NCLEX

Nursing Students NCLEX

Published

Nurses Month 2024 | Discounts & Freebies AORN Celebrates Nurses Month
Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

I am a new graduate nurse, getting ready to take boards. Is Saunders a good book to review, & is the Kaplan class good also?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Hi and welcome to the site,

I liked Saunders but a lot will depend on how you study and what works for you. Some do really well with Kaplan where others fail with Kaplan.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

How do I study Saunders with Suzanne's plan?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
How do I study Saunders with Suzanne's plan?

Check the 2 stickies regarding her plan on the main NCLEX forum, it will explain her first tip which is a review and her requirements for the rest

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You have to decide what is best for you. Many pass when they use Suzanne's plan with the Saunders book. Others use other strategies, it just depends on how you are with the material. You just need to be consistent in your approach. Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

I am going to get my 15 posts so I can use Suzanne's plan. I am a very poor test taker. I want to pass this test the first time & be done. Tomorrow I will go out & buy the Saunders 4th Edition NCLEX RN book. :wink2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think it is up to you. When I graduated (May 2000), I took the Kaplan course and spent lots of money on different books. I still haven't pass. I am doing suzanne's plan. I just completed the saunders book. When I took Kaplan, I had an instructor for the first week(my entire class took the course together) and then you are pretty much on your own. It didn't work for me. Check and see if Kaplan still gives you your money back if you don't pass the first time. I know that's how it was in 2000. Not sure how it works now. I wish you the best of luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

Hi FaithinGod2009,

I am in the process of doing Kaplan now, you are so right. The first week you have an instructor going over the questions with you, then you are basically on your own after that. I graduated in December 08. I haven't taken my boards yet, waiting on my ATT. Anyway, I spoke with my Kaplan instructor & told her that I'm not making good grades on the practice tests, well she suggested that I go to another class, it's no Kaplan class close to me. The closest one is like 3 hours away I told her. I'm a new graduate, I don't have money to be driving 3 hours away to another Kaplan class I told her. So she suggested that I talk to my closest Kaplan center director. Well I called him & even sent him emails. He never returned them. So I am planning on doing Suzanne's plan. Right now I am going through all the chapters in the Saunders book & working on the questions at the end of the chapters. Right now my grades are averaging on the practice tests from 40%-60%. I know that is not good. I am trying to work on the test taking strategy also. Kaplan does offer a money back guarantee. Thank you & I will keep you in my prayers also. GOD answer prayers!!:wink2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In my opinion, Kaplan is a COMPLETE rip off and a waste of money. Their services are outrageously high, and they offer no more preparation than anybody else. Fortunately for them, they have the money to spend on mass advertisement, and so students pick them to study from. With that said, I used a Saunder's book. Just buy the most recent edition. Only do the test questions at the end of the chapter. Do about 100 per day. Don't do any more than that... otherwise you get burned out. About 100 will do. Understand why the correct answer is the correct answer, and why the other answers are not the right answers. When you finish with the book (which should be pretty fast, since they only have a few questions at the end of each chapter), pop the disk that it comes with in the computer. That baby has thousands of questions on it. Do the exact same thing. Go into the review mode (You have to play around with it to find it) and do about 100 per day. Understand all of the answers. When you go back the next day, just remember which number you were on and pick up from there (200,300, 500, etc.). Do this and you'll pass (and save your money).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am going to get my 15 posts so I can use Suzanne's plan. I am a very poor test taker. I want to pass this test the first time & be done. Tomorrow I will go out & buy the Saunders 4th Edition NCLEX RN book. :wink2:

Please read the first tip thread, it states that you must actually complete the first tip before contacting me. There is no reason to rush to get the 15 posts made, that is not needed to complete the first tip. More than likely it is going to take you several weeks to get the first tip done and that is more than enough time to get 15 meaningful posts.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hi FaithinGod2009,

I am in the process of doing Kaplan now, you are so right. The first week you have an instructor going over the questions with you, then you are basically on your own after that. I graduated in December 08. I haven't taken my boards yet, waiting on my ATT. Anyway, I spoke with my Kaplan instructor & told her that I'm not making good grades on the practice tests, well she suggested that I go to another class, it's no Kaplan class close to me. The closest one is like 3 hours away I told her. I'm a new graduate, I don't have money to be driving 3 hours away to another Kaplan class I told her. So she suggested that I talk to my closest Kaplan center director. Well I called him & even sent him emails. He never returned them. So I am planning on doing Suzanne's plan. Right now I am going through all the chapters in the Saunders book & working on the questions at the end of the chapters. Right now my grades are averaging on the practice tests from 40%-60%. I know that is not good. I am trying to work on the test taking strategy also. Kaplan does offer a money back guarantee. Thank you & I will keep you in my prayers also. GOD answer prayers!!:wink2:

Not sure how you are going thru the chapters if you have not purchased the book as of yet, at least the 4th edition if you are taking the RN exam. My first tip actually tells you not to do anything with the chapter, but to take the quiz first without reading it, then if you do not pass, to read the chapter and then retest. If your scores are that low, you may wish to take a reading comprehension course, that may be an issue for you and why you were having problems with the Kaplan program as well. One word off in your understanding of something and it could then mean another answer to the question.

My program was also designed to be done 100% on its own, it should not be started if you are still completing the Kaplan program as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical/Surgical.

I used Saunders and Kaplan. I actually borrowed the Kaplan book from my local library! No review courses at all. And passed. I suppose it's different for everyone! Read the rationales!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment