TO ALL RNs WHO'VE TAKEN NCLEX MORE THAN ONCE

Nursing Students NCLEX

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I failed the Nclex in July, I will be giving it again in october for 2nd time.

So, my question to those RNs, RNs to be who have taken the test more than once........How different was the NCLEX-RN test from the first time you gave it compared to 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc........times.

Please, kindly shed some light???

Thank you.

Specializes in ONcology.

I just checked my name on the CA boards website and my name is not on there..... that means I FAILED........ i'm going out of my mind.... don't know wat to do differently..... please help me out. this site has been helpful while i was studying for the NCLEX.....

thank you all

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I just checked my name on the CA boards website and my name is not on there..... that means I FAILED........ i'm going out of my mind.... don't know wat to do differently..... please help me out. this site has been helpful while i was studying for the NCLEX.....

thank you all

don't jump in too quickly and think you failed, many have not seen their name on the website but received letter through post and passed, just hang in there and wait for official notice

kano, california board sometimes take longer than you think......stay hpoeful......you will pass. Good Luck.

Specializes in ONcology.
kano, california board sometimes take longer than you think......stay hpoeful......you will pass. Good Luck.

Wizard100.... Thank you so much for the response.... i know it takes longer but thinking but what i went thru (studying and preparing for the exam... mental and emotional, finanical difficulties) driving me nuts. if i don't pass it this time... i'll lose my position and.... i can't afford that... i just moved out by my self.

and also do u know how many times that u can retake the exam in california?? i looked on the website but couldn't find anything on it...

thanks for all the moral support........

i really dont know how many times you can give but i think california board allows at least every 45 days. i did not answer your question. lets hope and pray, you dont have to give it again and you will pass.

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. i posted the same info in another thread but for those who dont check all the threads..........here it is one more time

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)

Those who passed nclex how many hours per day you studided

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I was working full time (37 and half hours a week) and averaged 2 hours most nights and similar on a weekend but lot depended on how I did during the week. If I could manage more time on a weekend I did but also wanted to spend time with my husband and relax which I think helped me study better

silverdragon,

You worked and still managed to do 100 questions a day. I think that may be my problem I work 36 hrs per week at night and I don't have time to study on those three days because I am so tired. I am thinking I might work 1 or 2 days a week or not work at all. I am weighing out my options. I really need to pass the next time.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
silverdragon,

You worked and still managed to do 100 questions a day. I think that may be my problem I work 36 hrs per week at night and I don't have time to study on those three days because I am so tired. I am thinking I might work 1 or 2 days a week or not work at all. I am weighing out my options. I really need to pass the next time.

I fitted it round my work, some days I didn't feel like study and didn't but made up time on other days. I felt it was important to study but if my mind wasn't in it then would be a waste forcing it so took some time out and caught up at the weekend. It all depends on what you can manage or afford to do. Good luck on what ever you decide

I am August graduate, took my test in September but sadly didn't make it. By the way, what is suzannes plan. I want to get it too.....someone help me too.

All of my close friends passed the test and here I am the only one in the class not to pass. In my first test......I was nervous as hell, I was not taking time and racing through the questions. I got 185 questions. A lot were prioritization (felt so dumb, couldn't use ABC's properly). I got a lot of hyper/hypothyroidism questions and that where i slipped because I was weak in that area. Pharm questions were easy ones......the important prototype. I was numb for a week. I didnt want to talk with my friends. Slowly, I said to myself......people are not perfect and so its ok but since then I have talked to most of my friends who passed and already started working as an RN.

They gave me their study tips:

All of them used Saunders Comprehensive only. All of them focussed on areas where they were weak & skipped some chapters they knew. Almost all of them were working too. Study hrs ranged from 4-8hrs/ day. Study period time least was 2 weeks and max was 1 month 10 days among my friends.

In addition majority of them were tested in these areas:

Priority/ delegation

Infection/ Safety control & precautions

Fluids/Electrolytes/Labs

Diabetes/Insulin/Endocrine

STDs

Pharm

One of my friend said she had almost 10 disaster planning questions....which is weird.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I am August graduate, took my test in September but sadly didn't make it. By the way, what is suzannes plan. I want to get it too.....someone help me too.

Sorry to hear you failed. You can find all information regarding Suzanne's plan as a sticky called New revised first tip

Good luck

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