December Test Takers Support Group

my instructor who has 20+ yrs of teaching nursing student has given me great tips and lately she has encouraged me so much. here are here advises to me. hope it helps esp. for retakers.

1) buy review book either lippincott or saunders (w/ cd). use only one for consistency.

2) practice doing questions read rationales for all questions you practice:nono: dont skip rationales, doesn't matter if using book or cd. if using cd, use study mode. 250 question max/day while reviewing.

3) review each system at a time

4) if you make too many mistakes in a particular system while doing the questions from cd, immediately review the area you are weak from the review book. do not jump to next system before reviewing from the book.

5) after finishing all the system following the above steps........buy prioritization, delegattion and assignment book (mosby's) and start doing questions from the very first to the last chapter. it does not have cd.6) then, go back to the lippincott or saunders cd (whichever you have bought in the beginning) and practice at least 10 days x 100 questions in comprehensive content exam mode that randomly selects questions from each system. do only 100 question every single day for 10 days in one sitting.......making it a mock rn test.

7) out of 10 days, if you get 75% at least 9 times out of 10 you are ready. if not you are not ready. yes consider 74% as a fail.

8) in case if you dont get 75% 9/10 times, invest 10 more days. dont panic.......do again 100 questions x10 days in study mode with comprehensive content reading all rationales while practicing.

9) test yourself again in exam mode at least 3 times with 100 questions x 3 days. it is important to do all 100 questions in one sitting

10) you should get 75% 3 out of 3 times. in case, if still you dont get 75% 3 out of 3 times........repeat step 8, 9, and 10 again.

11) a week before test focus your energy especially on pharm/labs/diagnostic test. know drug class....saunders strategies for success has very good drug classification. buy it, if you have trouble with pharm.

12) day before test.........no studying.......just relax (whatever relaxes you). good 7-8 hrs sleep the night before. seriously, reserve a motel if you have more than 45 mins of driving time to the test center. anxiety peaks while you have to drive long thinking about the test and brain cant function properly while testing.

all you need is

1) lippincott or saunders book with cd ($44)

2) saunders strategies for success (if difficulty with pharm + it has great tips on overall strategies) ($35)

3) prioritization, delegattion and assignment book by mosby's ($24)

4) 1-3 months depending on your time availablity. you do not a review course if you work diligently and honestly. no cheating to self ( priceless)

Also, please tell us what your instructor has advised you for preparing for NCLEX. May be we can take some idea that works and throw some that doen't work.

As part of preparing for NCLEX, how many hours are you guys studying per day........

Right now, I am so busy with school, work and nclex prep andi am studying only 2hrs/day.

Ya, I was going but I am not prepared. I didn't study as I should have. My teacher always reminds me "its better to be safe than sorry".........I dont want to fail again so I postponed to December. I dont feel prepared and confident now at all. But, I have studying so hopefully it will be better.

cash, how was your oct 23rd test??