NCLEX ANXIETY!

anne919 · Jan 18, 2012

relax is what i tell u, get enough rest and sleep, pray to God or who ever u believe. eat healthy. and review.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jan 19, 2012

Moved to our NCLEX Discussion Forum for that vital support from our members. Best wishes for passing the exam.

AN Mod Teams best advice: :twocents:

Day before exam: DO NOT STUDY! Night before, sit back and watch some great comedy TV or movies...this will help clear your mind and relax you

If testing site is totally unfamiliar location, follow my Gramps advice: travel to location 1 week prior to test to scope out travel needs, Plan to arrive 1hr prior to testing time to allow for traffic delays/parking snafu's.

Followowing this advice will have decreased your NCLEX stress by a 1/3.

.

joe17 · Jan 19, 2012

Hey everyone! I am taking my NCLEX on January 27, 2012 (in EIGHT days)!!! I am completely OBSESSED. I cant stop thinking about it! I have never wanted something SO BAD. And all thoughout nursing school, I never really got test anxiety, but this is CRAZY! I need some words of wisdom, and some tips! I have been studying and doing questions like a mad women!! I got a 98% on my ATI comp predictor, and i've been using Kaplan books, Saunders, Priortization, Assignment & Delagation books! I have used it all!!!! Anyone have any other study tips for me? Any tips about NCLEX??Thanks everyone!!

We are taking nclex same date. Awesome. Lol. I don't know what to say. Except Goodluck to us. I know how you feel now. I'm getting a little anxious now. And also excited. This is my 3 rd attempt by the way. Sure you report back here on the 27-28 how you doing. Same here. Good luck mate. GOD help us on the 27thXxJoeXx

MorgRN2B2011 · Jan 19, 2012

Where are you taking your NCLEX?? I'm taking mine in Virginia! I study all day every day! LOL Its truly crazy! I think im getting more excited now, because a lot of my friends who I went to school with is taking it today, or already has! Im just going to keep reviewing content and doing questions everyday. I heard the most important thing, is to go in here with a clear mind!! Just relax. I will be sure to let you know how it went!! GOOD LUCK TO YOU TOO!!! Yes, GOD be with us on the 27th!!! Morgan

joe17 · Jan 19, 2012

Hi Morgan,I'm thousands miles from you I'm taking mine here in London England.dont talk to your all they will tell you is horrible story how's hard nclex was. Stay away from them. Unless they feed you with good vibes. All we need now is positive. Feelings. Goodluck mateWe can do this. Joes

ashburns4ever · Jan 19, 2012

I took NCLEX today and I used all the same study material you are using... you will be FINE and will PASS. I did not find NCLEX to be super hard. I was familiar with all the content thanks to those wonderful study book ..... be confident. YOU GOT THIS.

GOOD LUCK!! :)

MorgRN2B2011 · Jan 19, 2012

ashburns4ever,

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT AND KIND WORDS!!!! I feel better that you told me that!! Keep me posted with your results!!!! Im sure you did amazing!!!! I just want it to be here now, because im so anxious about it. I dont want to have to wait another week!! BUT AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! AND CONGRATS!!!

Morgan :yeah:

praj1430 · Jan 20, 2012

RELAX>>>>

also make sure to ask ur friends what type of questions they got... because most of the time if you are taking the test within the same month... than you will get a few questions that were like your classmates... i got maybe 10 of the same questions that my friends said they had....

RELAX>>>> u sound like you are well prepared... so don't over do it....

good luck!!!!

splashOR · Oct 1, 2016

I'll start off by telling you I have not had anxiety until NURSING SCHOOL. My first attempt at passing the NCLEX was 7 weeks after graduation and 6 weeks after my wedding. I felt confident going into the test knowing multiple classmates had passed. I used Kaplan while still in school and Saunders and NCLEX-RN Mastery app after graduating. My study plan was loose the first go around because I felt confident I would pass the test the first time. I did about 30-40 questions from the app. I took the test, felt like I failed but was told "that's how everyone feels" ok. But then I got home and couldn't help but do the damn Pearson-vue trick. I proceeded through re-registering for the NCLEX, my credit card was charged and I got a notification on the screen saying an email would be sent for retesting. AND.THEN.I.DIED.

