Passing boards...any advice??

Lots of practice with the computer disks that come with the NCLEX books. The boards are a lot like the practice questions. When you miss one, look it up in your old nursing books. That will help. And remember, the questions are refering to "utopian nursing", where you have a half hour to sit and comfort and active listen you each and every patient. Good luck!

Originally posted by TRN:

I will be taking the NCLEX soon. Does anyone have any advice on how I should prepare for it? Was it extremely difficult???

I don't know how different it is from australia, but as long as you do the work all the way along, you should be pretty right. One of the things that got me through was thinking of the really stupid RNs I had worked with - I figured if they could do it, so could I *g*

- good luck!!

(and don't forget the difference between afferent and efferent nephrules! *g*)

hey, i truly understand your concerns. i just took boards on May 31, 2000. it was much harder than everyone said that it would be. i think i did pretty okay and am currently awaiting my results. i did a kaplan review course and took some virtual reality nclex tests at the kaplan center. the virtual reality was designed exactly like boards where you could get anywhere from 75-265 questions, mine always turned off at 75 questions. when i took boards it also turned off at 75 questions, but like i said some of the questions were pretty hard. just remember the entire test is designed to see if you are a safe and effective nurse, so when you answer the quetions always pick the safest possible situation for the subject of the question. just think, you have all of the knowledge in your head since you went to nursing school for two years. i say best of luck and i am sure that you will do fine.

Yes, NCLEX was alot harder than my school of nursing and others expressed to me. Keep in mind, that they made the NCLEX harder and increased the minimum passing score in 1998.

So, make sure you study from an updated NCLEX book.

My questions were very detailed, and not common/everyday type diagnosis/problems. I also had alot of prioritizing/triage type questions (A,B,C's & Maslow concepts).

I was very disappointed in the review course that I had taken. Just practice alot with your computer disks and you should do just fine. Also pay attention to test taking skills/strategies!

Good Luck!

I found that studying from the books worked for me. I would usually do 25 questions at a time..no more than that. Take a break for a while and do another 25 in a few hours. Choose your answer and then check it. If it's wrong, then look in the back of the book for the answer and the rationale. Usually you wind up smacking yourself in the forehead. Computer discs are goos ways to study also, although I didn't use them but know many who did.

I didn't go to any study seminars...the people I know who did said they were a waste of money. Also, when I took my boards, my computer also turned off after 75 questions. I took this to mean that I passes even though the Moderators said it didn't mean anything.

Also, there's usually a couple of "crutch-walking" questions thrown in, so look up the different techniques.

Good Luck!

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Laurie :)

so many patients...

so little time.....

And don't forget: NEVER palpate a Wilm's Tumor.......This was in all the test books, and on the test!!

Here is some advice: Quit asking for advice and study the material. You made it through nursing school didn't you? Really, you will be ok. I'm just feeling a little spikey this morning.

I did take a review course and found it helpful- both for reviewing old information (and getting a different teacher's version of it) and for the emotional aspects- I was in a room with 50 other nurses-to-be for 5 days. We had the same dumb questions, felt the same frustrations, and were in a room with others who understood the fear. And we covered not palpating a wilm's tumor, which I had also forgotten, and which was on my exam.

Relax, believe in yourself, and remember all the hard work you have done. Stay at a friend's the night before who will hit you in the head with a pillow when you get punchy about the exam. And don't panic when it turns off- at 75, 150, or 265.

Good luck!

Ratchit

Hey XRN, what's up with calling your fellow nurses stupid? If I am not mistaken, they must have also taken the NCLEX and PASSED it!

A little more respect maybe? Or perhaps you did not mean to sound that way (using the wrong terminology). Hope that was the case.

:-}

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