I just took it. 75 Questions. I don't feel like there was one question where I was like, "I Know this!!!" I felt like I was at best giving slightly educated guesses. Every question was so hard and obscure. I was a good student in school, did ALL of the Kaplan review (which was over 2000 practice questions when it was said and done) which indicated I was more than ready.
I just feel like crying now and I wanted to cry while I was taking that test. There were questions with 4 right answers and drugs and diseases I have NEVER EVEN HEARD of ever!
The only thing that gives me hope is that since I got no what seemed to be easy questions, that I answered enough difficult ones correctly and that's why it shut off at 75.
Interestingly, I had not one singe math question, nor put in the correct order question.
I am having such a hard time with drugs! You are freaking me out! It is the hardest thing for me. I don't know what to learn regarding drugs! It is just too much! I do ok on the Saunders questions. But I couldn't just tell you the class etc. like you said. How did you do it?
I studied the drugs by the classifications. I used a little handbook called Mosby's Pharmacoogy Memory Notecards since I'm a visual learner. For example, I know antibotics should be taken with lots of fluids. I also know drugs that start with Cepha (antibotics), it is contraindicated for patients who are allergic to PCN. In other words, Cepha=PCN allergy. I know the ACE-I ends in -pril and I need to watch out for hyperkalemia and persistant cough. Beta blockers end in -olol and I need to watch for hypotension. This is how I studied for meds. And I had several questions on NCLEX with common meds and a few I've never heard of, but was able to look at the classification and go from there.
I studied the drugs by the classifications. I used a little handbook called Mosby's Pharmacoogy Memory Notecards since I'm a visual learner. For example, I know antibotics should be taken with lots of fluids. I also know drugs that start with Cepha (antibotics), it is contraindicated for patients who are allergic to PCN. In other words, Cepha=PCN allergy. I know the ACE-I ends in -pril and I need to watch out for hyperkalemia and persistant cough. Beta blockers end in -olol and I need to watch for hypotension. This is how I studied for meds. And I had several questions on NCLEX with common meds and a few I've never heard of, but was able to look at the classification and go from there.
OK...well you make me feel a little bit better. I know all of the things you mentioned about drugs. I freaked out yesterday. This exam really messes with your mind! I am better today. I did 200 pharm questions on my Saunders CD yesterday and I got an 80%. So....i guess I'm ok. I think I'm not going to read anymore posts on allnurses.com until I take the test on Thursday. All the horror stories are too much!!!
I got home this morning from taking it - it was horrible! Everything you said is just how I felt. I was a great student, did tons of Kaplan and Saunders. I took a deep breath as I hit 'next" for question 76. The comp shut off and I was anything but relieved. I cried the whole way home!
After calming down a little, and doing some googling and reading here, I am feeling confident that I passed. I won't know yet, but it sounds way too familiar to everybody else's stories! It was HARD! And I guess that was a good thing - I had no math, tons of SATA, tons of drugs and even diseases I have never heard of. I think there was one drug I knew.
Thinking positive, but am feeling better after reading that everybody has the same story as me!
I really was confident going in, and almost cocky. I felt like when I left I would know FOR SURE if I passed or failed. You really have no idea.
I am so jealous that you are done! I just want to get it over with. I am trying to stay positive!
Ok nurses I took Nclex-rn today, had 76 questions, they were hard. Alot of sata's, drugs, priority, discharge planning & teaching. I also tried the pearson vue trick and it did not let me pay. I hope these are all very good signs and I don't have to take this monster exam again!!!!:yawn:Just exhausted from studying and having no life for the last few months, wish me luck.
Specializes in Orthopedic, Pain Management, Psych, Family.
I took mine July 9th. It cut off after 86 questions, three other people from my school took it the same day and they cut off after 85. We were all sure we failed it immediately and there was no way we knew the answers, we must have gotten them wrong. We all passed. It was the worst 24 1/2 hours of my life waiting and checking the database frequently for signs that my results were posted. After checking the local state licensure entry for practical nursing and my name popped up with that beautiful license number I was so excited I broke down and cried. Keep your head up, the test is aweful but the results are worth it.
I took the test last thrusday and it stopped at 75 and the next day I found out that I Passed! It was my second time taking them. The 1st time I went all the way until 265. I decided to goto Kaplan and It help so much I noticed on the test I was getting alot of Anaylsis and Application questions. So just stay positive and I know everyone wants to pass on the first try but believe me it is not the end of the world and whatever you do don't give up.
I just got my results this morning and I passed (75 questions). I had exactly the same experience and feeling when I took the test last Monday. While doing practice CD exams...I usually can tell how I did (%) even before looking at results. The NCLEX was a different story. I really couldn't tell how I did with those questions except that people were telling me that 75 questions is a good sign. I guess they throw harder questions when you get the first few questions right. I knew I got the first answer right then it just started giving me questions with diseases/meds/content areas that I just didn't study or haven't even heard of. I also noticed two questions....couple of questions from each other....that were fairly similar. Probably to find out if I really knew the answer. If you get them right....then you are most likely not gonna change your answer the second time the question comes up. If you got the question wrong the first time and you change your answer to the right one...then it shows that you knew you made a mistake...if you still chose the wrong answer...then it tells them that you are pretty much clueless. Haha.
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shoegalRN, RN
1,338 Posts
I studied the drugs by the classifications. I used a little handbook called Mosby's Pharmacoogy Memory Notecards since I'm a visual learner. For example, I know antibotics should be taken with lots of fluids. I also know drugs that start with Cepha (antibotics), it is contraindicated for patients who are allergic to PCN. In other words, Cepha=PCN allergy. I know the ACE-I ends in -pril and I need to watch out for hyperkalemia and persistant cough. Beta blockers end in -olol and I need to watch for hypotension. This is how I studied for meds. And I had several questions on NCLEX with common meds and a few I've never heard of, but was able to look at the classification and go from there.