NCLEX is NOT hard

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Hello everyone,

I just took the NCLEX-PN today, June 13, 2013. I did the PVT and got the "good" pop-up. If what everyone on allnurses says is true, I've passed!

The reason I'm writing is because for months I have been reading posts from others here on allnurses about how to prepare for the NCLEX, as well as their experiences taking the exam. Let me tell you, it scared me to death. While I did find tons of very helpful content, the more I read, the more frightened I became about the exam. Here's why.

I finished nursing school over a year ago, in Feb of 2012. That year was an insanely chaotic year for me and I don't even remember really thinking about the NCLEX, much less looking at any nursing content. It wasn't until April of 2013 that I decided to go ahead and work on taking the NCLEX.

I have a very short attention span, and even in nursing school, I could never really sit and study, I sort of cruised by. I decided that I would prepare simply by doing as many practice NCLEX games and questions as I could, and reading the rationales. I signed up for the NSCBN 3 week review, and did the questions (I didn't get to finish). Right or wrong, I read the rationales. To learn testing strategies, I borrowed the Kaplan 2012-2013 strategy book and practiced some of their questions. I work I did Saunders questions. I spent about an hour a day, three to four days a week doing practice questions, but never spending more than 15-30 mins at one time.

I would come to allnurses to see what tips I could use to prepare; and what I saw astounded me. There were people who claimed to spend 4 or more hours a DAY, everyday, studying and practicing questions. There were people who listed 4 or 5 different books and expensive review classes, as well as hours of study time as part of the regimen.

When I compared what I had done; I felt utterly under-studied. I actually canceled my scheduled exam and pushed it back a week just to memorize more meds and nursing techniques because I read a post about how many "put in order" and pharm questions the NCLEX is now asking.

I was about to push my test day back again and do a review class because I felt so lacking in confidence, however I had co-workers who believed in me and encouraged me to just go for it, so I decided to go ahead and get it over with.

The night before the exam I reviewed videos on youtube about sterile technique, cath insertion and chest tubes, I played a few games on the cranial nerves and looked over my labs. I slept like a baby.

On the day of the exam (today) I looked over my lab values one more time before walking in the building. Once the exam started I was super nervous and wishing I had decided to take a review class. I just knew I was going to fail. The questions were so easy. I actually felt as if I were at home just practicing...I kept hoping the questions would get harder so I would know I was doing well...it didn't happen. At 85 questions, the computer went blue in the face and the exam ended. I almost cried. I "knew" I had failed. I was thinking, "NOOO! This can't be it, I must have done very horrible to flunk with the minimum questions!"

Yes, there were some questions that I had to guess at, but over all it never felt overwhelming or very challenging. I started to shake, how could I have done so bad? Why didn't I read a book or study? I had expected that if I did fail at least it would have been after a good fight...maybe 200 questions, at least 150. I was devastated and mad at myself.

Still, when I got home I did the PVT and to my surprise, got the "good" pop-up.

If I DID pass, I just want to let everyone know; he NCLEX is not as scary as people make it out to be. Reading all the stories of failed attempts and people putting in ridiculous study time only makes one fearful and may actually hurt your confidence. It's like being sick and looking up your symptoms online...you always come away "positive" you have a death sentence.

The NCLEX is mostly analytical. I got tons and tons of SATA, lots of exhibit, a couple drag and drop and quite a bit of priority, infection control and pharm questions.

Don't fear, don't panic, you can do it. You know your stuff! Good luck guys, hope this helped calm your fears!

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Specializes in ICU.

I agree! And I'm a firm believer that if you did think it was impossibly hard you passed. It tests minimum competency, not everything there could possibly ever be to know, so if you're getting insanely specific teaching questions about drugs you've never seen or heard of, and select all that applies about teaching patients the symptoms of a disease you only touched over very briefly in school because it's rare and not all that dangerous, you're probably above the passing standard. :)

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I have heard from several students that some of our school tests were harder than the NCLEX! That is kind of a relief because if I could pass those test I can definitely pass the NCLEX! I take mine soon, still nervous, but who isn't?!

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100% agree... Nursing school tests, ATI and even Saunders were all much harder

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This is a great post! I feel a little relieved!! Testing on Tuesday and my nerves are already out if control!

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