass that failed at 75. :banghead: I was SO happy when I saw my name on there.

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Hi there. When do SATA questions, do you have to get all right to move on to another SATA question, or is it just passing standard? Usually when I do practice questions, I normally am missing one of the choices or I pick an extra option which makes me nervous. Thank you.

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Specializes in A little bit of this and that.
Hi there. When do SATA questions, do you have to get all right to move on to another SATA question, or is it just passing standard? Usually when I do practice questions, I normally am missing one of the choices or I pick an extra option which makes me nervous. Thank you.

Yes and no.. You do have to choose ALL of the correct options for the question to be considered as answered correctly. But if the NCLEX still has content in say, Infection Control to test you on, you may get another SATA. Although with new topics I believe you'll get a knowledge question then move up as you get them correct. Some people have mentioned in the forums getting back to back SATAs up to about 10-15 in a row.. so YMMV.

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Thank you for your reply. I figured that the exam will require you to pass each answer correctly. Did you do well on SATA on practice exams while you were preparing? Where did you practice from?

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Specializes in Emergency.

Took the exam on the 11th of February, woke up this morning (13th) and found out I had passed with my license number. In California. Hoooorah.

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