The NCLEX adapts to your skill level. The first questions that are presented are determining your ability level. Once that ability level is determined, the questions are presented in increasing level of difficulty/decreasing difficulty until you have answered enough questions for the computer to determine (with 95% statistical certainty) that you have met the passing standard.
The minimum number of questions you will have is 75 (60 questions plus 15 pilot items). You will not be able to distinguish pilot items from "real" items. SO, if you get 265 items, that means the computer has not yet determined that you have met the passing standard at the 95% confidence level. There is no random number of candidates that get the exam with 265 questions- that is a myth.
You will not be able to tell whether you have passed by the number of questions you get!
The test is 6 hours long, and you should take your time. You have paid $200 for that test seat- USE IT!
Rushing through the questions or rapid guessing will most likely lead to failure, because each one you get wrong due to guessing means the next question is easier, and then on and on, until you fail because you are guessing at them all. Take your time to think each question through.
You will not leave the exam feeling good- the test challenges every bit of you, so you will feel tired and unsure of yourself. The way you feel does not equate into passing or failing. You cannot judge. Wait for your results.
NCLEX is given throughout the US and its territories, so the same format is used and the same question bank is used across the US. You do not have to take the exam in the same state where you are applying for licensure.
These are some resources for NCLEX prep that I like (no monetary incentive for sharing).
I am impressed with the strategy that is taught in the Kaplan course.
Lastly, you must manage anxiety. Pay attention to strategies to reduce anxiety. Approach each question as a new patient- one at a time, and focus completely on that question (patient).
Do not get distracted by thoughts of passing or failing, or by focusing on the number of questions you have had. Just keep going, one at a time, until the test ends. Then- be good to yourself while you wait for results. Remember you will not be able to accurately judge whether you passed by the way you feel. The test challenges you and you will not feel great when it is over.
I'll be taking my boards soon and have been concerned about the lab values.
I found a some values vary by a few points depending on which refrence one uses.
If I'm given a question, for example, on Hyper/ Hypo Kalemia and have two different lab values, e.g. ( Potassium 3.5 to 5.0 or Potassium 3.5 to 5.5)...... (Which are 2 different potassium values I have found in refrence books).
I'm worried, that I might pick the wrong lab value because I do not know which lab value is most accurate accurding to NCLEX standard !
Can you guide / advice me as to where I can find the most accurate lab values to study for NCLEX ?
Hi! I don't think you need to worry about 5.4 or 5.0. Just knowing the general within normal range will guide you through! Seeing 4.9 would already alert you.
hey guyz thanks to everyone ....!!!wish me luck i have 12 days to go before nclex...(wow what a countdown!!) well, lets just cross our hands and pray cuz i know everything is possible in God.... take care guyz..all here have bn really nice...love this website..
I am new to this forum and find it got lots of useful information.
I just got a question. I took the NCLEX on 12/1 in CA, am still waiting for the result. I have answered 265 questions, according to catherine, I did not pass the 95% passing standard, is that mean I have failed?
I am also new to this site today, and today I also wrote my NCLEX exam. The computer shut off after 75 questions, and like everyone else, I am absolutely on pins and needles about what my result may be .... I see someone has posted that 90% or 95% of US educated nursing students pass, does anyone know or guess at what your chance of passing is if educated in Canada and have been out of school for nearly 6 years, but actively working in the nursing field (Canadian ER dept to be more specific)? Wish me luck, I've got my fingers crossed for a passing grade, but the next 2 days will be the L O N G E S T 2 days of my life!!!!
I am also new to this site today, and today I also wrote my NCLEX exam. The computer shut off after 75 questions, and like everyone else, I am absolutely on pins and needles about what my result may be .... I see someone has posted that 90% or 95% of US educated nursing students pass, does anyone know or guess at what your chance of passing is if educated in Canada and have been out of school for nearly 6 years, but actively working in the nursing field (Canadian ER dept to be more specific)? Wish me luck, I've got my fingers crossed for a passing grade, but the next 2 days will be the L O N G E S T 2 days of my life!!!!
