Preparing to take the NCLEX soon and have questions? Have you just taken the exam and have more questions? Have you begun working on your last frayed nerve because of what someone told you about a certain 'trick'....and you wonder if it's true? Take a look at this and let yourself calm down!
Nursing StudentsNCLEXArticle
Since the forum is clogging up with a bazillion threads all asking the same questions, maybe we can streamline this. If your question is here....Yay! If not....post away
Don't freak out.
The PVT is reasonably reliable, but NOT 100% accurate. Feel free to celebrate or despair, but nothing is concrete until you get your official results.
Please don't ask "IS THIS THE GOOD POPUP??"...
Then post the same phrases that are already posted at least a hundred times in recent pages. The only "bad" popup--and the one that seems to freak people out (and did I mention STOP freaking out?)-- is being directed to a page where you can put in your credit card information. Typically, this does mean you have failed, but it is NOT 100% ACCURATE.
Conversely, if you got something that says "your results are on hold" or "you cannot schedule an exam at this time" or ANYTHING OTHER THAN the credit card page, it means, quite simply, that you have *probably* passed....but is NOT 100% accurate.
If you see your "results are on hold", you might have issues other than the NCLEX itself; passing the NCLEX is not a guarantee of getting a license. It's a big hurdle, to be sure, but not the only determining factor. That's why you had the whole application process prior to being allowed to sit for the exam. Usually, people know when they might have a 'snag' when trying to get a professional license, so you might want to keep that in mind. In a nutshell, the PVT really IS a "trick", it's not to be considered as reality. Seeing your license number next to your name on the BON website, or receiving official notice in the mail, now THAT'S reality! ​
Finally, regarding the PVT: if you are the type who IS going to freak out, please don't use the thing. You'll STILL be freaking out regardless of what the results say, as evidenced by the aforementioned bazillion posts. If you're not going to believe the results....don't bother.
The breakdown of the questions (SATA, etc etc etc etc.....) isn't important.
I have YET to see it matter when people post a menu of every type of question they got, and how many of each....either they passed or they failed, and the format of their questions is irrelevant.
The answer to "has anyone ever passed with XX number of questions?!?" is a resounding YES.
People have passed or failed with every number between 75 and 265. And what can you read into it if you answered 104 questions or 195? Not much.
The only thing that IS worth noting about the number of questions answered is...
For the NCLEX-RN, the minimum number of questions that can be offered is 75. If the computer shuts off after you've answered #75, you might have demonstrated a competency at or above the passing standard throughout the exam, and the computer doesn't need any more computations to arrive at the conclusion you passed in those 75 questions. Yay you! HOWEVER, you also might have demonstrated that you were far enough below passing standard by the 75th question that the computer "knows" that it wouldn't matter how many more questions it could offer you, you still wouldn't pass. In which case, you've failed in 75 questions. Sorry.
Wear something comfortable.
It's not a fashion show, nor are you going off to war.
Eat enough so you're not hungry during the test and remember to be hydrated. There's no magic formula of "what do I eat for the NCLEX??"; whatever doesn't give you headaches but does give you energy and ability to focus is good. Changing your diet to suit what someone else said was what you should or should not eat is bad.
BREATHE!!!!
By far the biggest problem anyone has with this horrible test is themselves. Psyching themselves out, freaking out, and on and on. By all means, when you leave the testing center, have a really good cry to get it out of your system (man, do I remember that!) but please don't let this get you so freaked you CAN'T focus on the test.
You worked for this, you studied for it, you've sweated and cried and laughed and totally have wrapped your entire lives around this one moment: NCLEX!!! So.....own it!
