NCLEX anxiety

Cathy_Pn · Jun 30, 2014

Having anxiety is normal:)..I rescheduled my test twice due to my anxiety and I felt like I wasn't ready for it. I wanted to reschedule it the third time, but then I asked myself do I want to prolong my anxiety or get this over with? For most of us we will never feel like we are ready for this big test. You passed the hard part. You put numerous hours into school,clinics, and studying to pass nursing school. Now it's time to study your butt off, pass that test and finally call yourself a nurse bc that's the title you wanted from the start right?:) You can do this!!

My tip for you is to break down what your going to study for that day. Do lots of questions. Just don't memorize it but understand what's it's asking you. Don't focus too much on pharmacology bc who in the world can retain all these medications and it's s/e? Maybe a super genius. Keep away from distractions. Take breaks if you need too. Eat healthy and good sleeps. Look in the mirror every morning and before bedtime and say "hey there nurse ash, your gonna be an awesome nurse!" You must believe in yourself:)

RunBabyRN · Jun 30, 2014

I think that's plenty of time, if you manage your time well. I did Kaplan, and read the Content Review Guide cover to cover, making note cards for stuff I needed to review. I feel like the strategies helped more than anything, though. The Q Bank and Q Trainers were good, and had I had 265 questions, I probably would have been glad to have had QTs 6 & 7 (which I ended up taking in the days just prior to the exam, since I received my ATT late Friday night and tested the following Wednesday). Instead, I had 75 questions. Remembering things like "here and now" is very important. I WANTED to look at symptoms that could lead to bigger problems down the road, and I had to shift that for the NCLEX.

I agree, anxiety is totally normal, especially over something like this! I don't think a single person goes in cool as a cucumber, feeling 100% prepared. I felt reasonably relaxed going in. I had prepped myself well, I knew what I knew. I took the day before off to chill (which ended up being running errands with the family, then a little bit of "chilling"), spent the morning of with my husband enjoying brunch at a place near the test center that we love and having a coffee, then getting to PV an hour early. They let me test when I arrived (yay!) and I was done before my scheduled start time.

THAT was when the panic set in for me. I was CERTAIN I'd failed. Thankfully less than 48 hours later, my license number was on the CA BRN site! Yay!

Relax!! Manage your time well, study hard, and you'll be fine. Trust your education; remember that you got into your program and graduated from it because you're smart and know your stuff. Positive thinking! Put up some Post-Its with affirmations in obvious places around your house.

Good luck!

SeattleRS24 · Jun 30, 2014

I agree with the other responders. As long as you don't overdo the studying (you will burn yourself out) you will be very well-prepared. I gave myself 3 weeks after the Hurst live review, studied 4-6 hours a day, passed in 75 questions. I started out doing more like 10 hours a day...it was too much. And just a tip - do your Q reviews whenever you want (not all at the end), and treat them like a mini real NCLEX. I often tried doing them at the end of long study day, and would do more poorly. When I ate breakfast and did them first thing in the morning, I would get much higher scores! Good luck!

krisangel · Jul 1, 2014

If you are comfortable with your chosen timeframe for review, you are good to go. Drills help a lot! It helps you to be familiar with the way questions are formulated (some are tricky yet can be outsmarted). Relax. Don't push yourself too hard but don't be complacent either. Don't worry you'll be fine. Breathe. ;-)

Best of luck on your test!