NCLEX Advice

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Manager, Delegating RN.

Hi everyone! I am taking the NCLEX in July. I am a good test taker sometimes but for some reason now, I cannot focus. I plan to begin my hardcore studying this Friday. I have Saunders, PDA, NCLEX 4000 for sata, some review materials from all nurses, a Kaplan test strategies book (2011-2012), and my friend won a Kaplan course and we are doing it together online!!!

I feel like I have enough materials to study from but my test anxiety is beyond ridiculous. My school requires ATI as an exit exam and sometimes my scores fall below the mark by like 2 points. To me, it's discouraging! I just want to know if I take the end of this month and May to focus on content review And questions. Then June, use that month for massive question attacks and minor review of needed. Does that sound realistic of my testing day is early July??

Need some encouragement....thanks all!

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I wish I had half the books you do. I'm so confused on which ones I should get. All i can say is good luck and God Bless!!!

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I have Saunders and only got up to the first few chapters. I couldn't focus with that book and lost all motivation to study. It is a great source tho and I've heard of many people that have studied the entire book from front to end and have passed the NCLEX successfully and swear by it. I just couldn't focus and it was soo boring. I have ADHD and after reading 3 pages, I would take a break for like an hour or two.

I think knowing your core content is very important. I am so glad that I stumbled upon the Hurst Review. No one in my class knew anything about it. Even people I spoke to that have taken NCLEX or are in school now didn't know about it. They hardly do any advertisements and its solely by word of mouth or referral, which proves they aren't about the money. They focus mainly on core content and they get you thinking as they say "NCLEX-y" like what is the correct answer in an NCLEX world.

Kaplan is more of strategically choosing answers rather than knowing the answer. I tried that approach during my ATI exam and didn't successfully pass. Looking at the strategic way of answering a question will not help you if you don't know the content. Some questions don't have "always" or "never" or some questions don't have similar answers and then you choose the odd ball of the selection....blah, blah, blah. I didn't like that approach.

Knowing the core content can help you answer all different types of questions even if you don't know the disease process 100%. If you know what is broken, then you know what is not working, then you can figure out what are expected signs and symptoms and the treatments.

Sorry, for the long essay, but I really hope whatever I have to say will help you. I was sooo stressed out as I studied and felt I would never make it. When I started using Hurst, I started to think that I was actually getting somewhere. As I finished the review and began to review and review the content again, I started to feel more confident and my anxiety levels dropped!! I extended my test date, for one more week just to ensure my confidence and readiness.

Well, I took the NCLEX this morning with 75 questions and got the good pop up. Everyone swears the PVT is 100% accurate, so I hope I'm not the first where it wasn't. BTW, I got 21 SATA, so make sure you get familiar and comfortable with those type of questions.

one more thing I noticed...studying for ATI and NCLEX were two totally different things for me. So, just cuz you studied for ATI and passed, don't think you don't need to study for NCLEX, because you still do.

Good LUck!!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Manager, Delegating RN.

Thanks lnmar!!! I enjoyed the "essay" lol Right now I am trying to soak in as many tips as I can before the big day because before I know it, the day will be here in no time. I have an intense hurts review packet. Did that help you?

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lol... after I hit submit and saw my post, I was like "dang!!". ahahah....

Well, I used the Hurst handouts with the lectures and yes, very, very helpful. Some people have said on some of these forums that they knew the entire packet from front to back, which is great, but with the time I gave myself, it wasn't feasible.

If we can pass nursing school, sheeeesh, we can pass NCLEX!!

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