NCLEX to 265 - worried!

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

Look to the only person that has options in this situation...YOU! What, because you think you didn't so as well in the NCLEX makes you unique or powerless? No my dear...you just joined the ranks as a nurse..something we all go through! And boy...personally I was a friggen wreck waiting for the test results..I was so positive I failed!!!!!!!!

Nope..I didn't!!!!!! But two weeks of he** waiting for the answer almost made me quit!

Wait for the results, and if you didn't make it...guess what..you can retake! YOu have options...so don't limit yourself by emotions...think logically. If I didn't make it this time (never think you failed...there is nothing you failed...you just had some severe test anxiety!)...you will retest! Simple..and next time, you will be the wiser and maybe not overstudy (which does nothing but increase anxiety..if you are a good student like you say...the answers are in there...but you have to focus on being able to retrieve them...and one way..being calm and rational! Trust me..a skill you will use as a nurse A LOT!).

Focus not on the test..that is over....focus on your plan!

BTW..that BS about taking the test right away...nonsence! I took mine 4 months after because I chose to get married and have a honeymoon as a present to myself and my family for putting up with nursing school. I took my time and studied the NCLEX books and what not very causually. Again I assumed that I know the info...I just have to LEARN to retrieve it under stress! I passed!!!!! And why not...it isn't like the makers of the NCLEX and the BON don't want it so hard nurses can't make it...they need nurses...

Good luck! And take some time out for yourself if possible..you worked your tooshie off...it is not under your control now...this would be the time for you..the time between the role of the RN that demands so much time and spirit..and the person you were before. Trust me...wish I could go back some days to the person I was before..LOL!

nrschris · Jan 28, 2005

thanks so much for your words of wisdom and advice - I really need a massage! I'll try to relax - good luck to you!

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

Hey no probelm...and I really wish I could find a way to give you my memories and strength to hold to...I mean..seriously I was a wreck waiting...and now that I see it in the past...it was a waste of time worrying! But for someone there...well, you can say it..but the feeling of being through it is really the clincher and I can't give that to you no matter how much I wish to!

There is a constant though...believing in yourself! That never changes no matter what situation! Keep the faith of you...and yeah...get to a spa..if you were near me we both would! LOL!!!!!!! (heck..you may be...who knows...LOL!).

Okay lets look at the positive here...so you pass (which if you did well in school I would put on the higher end of possibility than not), where do you want to go? What specialty? What is your plan after? Lets focus on that and trust me..far more positive! LOL!

You know what I did to help me...okay this is silly as heck...but I got a nursing cap (I didn't get one at grad..pain in the tooshie to find one!!!!!!!), and put in on my nightstand at graduation. Then I put a picture of my family and friends beside it. SO every morning I saw the future that I wanted to see... Sounds dumb but so far SO GOOD! Then that day when I got the license...OMG I got to put that sucker on and say a huge screaming YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...and I did...I must have scared the neighbors. Do you have a little treat like that for yourself? I say you deserve it...so why not? It is almost ceremonial! And a type of interesting closure from who you once were...to who you are now (as we do as we advance in this crazy career..there is no true going back after all this! And shouldn't...the achievements last a lifetime!).

Another crazy thing...and just proven to still be strong as of yesterday. Okay I like daffodills, reminds me of tough times fading (ie winter) and making a lovely change come warmer times (ie spring). I saw a daffodill yesterday (must have been forced...but still), and got all excited...kinda like what I went through when I got that "yes you passed!". If you have a mental link like that..go out and get yourself some daffodills or roses or whatever....and place them where you can see them...heck..say they were from me too...because I don't even know you..but can relate and am hoping for the best!!!!!!!

and well....btw...Congratulations NURSE! You graduated so you are one, now just the pesky test to see what state..that is all.... Start practicing your signature...:) :) :)

Fun2, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

I think I read on one of the posts on here that it doesn't matter how many questions you have.

Some people pass with 75, some with 265, and of course some people fail either way as well.

BUT..... It all depends on the type of questions you were given. If you were given MOSTLY easier questions, then it will give you more.

Since you said you knew many of them, I would think you have a good chance of passing.

