2nd ATTEMPT AND PASSED! My exp!

Hey nurses. So I'd like to let ya'll know I passed the NCLEX two days ago. I want to contribute my experience as I had formerly felt comfort reading other's testimonials when I failed the first time.

SO QUICK BACKGROUND IN POINT FORM (skip to "VERY IMPORTANT INFO" Section below if you want to get to what helped me pass.)

- Canadian Nurse.

- Avg Nursing student.

- Completed Senior FEB 2016

- Studied for 3 months.

- My first attempt scheduled MAY 2016

- Utilized Passpoint, and 5 week NCSBN (probably done close to 4000qs and studied 10hrs/day)

- Exam date arrived... scheduled for 1400.

- I had immense ANXIETY. Really was aiming for the test to shut off at 75qs... But when it didn't shut off at 75... It went down hill from there. I just started pressing any answer. (again anxiety went through the roof and played a big factor in my failure).

- Test shut off at 130 (failure confirmed with PVT and email from my BON).

- Took 5 months off to travel/go through the stages of depression lol (really ****** albeit fun time in life Lol)

- Bought hurst d/t desperation (MAY 2016)

- Watched the vids once/filled the worksheets.

- Went through hurst review booklet passively throughout the summer (I loved how they explained thyroid disesases/adrenal diseases/diabetes so simply)

- Friend let me borrow their NCLEX MASTERY app login.

- Did a few hundred questions there (found it easy though).

- Rebooked test for OCT 2016 in AUG 2016.

VERY IMPORTANT INFO STARTS NOW!

- Purchased UWORLD 1 month subscription in SEPT 2016 (this saved my life. A buddy of mine used it and passed with 86qs).

- HIGHLY RECOMMEND UWORLD

- RATIONALES WERE EXCELLENT + took my critical thinking/SATA/Prioritization skills to another level!

- It was a resource not like anything I've used before. No wonder medical students praise it's quality, they use the same program (obviously physician-based questions) to prepare for their step 1, 2, 3 exams!

- Finished the whole qbank in a month. 75qs a day only!

- 68% avg. 70% after redoing wrong qs.

- Studied an avg 3-4 hours a day, way more chill.

- Wrote rationales in a Hilroy note book.

- Printed the notes I made on Uworld (that option was so convenient).

- Found I retain info better this way.

- Referred to Saunders txtbook to read up on content based on the qs I got wrong in Uworld.

- Tapered my studying down 4 days before my test date. 2hrs/day.

- Did only 4 chapters on Lacharity PDA 3 days before my test date.

- OCT 2016 test date arrived.

- Went through some pre-made notes in my car.

- Sat on the chair at 1400, really took my time to read each question.

- When you test, PRETEND THAT YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON ENSURING EACH Q WAS RIGHT.

- Spent an avg of 3-4mins on each question. TAKE YOUR TIME.

- Utilized a process of elimination (NO Q STRATEGIES USED and I find them really dumb, you need to know your content which Uworld helped with)

- 3 hours passed.

- Had ~14 SATA, 1 EKG, 3 Skill sets, a ton of who-do-you-see-first, 3 pharm, a few OB.

- EXAM SHUT OFF AT 75qs.

- Last question was to put a skill sequence in order (IT WAS SO EASY... If that was considered a high level question... WOW I WAS LUCKY LOL)

- I just knew I passed.

- Did PVT 1 hour later than q6hours with the good pop up.

- Got my pass results the next morning from BON. BAM!!!

SUMMARY:

- HIGHLY HIGHLY Recomend Uworld.

- Really understand the rationales (not necessarily memorize).

- Study in a relax environment.

- Take your time during the exam.

- Do not rush.

- Consider each question very important.

- Use process of elimination.

- Consider keywords in the question to guide you to the answer.

- Be confident with what you know (I know that's hard).

- Didn't read huge chapters in Saunders. Only content that I got wrong on Uworld.

- TAKE YOUR TIME and breaks!

- Go to the dollarstore and get yourself some nutritious snacks, prior!

Good luck and hope this info will help another excellent nurse pass!