Nclex today 4/16 75 questions and the good pop up!!

morningstarRN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

It is official, I passed!! The PVT was right. I am so happy and relieved. Sending good luck wishes and prayers to everyone who will soon be taking the NCLEX. If I can do this you can totally do this too.

morningstarRN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

Several people have sent PM's asking how I studied. My plan worked for me but preparing is a very individual thing. Having said that here is how I went about the process. To graduate our program we took the ATI predictor test. I scored a 86% which gave me a 99% chance of passing the nclex in my first try. I was surprised I did that well on the ATI predictor because throughout the program I did okay with ATI but not great. I used my results to focus on content areas that might need some brushing up. I did that prior to graduating my program. After I graduated I took one week off to just decompress. Then I scheduled my NCLEX exam for 3 weeks out. I used the saunders CD and the kaplan qtrainer link I found on this site. I had a bunch of other books but found that I needed to focus more on how to break the questions down and eliminate answers rather than content. I did not use the books to prepare and instead focused on doing 300-500 questions per day 5 days a week for the three weeks prior to the exam. I read all rationales and strategy tips for each question. I spent about 6 hours per day doing this. Once I became familiar with how to break the questions down I found I could often arrive at the right answer even when I didn't recognize the disease/med/ etc. This really boosted my confidence. I also read the study guide that was posted on this site all the way through 4 times. I made flashcards of all lab values and diagnostic type tests. I made sure I had memorized the infection control precautions from the study guide. For meds I studied them as classifications rather than individual. For me there were just too many to know each on their own. I made flash cards with info for about 30 classes and their most important signs, symptoms, effects, and adverse reactions. I learned their prefixes and suffixes. When I took the kaplan qtrainers I averaged between 65 to 79% and saunders I averaged 85%. I then put it in Gods hands and went ahead and took the NCLEX. I was nervous up to the time I entered the testing site and then a calmness came over me. I am thankful for that because I became super focues while testing. I found once the questions became more difficult on the exam that I needed to say a prayer and just keep going. Don't panic and don't give up even when it feels like you don't recognize any of the answers. Follow your rules for breaking the questions down. Take a deep breath and use those critical thinking skills you have developed in school. I think that pretty much covers what I did to pass. I hope this helps a little. The test is difficult but I found that I had made it much bigger in my mind than what it was in reality.

JENURSE03_RN, MSN, DNP, RN · Apr 17, 2012

This is good! Congratulations!

Tuesday17 · Apr 17, 2012

:cheers: Hope I'll be in your place in a week! CONGRATS NEW NURSE AND GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

Ayala · Apr 17, 2012

YAY!!! Congrats! Well done!

All the rest of you NCLEXers are in my prayers.

naturelle · Apr 17, 2012

Yes! Thank you.

I would like to know how you studied. I have Saunders and just purchased Kaplan review.

I sure hope that means I passed! :) I used the saunders cd and kaplan q trainer only. I also used the study guide from this site. My qtrainer 7 score was 68%. I got higher results with saunders but their content seemed a little easier. Once I know for sure if I passed I will post a little more about how I used the cd and qtrainer and some things I found helpful. :)

morningstarRN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

I posted info on how I studied a few responses before yours. Scroll back up a bit and you should find it. :) Good luck with your studies and the exam!

sofiamcclain · Apr 17, 2012

I sure hope that means I passed! :) I used the saunders cd and kaplan q trainer only. I also used the study guide from this site. My qtrainer 7 score was 68%. I got higher results with saunders but their content seemed a little easier. Once I know for sure if I passed I will post a little more about how I used the cd and qtrainer and some things I found helpful. :)

In order to find out for sure if you passed the exam you need to try to register for the exam again in pearson vue, if the system stops you before letting you eneter the cc number you passed. Also the next day or so go to the board of nursing website and check for active licenses under your name, Mine showed up the next day.

http://www.ca.rn.gov

morningstarRN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

Yes, that is what I did and that is why I said I got the good pop up. :) Anway, it has been 24 hours and my license is now active on my states (Washington) BON. I am pretty excited :)

prettyflor2003 · Apr 18, 2012

Hi morningstarRN, Congrats to you. I just got my RN license as well few weeks ago however my husband and I thinking about moving to Washington. I am just very concerned about the job vacancies. Here in california its pretty tough a lot of nurses but few job offers how about in Washington. Whats the best place to live there?

morenoe · Apr 19, 2012

Congradulations!!!!!!!!!

morningstarRN, RN · Apr 19, 2012

prettyflor2003 the job market is very tough here right now too. which part of the state were you considering? i am in the pacific northwest rather than the eastern portion of the state. i am half an hour or so north of seattle. it is beautiful here, but the eastern half of the state gets a ton more sunshine and much hotter temps. it really depends on what you are looking for and is hard to say which area is best to live.