Hi Everyone,
I wrote the NCLEX exam two days ago in GA. And I found out I passed the next day via email in less than 48 hours. I was so nervous to check my result but God willing the BON emailed me with my license number the next day! Yay Georgia BON!
The Nclex is a very challenging exam but I would like to share how I overcame it on my second try. Shut off at 116 questions (if anyone wanted to know)
The first time I wrote it I didn't really study, I guess I underestimated the test, when I went in and wrote the test I just lost it because I knew I didn't know half of the questions thrown at me. Mostly psych & meds. It shut off at 196 questions. Two days later I saw FAIL & cried so hard.
Very appreciative of my family as they encouraged me to try again.
Now, my story is different because usually failure is a motivator and most people study like crazy before they take it again.
But for tests I have to study literally the week of the test to retain memory. Weird I know. If I study weeks ahead I would mix up info during the test.
So I didn't study until the last week before the test, even when I tried I lost the will to. So a week before the exam I decided to study (of-course) and was very scared as I read other people's posts on here about studying for weeks.
Now if if you don't have much time left and you feel you're still lost after studying for weeks then my advice might apply to you as well as others who need some encouragement. This is what worked for me.
First of all, YOU CAN DO IT. I literally studied for 6 days and passed.
The sources I used
-Saunders Q & A - very very very important. Literally half my questions were related to the rationales in read in this book. 1800 questions (obviously can't answer that much in 6 days so I answered about 250 questions from the book & passed!) please you will not regret. Read the rationale and understand it please. I had an exact question btw from this book, options & everything yay!
- LaCharity - for delegation and priority. If you have a scratch code on your book, go online and use it. Easier that way you don't have to flip to the back to read your rationale. I did about 16 chapters took a day to do 10 & spread the rest out.
- Exam cram RN
Great book for those weird questions or diseases that NCLEX might throw at you. It has 500 questions but because of time I did 150 & found related questions on the test.
-NCSBN Pretest Questions - like a million questions on there but I did only 100 to get a hang of it. Did not like the rationales, they were quite short but it helped me as well.
- Amazing email by my bestie lol
I was so lucky to have gotten this email with attachments of EVERYTHING!! Books, KAPLAN Question trainer 1 to 7, Hesi, Hurst, various nursing Notes lol but in 6 days your brain can only take so much. So I didn't really use it but it will be extremely helpful (pm me of you want me to forward it to you)
My study pattern - day 1 - LaCharity
day 2 - Saunders Q&A
day 3 - Exam cram, Saunders
day 4 - la charity, Saunders
day 5 - ncsbn, Saunders
day 6 - LaCharity, Saunders
Studied each book 4hrs then a 1hr30min break between 10 am to 9pm
extended to midnight if I took longer breaks.
Yes I read the day before the test however I slept earlier by 8/9 pm and woke up 6am for the test at 8.00 am. Breakfast was an apple and a banana. I wrote the first test in the afternoon and felt drowsy. So I suggest scheduling for a morning test when your brain is active and not stressed is best.
All nurses post on infection control was great as well. Know PPE's, TB is an Nclex favorite lol so know everything you can about it i.e. drug is taken for 6 months, mantoux induration range, N95 mask e.t.c
Most importantly, you cannot read everything, so you will definitely see questions you know absolutely nothing about. Do Not Panic, you got this!!!
READ '60 Nclex test taking tips on Brilliant nurse.com'
This helped me answer so many questions I wasn't sure about for e.g.
Avoid answers with absolute words like " all, everyone,never,none,etc." in the heat of the moment you can be stuck between two answers and one contains the word never and you're like boom! Out lol
These test tricks really help I promise.
For second time, third or any test takers. You got this! You are intelligent and you will conquer this. Just be positive. Say to yourself that you will make it. You are more than a test.
Understand the Nclex test plan and work accordingly, that's why Saunders is great, it's divided into Nclex sections. Start with Management of Care because it has the most questions on the Nclex. Try to answer at least 50 questions in each section to get a taste of what the questions are about per section.
I am so happy and will go celebrate tomorrow. I start work next week and this couldn't have gotten any better! Lengthy but I hope this helps someone because it's not easy but you will overcome it! Goodluck 🤗
