NCLEX review book(s)

Kringe38 · Apr 30, 2010

I don't think it's too early. In fact, my school required us to buy one right at the beginning - it's called Comprehensive Review of NCLEX-RN, Reviews & Rationales, by Mary Ann Hogan. I haven't gotten any other NCLEX books so I can't compare, but it seems like a good book to me and is actually very useful even just studying for regular old tests as an adjunct to what is in our other textbooks, not just for the NCLEX, IMO.

RNTutor, BSN, RN · May 1, 2010

Agreed. The Hogan book is my favorite, and I recommend it to anyone who asks. It's never to early to get it, use it as a study tool and be practicing NCLEX questions on a regular basis. One thing I really like about that book is that it come with a great cd with over 5000 questions, and you can select certain topics to get questions from. So if you have a Cardiac exam coming up, you can select to only answer Cardiac questions and be studying for both your exam and NCLEX at the same time. Very efficient :)

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · May 1, 2010

I had one before my first semester :) It is nice to practice questions (and also read the chapters) on material that you are learning in class. I personally love Saunders' NCLEX book and the Prentice Hall Reviews & Rationales NCLEX book :)

rbytsdy · May 1, 2010

I study for my exams using Saunders (I've never tried Hogan's so I'm going to check that out!!!). It's broken out by "system" so that it makes it very easy for studying. I can't even begin to tell you how many questions I've practiced on Saunders that wound up on my class exams.

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · May 1, 2010

Thanks so much guys!

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · May 6, 2010

Is the Saunders book you guys are recommending, the blue comprehensive review book? There's different ones, I just want to make sure I'm getting the right one. Any input on the Q&A Saunders book?

Intern67 · May 6, 2010

I'm just finishing up my 2nd semester (yay me), is it to early to bother buying a review book? I know this may be a dumb question because I know of some students that buy one BEFORE their 1st semester, lol. But seriously, should I? Any suggestions on which one(s)? Thanks everyone!

This is NOT a dumb question! 2nd semester is a great time to buy a review book.

Getting started early with NCLEX review books is not a bad idea, but I notice that I didn't get very much out of the books without any theory or clinical experience. I have an old Davis book and the new Kaplan strategies book, but the information was difficult to internalize. As the academic demand built up and I was getting 90-97% on theory exams, I kind of forgot about the review books. As second semester started to wind down, I noticed some bad things happening.

I wasn't getting any better at theory test questions. I was fine if I absolutely KNEW the answer, but I was crap at selecting between two answers. In fact, I was doing far worse than a coin flip when selecting between two. Then the HESI tests started and I began bombing them.

As an A student, I got 666 on our HESI Assessment Exam. Sheesh! Again, I was frustrated because I seemed to have a knack for picking the wrong damn answer every damn time. I was starting to just "give up" on questions where I did not absolutely know the answer. I emailed my professor with my concerns and she said that older students seem to have a hard time with these exams and it often helps to use the NCLEX books.

I bought Saunders NCLEX review near the end of second semester and started it from the very beginning. An eye-opening experience! After a year in school, the strategies they laid out made far more sense now than they did to a green nursing student. Applying strategies and eliminating wrong answers became much easier and I started applying myself to take a couple chapters and practice questions a day.

Later, on our HESI Mid-Cirricular Exam, I improved my score to 928, a huge jump for me. Not a stellar score by any means, but I'll take at and using the Saunders NCLEX book made a big difference in my test taking attitude and skills.

Good luck!

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 6, 2010

Is the Saunders book you guys are recommending, the blue comprehensive review book? There's different ones, I just want to make sure I'm getting the right one. Any input on the Q&A Saunders book?

I would say if you are doing RN then get the RN comprehensive edition (blue one) if doing PN then get the green one

Kringe38 · May 6, 2010

Is the Saunders book you guys are recommending, the blue comprehensive review book? There's different ones, I just want to make sure I'm getting the right one. Any input on the Q&A Saunders book?

I believe the blue one is the LPN or LVN book and the one with a sort of maroon color on it is for RN. I have the maroon one.

I haven't looked at the Q&A book - actually haven't even seen that one. Sounds interesting.

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · May 6, 2010

Thanks so much guys for your input. And thank you intern67 for sharing your experience...I'm glad it helped you! Well I ordered the blue book. It's for RN...says so right on the front. It's the same RN review book I flipped through in B&N. Thanks all....I'm sure it'll come in handy. :)

Kringe38 · May 6, 2010

Oh, okay, I wasn't paying attention. You were talking about the Saunders. I have the Prentice Hall and it is maroon and the LPN one is blue so that was throwing me off and I didn't pay attention to the "Saunders" in there. :uhoh3: I guess I need more practice with reading comprehension!