Failing the NCLEX a second time

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Hello Guys,

I just received my results and I failed a second time. The first time I knew I failed because all of my questions were geared to the infection control topic. I remember it was the worst feeling ever walking out of the testing center and calling your friends that had already passed. I did the pearson trick and obviously got the bad pop up. I gave up on my studies and was so sad and angry at myself. My friend kicked some sense in me. I studied a second time. This second time I used the Kaplan book along with the saunders book. I felt more confident and thus signed up to take the exam a second time. This second time around my quesions were all priority questions, however I felt more confident. I did not do the pearson trick because I have really bad anxiety. I woke up today, checked and guess what? I failed again. Now Im devastated. I bought the hurst review book, also received a studying plan from my friend. Failing a first time was bad, failing a second time feels worst. Any suggestions?

When I get a question wrong I usually read the rationale and If i dont fully understand the concept I go to my medsurg book and review.

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The last time I took my NCLEX, majority of my questions were priority questions. I recently bought this book " Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment: Practice Exercises for Medical-Surgical Nursing, 1e ". I read good reviews and I started doing some of the practice questions. When in doubt, choose the patient that is most likely to die.

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Melanie I'll be retesting next month I'm using Hurst Kaplan LaCharity & NCSBN

Good LUCK!!!!!!!!

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There are no easy solutions when it comes to studying for an NCLEX. Strategy guides can help you learn to look for key phrasing, but you need a strong foundation of critical thinking to eliminate answers. I've never heard of anyone who has walked out of testing thinking it was easy. You've taken it twice.... have you focused your studying on any of the areas where you got a lot of questions focused? They tend to continue a line of questioning, maternity, mental health, etc until you answer correctly. If you've bought a study guide like Kaplan, or Saunders use the companion CD & read all your rationales.... they don't just teach you why the answer is correct, but why the others are the wrong choice! Remember in nursing A, B, C are all correct, but B is the most correct!

Invest your time wisely & you are sure to pass!

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Specializes in Trauma | Surgical ICU.

Do an assessment test first. When you get your result from the BON, focus on the areas you are weak on.

Focus! This is not the time to lose hope.

If you answered 3,000 questions before, you have to triple that this time (if not more). Have ONE resource material and TWO or THREE source of questions (one should be book and the other online), the worse you can do is overwhelm yourself with too many resources.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I agree with Nurse_ find out what areas you did not do well in, focus on those particular questions and the rationales. Sometimes people get caught up in the questions and answers without reviewing rationales. Also make sure that your are looking at priority, delegation type questions, like PDA from LaCharity. Know what the question is asking you and the rationale. If math is your weakness, review nursing math as well as lab values. Take your time in reviewing for the NCLEX...make sure there is enough time to study your weaknesses, and there is enough time to review questions and rationales before retaking the exam. Good Luck!

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yeah im not sure what you are doing wrong. kaplan is pretty good maybe you need to study more content and do lots of questions that may be your weakness. try nclex 4000, PDA by la charity. Good luck!!

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Don't give up it took me 6x to pass and beat the nclex beast! Just believe in yourself and have a positive attitude :)

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find out your weaknesses and nail them. its not like school where you can avoid certain areas anymore. do saunders book and tkae your time doing it. review it and UNDERSTAND it, its not about memorizing. buy or go to barnes and nobles and look for lacharity book its a great book for prioritization and delegation.

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I failed 3 times and passed on the 4th one haha. i would suggest buying PDA by LaCharity and do those questions and do alot more after that! maybe go for 5000 questions before you take the actual one again. take questions related to the topic your studying. you should stay away from trying to get high scores, instead read rationales and try to understand why that's the answer.

hope this helps.....don't give up! :)

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how many hours did you spend studying?
I would syudy arounf 4 hours a day.
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I bought the PDA book by Lacharity and so far is helping. The first time I took the exam I had bought NCLEX 4000 but I did not use it. I think I will try it out this time around along with the saunders book and the hurst review book.

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