NCLEX 2017 My experience

[sigshaRN]

Hi guys. I want to share my experience with taking the NCLEX. As most of you who have taken it or planning to take it know, the anticipation will have you going thru every emotion possible. This one test is what all the sweat and tears, endless studying, clinicals, and simulations, has all come down to. This will be one of the most important , if not the most important exam you will take in your life. So keep that in mind when you are preparing to sit for this exam. I graduated and within 30 days I was sitting in the test center taking my exam. I studied for 3 to 4 hours a day mainly doing questions. Some I got right and some I got wrong. The questions I got wrong I went back and reviewed those topics in my medsurg and Saunders Comprehensive review book. I did not try to relearn everything I was ever taught in nursing school. I did almost 200 questions per day but some days I did more. I wanted to get comfortable with sitting an answering questions because we all know you can get up to 265 questions on the NCLEX. I used Hurst review for topics I was weak in. For an entire month this was my routine. My thought process was for the past 2 years my life was devoted to nursing school so I could spend 30 more days preparing for this exam. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The day before the test I didn't do any studying at all. I relaxed and prayed and prayed so more. I woke up that morning and ate a light breakfast and I arrived at the testing center 30 minutes early. To my surprise I was able to go thru the check in process and start my exam early. At my first question I had a ton of anxiety and I stopped after question 3 and sat there for a few moments to get myself together. They provide you with noise cancellation head phones and my advice is to use them. It is absolute silence in the testing center but putting on those head phones lessened some of my anxiety. I felt like I was the only person in the testing center which helped alot. I took my time and read each question twice before I answered. I had mainly SATA questions which had me worried. The topics of the questions were very random and I felt like I was guessing with most of my answers. I was so focused on the test that I freaked out when the text ended at 75 questions. I felt like I wasn't prepared for that exam at all. All the studying and answering questions I did I felt were no use during the exam. I left the testing center in tears and I was sick to my stomach. I couldn't make sense of what I had just experienced. For the next 48 hours my emotions were all over the place. I was already trying to plan when I would retake the exam. That is until I logged into the board of nursing website and saw PASS under exam results and my license number. I was so happy but still trying to make sense of the whole experience which I doubt I ever will. I wrote this to say that everyone before and after me has probably on some level experienced this. So be prepared! Studying content won't really prepare you for the NCLEX because you don't know what kind of questions you will be given but do as many questions as possible before you sit for this exam. Do different types of questions also because you will have different types on the exam and believe in yourself. No NCLEX study book will help you prepare for this test more than what you have already learned in nursing school!

[arinurse]

Very informative post!!! Congrats on passing the exam!!! :)

[Mlh20]

I can definitely relate to this feeling. It's awful. Unfortunately my state doesn't participate in the quick results...congratulations on your passing. That's amazing and I wish you the best of luck in your career!!

[nasr69]

Hi

I took my nclex pn today and my test shut off at 85 questions and like others I am stressing badly. I too, had about 25 SATA questions.

[JmhATL]

@nasr69 I feel confident you are now an RN, so count your blessing for the accomplishment.

[nasr69]

Well Thank you! Ill know in about 40 hours! lol

[mar9]

SUCH an emotional rollercoaster! The wait is the worst part. I had to distract myself every moment of the day. Congrats on passing!!