Nclex Confidence In The Toilet

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 20, 2005

I posted on this issue last night, and will post on it again.

Many nursing schools still administer tests and quizzes that are written at the recall level. This essentially means that you can excel at these tests just by reading your chapters, taking notes, listening to lectures and recalling something in order to come to the correct answer. The recall level is the most basic form of test question that can be possibly written.

The Saunders NCLEX prep books have questions that are written at the application and analysis levels. This means that you will never be able to figure out the correct answer by simply looking at the question and answers. You have to dig deeper and apply your education and experiences in order to come up with the most logical answer. Therefore, you cannot compare the Saunders questions to questions you may have received while in school. That just won't cut it.

The vast majority of your NCLEX questions will be written at the application level, if not the analysis level, because these types of questions are considered 'higher level' questions. You must be able to properly answer these types of questions in order to meet or exceed the passing standard. The first few questions on NCLEX will be 'lower level' recall and comprehension questions, but these are considered to be below the passing standard.

My suggestion is to not let too much time pass before you take NCLEX. You have an 80 percent chance of passing if taken within 2 months of graduation. I will add another tidbit that may seem controversial: the average NCLEX test-taker only answers about 50 percent of the questions correctly. The test is somewhat like a balancing beam that is adapting to your unique abilities. So 7 out of 10 questions might not be so bad after all.

eliza_mae017 · Dec 20, 2005

To Brown_eye_girl:); I can understand ur situation right now. I did not pass my NCLEX-Rn exam last October05. I am thankful to be a member here at allnurses because after i failed the board exam, I feel like ther's no hope anymore. I am not as smart as my friends in nursing, for me to be on top of the class before. Is for me to really study hard for it....... So after I graduated , I said to myself, I will save around $1000 coz i know i will repeat & repeat the exam..........

The good thing about being here at allnurses even though we all don;t know each other here personally. I am thankful for all the encouragement, advice... AND FOR ALL the PEOPLE who made me realized that there is still "HOPE".. One of the member here said.... "God won't let us go this far, if he knew we won;t make it"

SO for u Brown eye Girl:) Keep on Fighting.. WOrk on ur ANXiety BY PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICe answerin as many practice question as u can. RIght now am following Ms. Suzanne 100 question per day Saunders Comprehensive Review CD. My score when am taking the practice question is sometimes low, sometimes is high.... Whats important is that, atleast now u already encounter those hard question... And by practicin, Believe me it will all stick in your head. I thank God for giving me the gift of "good memory" I can memorize pages if i want toooo........

But HEy, I know it won't work if I memorize, I want to be a good nurse by giving safe care to my patients sooo now when am reviewin, I really carefully read the question word for word. Rephrase it in a way, u will understand what the question is really askin. And analyze each answer question by elimination u think is wrong..And pick the best one that answer the question.. "ALWYS try ur best" and don't Be UPSet if u did not get it RIght... BE patient reading the rationale , why it is right, why it is wronG.

I am not good in PHarmacology, and the rest, BUT HEY I PASS nursING school... AND I want to be A NUrse..... SO Always SAy "YOU can do this, You want to pass NCLEX, study hard" and Practice PRActice PRActice answerin questionsss.. To Handle ur test anxiety, AND BOost ur RESt confidenCE......."

Goodluck to u girl:)

eliza_mae017 · Dec 20, 2005

P.S

I mean TO HAndle ur TEST anXiety, and BooSt UR TEST COnfidence.... PRACtice PRACtice answering as many questions before u sit NCLEX Exam.

Good Luck

brown eyed girl · Dec 20, 2005

Thanx eliza mae 017.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 20, 2005

Keep practicing and learning. Don't get discouraged because you're learning the ones you got wrong. Keep on keeping on 100 questions a day.

7/10 is passing if you do that on NCLEX. So no need for tears.

It's a stressful dreadful test and no one feels confident after they take it. That's normal.

Good luck.

nursemomruns · Dec 22, 2005

I am preparing for the NCLEX-PN after being officially graduated 1 week. I have been working with the Saunders Comprehensive Review and the new question and answer format. My 2 big problems are: (1) I AM WEAK IN PHARMACOLOGY PERIOD and I feel like an idiot when I do the review quizzes because I never get more than 7 out of 10, and most of those I just guess and yes, I read and try and understand the rationale for the answer. I just plain don't know my medications literally EXCEPT LASIX and I don't know what to do (2) When I do questions in other content areas I range between 7-8 questions correct.
When I was in school, I NEVER HAD THIS MUCH TROUBLE. I know that I know the material minus the meds but my confidence is in the toilet. I don't know if I can realistically study for this FINAL EXAM. I have said that I was going to schedule my test date as soon as I got my ATT just to get it over with because I feel like the worse I do with the practice questions the higher my anxiety gets and makes me believe that Im either not ready or Im so nervous I cant answer the questions which in turn makes me feel like if I cant answer a sufficient amount of the questions to the satisfaction of the disk, then I feel like when the REAL TIME comes, Ill be the same way, spending all 5 hours at the testing center and failing. I know one thing for certain, if I fail, I dont have the money to take it again. THIS LITERALLY BRINGS ME TO TEARS REGULARLY CAUSE I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP GUIDE ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
PS
This anxiety I am having (and will continue to have until I take this test) is not a joke and not meant for attention, it is meant for help.

I wish I could take all of your anxiety away with a blink of an eye. Please try not to worry yourself sick. The PN exam is only 9-15% Pharmacological Therapies.