NCLEX poll

Published

Do you think that the NCLEX is more of a test to see how well you know how to answer the questions the way they want you to...or is it more a test of your knowledge?

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Specializes in Med-Surg,OPD ER,School/Clinic,Teaching.

i think you will find the information that you need at the official site of the ncsbn ( http://www.ncsbn.org ). i checked it today and couldn't access it. i got this message after typing the url:

the ncsbn web site is temporarily unavailable while routine maintenance is performed. normal operations will resume as soon as possible. we apologize for any inconvenience and ask you to access the site later when it is back online.

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Specializes in Med-Surg,OPD ER,School/Clinic,Teaching.

The NCSBN site is now back online.:yeah:

Here is the link that provides the answer to your question:

https://www.ncsbn.org/454.htm

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I guess what I mean is:

For those who took the test, looking back, did you feel like if you just knew strategies ..do you think you would have passed or is it more knowing your nursing knowledge (disease processes.patho..meds,etc).

Do you think you would have passed if you just knew enough strategies (like Kaplan teaches)?

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Specializes in Med-Surg,OPD ER,School/Clinic,Teaching.
I guess what I mean is:

For those who took the test, looking back, did you feel like if you just knew strategies ..do you think you would have passed or is it more knowing your nursing knowledge (disease processes.patho..meds,etc).

Do you think you would have passed if you just knew enough strategies (like Kaplan teaches)?

You need to have both to pass. Knowledge coupled with the right strategy of using all these knowledge that you have attained is crucial to passing the nclex. All knowledge without strategy is like being in a very disorganized room full of books, you can't find out the specific information to address the current item that you are facing, and you'd have to search your brain(for an undetermined amount of time which might not be enough because we only have 6 hours to complete the test). On the other hand, all strategy without knowledge is playing a game of chance. It's like having a gun without bullets, you can aim but you can't hit the target. Knowledge would be the basis of your strategy(and a means of validating) while strategy would streamline your knowledge to help you determine what knowledge to apply in a particular question. It's like for a journey(a planned trip symbolically, in this case passing the nclex), knowledge is the vehicle(fully checked and working at its best and) and strategy is the map. If you are able to utilize both effectively, you'd be able to arrive in your destination in the safest route and the least amount time. So, you really need both knowledge and strategy.

However, for me, the most important one is faith in God, our relationship with God and our neighbors. Without God, everything is simply futile.

"A man without prayer is a like a tree without roots." - St. Augustine

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i also think that u do need both to pass....how can u understand something if u dont have the base knowledge..so both are very important to have...

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At the very least, it does not test your ability to do a good job in a real working environment.

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I think passing this test is a combination of knowledge and knowing how to answer the questions. You can have all the content knowledge but if you cannot id what is being asked and how to answer, you knowledge serves no purpose.

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Specializes in MICU.

On the surface, I agree with what most people here have said about how you need to know content (IE patho meds etc) and need to know test taking strategies to pass. On a deeper level though, I am a bit more cynical after having taken the NCLEX and passed the first time through.

Everyone's experience is diffferent. Based on what the test was like for me, I would tell just about anyone to not spend much time reviewing content and instead to focus on the strategies listed in the front of NCLEX test prep books, and to specifically focus on know what taks can be delgated to whom, and to focus on how to prioritize patient care. In most cases, I felt that prioritization was easy enough to figure out using ABC's or Maslow. Again, everyone is different, and for me I really did nothing more than try to pound through 75 questions of Saunders per sitting, and I did this about three times a week for two months before taking the test.

As a last piece of advice, keep in mind that close to 85% of all test takers pass the first time. Those are pretty good odds.

Good luck

Jedi

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