Nclex!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Oct 1, 2004

Did you go to school in the US? By chance, are you still in the same area where you went to school? Is the school NLN accredited?

It is not likely, if you attended a US school, that the NCLEX material wasn't taught, this is why I ask.

See if they will let you sit in on some classes to refresh your memory, or if they have a computer lab, maybe you can practice with some of the software you used in school.

This is frustrating, but it will help to get a sense of where you have been and where you are. Clearly, you have not been going "where you want to go."

It is possible. You just need some help getting there is all.

Please stay in touch--I'll watch for this thread.

MissNurse-1 · Oct 3, 2004

You would think that it is impossible, but it is exactly how my school was. I graduated from acred. nursing school, even better, one of best (at least it used to be when I applied), in Indiana. We did not have any entry exam to school, just according to you GPA. Let me tell you that we did not have pharmacology course AT ALL!!!, it was integrated in nursing classes. But during this process we were not tought nor drug interactins neither doses or nursing implementations according these drugs. Basically, we were given names of the meds. ( I do not count clinicals, they were better). During our pediatric didatic part, child diseases were not covered at all, except general med-surg diseases. No orthopedic concept was covered also. I can continue this list on and on.

But all this material is covered on board. So, do you have any suggestions now?

jemb · Oct 3, 2004

I am wondering if English is your native language. Could that be part of the problem?

Did everyone from your school have similar problems with the boards?

Da Monk · Oct 3, 2004

Where in the world is this school of yours?

MissNurse-1 · Oct 4, 2004

English may be a part of this problem, but when I am doing practice questions from NCLEX CD's I score pretty good. I graduated from Indiana University School of Nursing at Indianapolis.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Oct 4, 2004

English may be a part of this problem, but when I am doing practice questions from NCLEX CD's I score pretty good. I graduated from Indiana University School of Nursing at Indianapolis.

1) See about getting a tutor for English. You didn't say whether you were a "native English speaker." Either way, it's fixable. Many people, even those born here, have, for one reason or another, difficulty with reading or writing. It's not a matter of smart or not, it is a matter of "different." There are adult literacy programs where you can get great help for free. If "English may be a problem," you qualify. (My Mom volunteers in this manner in California, so I know a little....) Check with your local library.

2) I also did not have a formal "pharmacology" course, our drug info was integrated into our general nursing courses, and we learned the specifics by preparing thoroughly for our clinicals. At least I did--I don't know what my classmates did! :rolleyes: Generally, your coursework sounds OK--maybe even good. Your school certainly is a good one. Go back to your favorite nursing instructor(s) and see about getting to use the computer software (I'm assuming you had that) to review what you learned in school.

3) I cannot recommend this strongly enough: get Mosby's online NCLEX review. It is cheap, it is thorough, it gives you rationales for all the answers. You get unlimited uses for 30 days. I believe it also gives you harder questions as you get some right, and easier ones as you miss some, just like the NCLEX does. I recommend taking a test a day (150 questions) in a very quiet setting. No studying, just test taking. If you can do this at home, turn the TV off (I hate that too, but do it!), no coffee, no food. Set the timer in another room for 1 hour or two, and allow yourself a 20 minute break if you want. When you are done with each test, look at the areas you did well AND CONGRATULATE YOURSELF. Then look where you need to work. Look at those specific questions (they "give" you a little 60 page booklet in pdf format for EACH practice test you take--no kidding!).

It does sound like you are "coming from behind the power curve." But you can succeed if you want to badly enough. What lengths are you willing to go to? If you can honestly say, "I'm willing to go to any lengths," you have fewer problems than you think. Lack of motivation is the hardest problem to "fix."

I believe you can do this. You passed nursing school, which, IMHO, was much harder than the NCLEX.