I hope you passed! Let us know. As for your question on the Canadian-educated pass rate, the most recent data available is from 2004. The pass rate for first-time test takers of the NCLEX-RN was 69.2%. For the PN it was 63.9%. The overall pass rate of all non-US educated examinees so far this year is 42.8% for the RN and 36.3% for the PN.
congrats!!!!!! hope i can make it too.. next thursday the 29th is my exam ..wish me luck! enjoy ur christmas!!:roll :roll :roll :roll :roll :roll :roll :roll :roll
This is kinda scary, I graduate in May and I have never taken any test to prepare for the NCLEX. I have never even heard of a CAT or HESI test. Am I being denied something essential to passing?
i took my rn boards on last wednesday , i had 75 questions.. i know i got the first question right.. and at the end of my test there were tons of delegation, like you had four people that were going to die and you were a nurse at a disaster which one would need imediate attention. i t was very hard . our school took the nln national leauge of nursing.... they say you should get at least 33% above the national average to indicate if you will pass, and i made 77 % above the national average..... anyone heard of the nln. and how many people that you know passes at 75 questions....
From what I understand how CAT testing works is that they do not fluctuate between hard and easy. They first start out with a question that is mid-range, and depending on how you answer the question, the questions get harder (if you keep getting them right) or easier (if you've gotten them wrong).
If you didn't see that many easy questions, and they started to pertain to subjects you've never heard of, that's a good sign. Also, if you got a lot of priority questions, that's the higher level questions, which is good.(end of quote)
Just some of my own conclusions on the CAT testing. I passed in the minimum number of question on the LPN and the RN. The LPN test was much as you described. Medium to hard, I could tell the "hardness" was adjusted up as I took it. MOST of the questions were priority on the LPN. No math on either the LPN or RN.
The RN was a different animal for me. I would say I was VERY CONFIDENT in only about 5 answers out of 75 questions! Most of my questions were about the pathophysiology of obscure diseases, pharmacological side effects that are not common knowledge, no delegation questions, no math, AND I had NO priority questions until about question 45. The first question was hard, whereas question 75 seemed easy.
I had a VERY BAD feeling when I was to question 35 and I had not had one priority or delegation question. I knew these were high priorty questions going into it and felt I was flunking the test since I did not have a priority question yet.
My conclusion is that MATH questions must be VERY LOW LEVEL questions. I think maybe too much emphasis is put on the the priority and delegation questions being a true indicator of how you are doing on the test. I started sweating bullets when I didn't have ANY of those questions by #35.
Also, I had WAY MORE than my fair share of the "pick all that apply" questions. I did not count them, but I wouldn't be suprised if I had as many as 10 of them on the RN test. I think these are also high level questions.
Nobody has mentioned this - so I will throw this in. There are two additional special format questions now. It used to be "pick all that apply" and "click the screen" were the only alternate formats. Now they have put these things in order (and there are 8 items or steps to put in order) by dragging things to one column to another column AND some sort of question where the screen is divided into 4 sections and you have to click the section of the screen where I guess graph material is presented. I did not have any of the two new kind of questions.
Just my CAT testing 2 cents for those who might find it useful
spiri1, ADN, RN
42 Posts
Hi cjmmsn98,
I'll be taking my boards soon and have been concerned about the lab values.
I found a some values vary by a few points depending on which refrence one uses.
If I'm given a question, for example, on Hyper/ Hypo Kalemia and have two different lab values, e.g. ( Potassium 3.5 to 5.0 or Potassium 3.5 to 5.5)...... (Which are 2 different potassium values I have found in refrence books).
I'm worried, that I might pick the wrong lab value because I do not know which lab value is most accurate accurding to NCLEX standard !
Can you guide / advice me as to where I can find the most accurate lab values to study for NCLEX ?
Sincerly Terri