Did You Pass NCLEX without taking a Review Course?

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Hello! I will be graduating from a BSN program in about 3 weeks!!! December 16th!! I am considering NOT taking the Hurst Review or the Sylvia Rayfield course, and instead studying on my own. Has anyone studied on their own and passed the 1st time? I am a pretty good critical thinker and I feel that its knowing the material that is important. They can ask a question a hundred different ways but the facts will always remain the same... you just have to apply it. I am pretty good with applying the knowledge. Please tell me if you or someone you know took the NCLEX RN and passed without taking a review course. Thanks!

Brina

Yes, I did pass the NCLEX on the first try without taking a review course, but I did study, study, study with my Saunders review book. It is not an easy test, but if you put in some good time studying and arrive on test day confident, rested and well-fed, you should pass with no problem. Best of luck -- you'll feel so happy when you pass!

Specializes in Peds ER.

I did not take a review course either. I just took the NCLEX in September after doing Saunders questions for about a week. It's not really what you know, as far as material, but how you think. Doing the questions does help, I would recommend it.

Specializes in PICU, Peds Ambulatory, Peds LTC.

Never took a NCLEX-RN review course. After those 2 agonizing years in NSG school I couldn't bare taking another study course. I passed first try with 75 questions.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Didn't take a review course either and pass the first time. I studied questions for one hour a day (after a week off after graduation) until time to take the test. This was in 1991 though. :)

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

No review course here, either.

Studied the Saunders NCLEX book and CD, along with my own notes, for about 3 mos.

Passed first time.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I feel alot better now, about opting out of the review course. I had to hurry and make a decision because my money is due on Dec.1st.... so time was running out. I am the type who studies independently. I don't really like study groups and I don't get too much out of them. I have the NCLEX made insanely easy CD, and the questions from our ATI Comprehensive Predictor. I just figure that its about applying the information.... that you can't really "STUDY" per se because they can ask 1000 questions in 1000 different ways about lets say.... myasthenia gravis. So the best thing is for you to know about myasthenia gravis. I don't know if I'm making any sense, but I am pretty good at taking tests and critically thinking. I just now have to find the best material to study about facts. Thanks again everybody!

Brina..... December 16th.... Here I COME !!!!

I swear by the Mosby CAT for the NCLEX. It adjusts exactly the way the NCLEX does--if you get one right, you get a harder question, if you miss one, you get an easier one.

http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=0323032524

It costs about $43 (including tax, which here is 8.25%, you can use it for 30 days, unlimited number of uses. I started out with the lofty goal of taking a test a day, but wore myself out and averaged a test every three days, for a total of six. (I didn't hear about it until very close to exam time.)

There are two modes, you can take a 75 question test and get minimal feedback, or you can take a 150 question test and get a printable/saveable list of your questions, all the answers, which was the right one, which one you chose, the rationales for all the answers, plus feedback on what areas you need to work more on.

Plus either mode gives you a probability of passing. I was above 90 every time I took it, and I passed the NCLEX in 40 minutes or so, 75 questions, none of them really very bothersome.

If there's a way to do it really well, really inexpensively, with very little structure (like, I don't have to go someplace to do it), I'm for that. And this really fit the bill for me!

Good luck everybody!

Specializes in ER tech.

does anyone know if there is a school that lets u finish BSN without having ur RN???

Specializes in ICU,acute respiratory care..

Yes, I passed on my first try with 75 questions.I used Saunders comprehensive review book and CD and about 500 questions from Lippincot's and Mosby's.

I passed NCLEX on my first try. I studied for 2 months using Saunders Comprehensive Review book and CD.

I did my training in New Zealand so I'm not sure whether having quite a few years of experience as an RN helped or not.

hi chris .

thanks for sharing your successful story.could you please tell the details of mosby soft ware link you mentioned.:typing

About a year or so ago I was unable to find this test online.

I telephoned Mosby and learned it had been discontinued. It no longer exists.

One would think someone would make another, but apparently not.

I don't know any more than this.

Sorry!

Christine

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