Nclex

Yes, there is lots of stuff on the NCLEX that they never teach you in nursing school -- or at least, that was my experience too when I took the NCLEX-RN in June '08.

I passed because I studied NCLEX questions -- lots and lots of NCLEX questions. I bought NCLEX flash cards, and every spare minute that I wasn't in class or clinical or sleeping, I did NCLEX practice questions. The ones that I got wrong, I would read the explanation on the back of the card, then put the card at the back of the pack. Any question that I got wrong a second time, I would pull out the relevant nursing text book and read up on whatever the topic was. For example, we never discussed autonomic dysreflexia in my NS classes, but it seems to come up in a lot of NCLEX questions, so now I know what it is and what the symptoms are. There's a LOT of the who-do-you-see-first questions, which I got lots better at with practice. Here's a clue -- use the ABC's, ie. airway, breathing, circulation. If anyone is having trouble breathing, you see them first.

I read the Kaplan book, which discusses strategies for answering questions when you don't immediately know the answer -- I found the book quite helpful. I did not bother with the Kaplan course, but lots of people who take it find it helpful too.

I've heard that if you're answering 60 to 70% of your practice questions correctly, you will pass the test. By the time I took the NCLEX, I was getting 75% of my practice questions right, and I passed in 75 questions, first try.

Good luck!

Buy this: http://www.amazon.com/Software-NCLEX-RN-Individual-Version-Windows/dp/B002JJVSBA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1250614182&sr=8-2

It is the Lippincott NCLEX-RN 4,000 questions CD. It was the focus of my studying for the NCLEX. After using this I walked out of the NCLEX with 75 questions (17 select all the apply and no math) thinking it was a joke. I knew I passed when the screen went black.

Keep your chin up! Many Great Nurses fail once or twice....What worked for me was studying the nclex using a computer program.

Hang in there and study and do practice exercises more.

You can do it!

Hold your head up and you will pass the test next go around. Do not be depressed, just focus on passing the text the next time. Believe it or not, I'm trying to be where you are as a LVN.. You can do it, trust in God, He will see you through:icon_hug:

There are a lot of reference materials out there for the NCLEX. Of all the ones I used (mine and fellow students'), Mosby's came the closest to what I saw on the board exam.

Fortunately, my school did an excellent job of preparing us for boards. My school always had a very high pass rate.

I think it's all luck of the draw really. My best advice would be to take a few days off from studying, get out of the house and relax. Then in a week or so try studying agian.

Keep trying, and don't give up!