I had a job lined up in the Emergency Department as a new grad, a job that was highly competitive and desired. I felt so lucky to have been given this opportunity. And I had to call my "manager" and tell him I wouldn't be coming in for orientation on Monday. I imagined the response I would get would be "wow, ok we thought you could do it but we are going to have to offer the position to someone else now" I told him I didn't pass the first time. His response - "neither did I". And my heart sank. He talked to me on the phone for half an hour and told me there were other nurses working in the department who hadn't passed the first time and they are great nurses. He told me to stop beating myself up, which I was... and my job offer was still on the table. I was my worst enemy bringing out all of my insecurities. The next weeks I was in the darkest hole I have ever been in. I told myself have a degree that I can't use, I'm not smart enough to pass, all my other classmates passed so why didn't I? Becoming a nurse has been my goal for seven years and now my life cannot move forward because of this "hiccup".

I allowed myself to have a pity party for 2 weeks then buckled down again with a new plan because obviously something I did before didn't work. I started taking St. Johns Wort, Gingko Biloba, Emotional Ally tincture and multivitamins. I also turned on my Himalayan salt lamp and lavender/chamomile diffuser. I needed to address my biggest obstacle of depression and anxiety surrounding the NCLEX. I avoided social interactions and turned off Facebook. Sadly seeing my classmates succeeding made me feel even shittier about my situation. I say avoided but really I didn't want to have any unwanted dialogue about the NCLEX, this would only create more anxiety as everyone has a method they would tell me.

My new plan was to strictly use UWorld. Everyday I did 75 questions which included detailed explanations of the answers, better than Kaplan, better than NCSBN and better than the NCLX-RN app... in my opinion. I'm not a morning person and unfortunately the only options for the test were 8am. I began training my body to go to bed early and wake up at 5am each day so that my brain was at it's peak at 8am. The week before the second test I did a mock NCLEX test of 75 questions. I felt like I was doing horrible, but at the end I got 68% which was great for me. I relaxed the day before. When I got to the parking lot the day of the test I wrote down all of my worries which seemed to be a physical relief for me. I went into the test center still feeling extremely anxious. When I finally sat down in front of the computer, it wasn't until the first question was on the screen that I began to have to talk myself out of the anxiety I was feeling. I distracted my anxious brain by pausing and writing down all of the little details I was trying to retain. And then I began doing conscious breathing. I took about 5 minutes which seemed like eternity in there while the clock on the computer was running. My heart rate lowered and I began taking questions more relaxed. I felt this go around with the test that the questions were not as challenging as the first time. I took breaks at question 30 and question 70 (I knew my anxiety would peak if I hit question 76 without a break). Each break I used the bathroom, drank water and reapplied my "anxiety" salve. (The testing center reeked of my relaxation potions, but I didn't care). I went back in from my last break and the test stopped after 75 questions. When I got in my car I collapsed from all of the emotions.

I then went home packed up my car and headed out to the coast to camp for 2 nights. I need to avoid the anxiety of waiting for the test results. That part KILLED me. SO horrible. When we headed back home from camp 2 days after the test I got an email saying OSBN had received my application and would be beginning my background check...good sign. I raced to a coffeeshop and logged in and began happy crying again when I saw my test results as Passed.

I would recommend the use of UWorld. I felt it was as close to the NCLEX style questions. And really it's the training of the style and how to answer questions even though you have no idea what they are asking! You cannot possibly study all of the content that could be asked.

pupRN · Nov 23, 2016

Hi there! I feel the exact same way. I didn't have anxiety until nursing school. Mine even increased after failing my NCLEX exam. I graduated last 2015 and will be taking my third time in a couple of weeks. I am still anxious and scared. You can only take the exam a max of 3x in Canada. I have been using Uworld and I am just above average. Would you be able to share more of your experience?

I'll start off by telling you I have not had anxiety until NURSING SCHOOL. My first attempt at passing the NCLEX was 7 weeks after graduation and 6 weeks after my wedding. I felt confident going into the test knowing multiple classmates had passed. I used Kaplan while still in school and Saunders and NCLEX-RN Mastery app after graduating. My study plan was loose the first go around because I felt confident I would pass the test the first time. I did about 30-40 questions from the app. I took the test, felt like I failed but was told "that's how everyone feels" ok. But then I got home and couldn't help but do the damn Pearson-vue trick. I proceeded through re-registering for the NCLEX, my credit card was charged and I got a notification on the screen saying an email would be sent for retesting. AND.THEN.I.DIED.
I had a job lined up in the Emergency Department as a new grad, a job that was highly competitive and desired. I felt so lucky to have been given this opportunity. And I had to call my "manager" and tell him I wouldn't be coming in for orientation on Monday. I imagined the response I would get would be "wow, ok we thought you could do it but we are going to have to offer the position to someone else now" I told him I didn't pass the first time. His response - "neither did I". And my heart sank. He talked to me on the phone for half an hour and told me there were other nurses working in the department who hadn't passed the first time and they are great nurses. He told me to stop beating myself up, which I was... and my job offer was still on the table. I was my worst enemy bringing out all of my insecurities. The next weeks I was in the darkest hole I have ever been in. I told myself have a degree that I can't use, I'm not smart enough to pass, all my other classmates passed so why didn't I? Becoming a nurse has been my goal for seven years and now my life cannot move forward because of this "hiccup".
I allowed myself to have a pity party for 2 weeks then buckled down again with a new plan because obviously something I did before didn't work. I started taking St. Johns Wort, Gingko Biloba, Emotional Ally tincture and multivitamins. I also turned on my Himalayan salt lamp and lavender/chamomile diffuser. I needed to address my biggest obstacle of depression and anxiety surrounding the NCLEX. I avoided social interactions and turned off Facebook. Sadly seeing my classmates succeeding made me feel even shittier about my situation. I say avoided but really I didn't want to have any unwanted dialogue about the NCLEX, this would only create more anxiety as everyone has a method they would tell me.
My new plan was to strictly use UWorld. Everyday I did 75 questions which included detailed explanations of the answers, better than Kaplan, better than NCSBN and better than the NCLX-RN app... in my opinion. I'm not a morning person and unfortunately the only options for the test were 8am. I began training my body to go to bed early and wake up at 5am each day so that my brain was at it's peak at 8am. The week before the second test I did a mock NCLEX test of 75 questions. I felt like I was doing horrible, but at the end I got 68% which was great for me. I relaxed the day before. When I got to the parking lot the day of the test I wrote down all of my worries which seemed to be a physical relief for me. I went into the test center still feeling extremely anxious. When I finally sat down in front of the computer, it wasn't until the first question was on the screen that I began to have to talk myself out of the anxiety I was feeling. I distracted my anxious brain by pausing and writing down all of the little details I was trying to retain. And then I began doing conscious breathing. I took about 5 minutes which seemed like eternity in there while the clock on the computer was running. My heart rate lowered and I began taking questions more relaxed. I felt this go around with the test that the questions were not as challenging as the first time. I took breaks at question 30 and question 70 (I knew my anxiety would peak if I hit question 76 without a break). Each break I used the bathroom, drank water and reapplied my "anxiety" salve. (The testing center reeked of my relaxation potions, but I didn't care). I went back in from my last break and the test stopped after 75 questions. When I got in my car I collapsed from all of the emotions.
I then went home packed up my car and headed out to the coast to camp for 2 nights. I need to avoid the anxiety of waiting for the test results. That part KILLED me. SO horrible. When we headed back home from camp 2 days after the test I got an email saying OSBN had received my application and would be beginning my background check...good sign. I raced to a coffeeshop and logged in and began happy crying again when I saw my test results as Passed.
I would recommend the use of UWorld. I felt it was as close to the NCLEX style questions. And really it's the training of the style and how to answer questions even though you have no idea what they are asking! You cannot possibly study all of the content that could be asked.