NCLEX RN - failed three times in Canada.

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Hello everyone,

I am from Canada where this year was the first year the NCLEX RN exam has been administered as our licensing exam. I am a student who graduated the program with distinction. I worked my butt off for four years, and now I'm stuck trying to pass this exam. I have taken it three times, wrote the full 265 questions each time and ended up right under the mark. I'm devastated. I love nursing, and I'm determined to not give up. I have used different study materials, but I'm just lost on where I should go from here. Any advice from multiple test takers?

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Specializes in Addictions, psych, corrections, transfers.

First, do you have test anxiety issues? If not, it could be application issues. I am a fact person so it was hard for me see how everything goes together in a disease process with all the intricacies and meds. I was barely getting C's in med/surg because I could recite the facts and all the labs verbatim but I couldn't apply them very well. By luck, I found a nurse on youtube that makes amazing videos and really explains how everything works and goes together with fun ways to remember. He saved me and my fellow nursing students from failing. The videos are free. Look up Simplenursing on youtube. He has tons of videos. I ended up graduating with a 4.0 and passed my NCLEX the first time. I really recommend him. His name is Michael Lineares. Youtube was my savior in nursing school. Sometimes just studying a different way is the key. Good luck and keep that head up. You can do it!

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Thank you! What did you use for study materials? I definitely have test anxiety, I have used multiple study tools and taken readiness exams that say I should be passing the exam, yet no luck.

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Hey there. I'm sorry to hear about your exams. I'm also a Canadian tester and I failed my exam last week with 265 questions and received near passing on all categories. Like what the other user said, I find it difficult to apply what I read to clinical scenarios. When I had exhibit questions, I couldn't figure out what the question was asking me

for. I would look at the answers and then the lab values or info listed on the exhibit and look for something abnormal and go from there but then get stuck after that. I am at a loss and I don't know what to do next. I've been using Uworld and I get the questions wrong because I end up either doubting myself or not reading the answers properly-- I guess those played a critical factor in me failing my exam.

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Hello,

What have you used to study for it?

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Hi there,

I have used saunders, kaplan, lippincott's Q&A review, and uworld. Do you have any suggestions on other good resources? I am debating whether I should just pay the money for hurst review or passpoint, but I'm not sure. I like practicing with questions, I feel like I know the content well, I just tend to over think questions or second guess myself.

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Hi there,

Sorry to hear that you failed as well. It really sucks that we got this test thrown at us without preparation for it. I have been using uworld as well, I find the questions have been super helpful. I am also at a loss as to where I need to focus for studying. I also have a tendency to second guess myself or overthink the question. I hope others from the website will post some helpful tips that can benefit the both of us.

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you listed that you used all the study material that most students say are most helpful....and sorry but other study material? I thought Canada only allows you to attempt the test 3 times!? that includes the CRNE and NCLEX attempts.

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also what were your scores on the practice tests?

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We can only attempt the test three times, but you can apply for a fourth rewrite, if the board feels that it was circumstances such as anxiety, death in the family, etc that caused you to have problems with passing the test. I am strong student academically and I know my material. I think it is the format of the test and the questions that really get me. On practice tests I was scoring anywhere from high 50's to mid 70's.

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Hi there,

I have used Saunders, Uworld and NCSBN. However I didn't get to finish Saunders because I was running out of time.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Thank you! What did you use for study materials? I definitely have test anxiety, I have used multiple study tools and taken readiness exams that say I should be passing the exam, yet no luck.

Did you have test anxiety in nursing school? You said you graduated with distinction.

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