At any rate.....whether you do or not, thank goodness you can retake it, and know what to expect! :)

Good luck.....and let us know either way! Your friends at Allnurses will be here to celebrate, or make you feel better, and encourage you to not give up. :flowersfo

crystalbluern · Jan 28, 2005

It is hard to wait. My daughter graduated in December also. She took her Boards this week and was totally freaking out because she also took 265 questions. We kept checking on the Louisiana State Board of Nursing site for "License Verification" and finally it posted. ACTIVE LICENSE Exp 2006!! YEAH!! You might be able to go the your state site and check for early notification that way. Good Luck!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

The number of questions is only the number of questions. Not an indication of whether you passed or failed. It's a tough wait and good luck to you. Hang in there and keep in touch.

raindrop · Jan 29, 2005

It is hard to wait. My daughter graduated in December also. She took her Boards this week and was totally freaking out because she also took 265 questions. We kept checking on the Louisiana State Board of Nursing site for "License Verification" and finally it posted. ACTIVE LICENSE Exp 2006!! YEAH!! You might be able to go the your state site and check for early notification that way. Good Luck!

HaHaHa. I bet your daughter was on that website 24/7 until she saw that??? Haha.

So, your daughter found out before getting the official letter. How long after she took the test was her "active license" posted online? How long after her discover online did it take for the letter to finally arrive?

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Jan 29, 2005

hey guys - i took the nclex yesterday and now i am freaking out. here is my hx: i graduated last dec, and all my teachers said to take the test early - there was a better chance for me to pass. so i studied for hours on end since graduation. and plus, ok, i am an excellent student. i thought that all my studying was just going to be review (although throughout my "review" i was like, "i studied that before????). but i went into it feeling blah, but confident enough. i took the test yesterday and it passed 75, then 100, then 150... and i couldn't believe it...oh my goodness - it went all the way to 265! now i am freaking out. i was sure on half of them, and the other half of those questions i didn't know. and honestly guys, i studied like 5,000 questions from various books/cd roms/etc. i don't know how much more i could've done. please give me some positive feedback. i am feeling really down and lost and just really sad right now. i am trying to relax and forget about it but i really can't stop crying. i mean, does it mean i failed? am i one of those that "do well in school but fail the nclex???" thanks for reading and i wish you all the best....

you were still in the game!

personally, i would be more worried if i got cut off at question 232 than 265. the way nclex works, it keeps giving you questions if it hasn't decided your competency.

if you finished all 265 and you didn't run out of time, then that means you were very borderline and the computer couldn't get a good "read" on you. what i was told from the kaplan nclex people was that if you get all 265 and you haven't run out of time, it's your answer to that last question that decides your fate.

if you get shut off at 75 either you were very competent or very not competent: you wouldn't have passed if you had taken every question on the test. but most likely, at 75 you probably did pass.

if you get shut off during the middle of the test it has been able to determine your level of competency. your chances of passing are about 50/50.

however, if you run out of time in the middle of the test, it looks at a percent (such as... the last 20% of the total number of questions taken) of the last questions that you answered. it then decides competency from the answers and level of difficulty of those questions.

for nclex, there is this imaginary line of competency. you start out just below it, and you work your way up until you're above this magic line. the questions are harder above the "line", they are easier below the "line". you miss one, you go down a notch and get an easier question. if you get that one right, then you get a harder question and move up a step.

if you were "above" the line of competency in the difficulty in your questions, you passed. kaplan told us that if you get all 265 and you are not out of time yet, you are either just above the line or at it. if you answered that last question correctly, you passed... if the pc gave you that question, then that means that you were very very close to passing. if you failed, it was so boarderline the pc couldn't make a decision and had to base it on the answer to that question. but, i doubt you failed.

i know for a fact that 5 of the people i graduated with took the entire 265. they all passed! the first time! so it will be ok!

it'll be ok! the nclex really sucks, i know what you were going through. but it will be over soon. does your state have rapid results? did you get any of the new questions?

edited to add: remember, everyone who takes the test answers about 50% right and 50% wrong. it's all about the level of difficulty. also, there is those 15 questions that are test questions (to see if they are good questions) in there that aren't a part of your score. so, even if you think that you didn't get the last one right, don't get upset! just wait it out. most likely, you passed!

RNview · Jan 29, 2005

Focus not on the test..that is over....focus on your plan!

I agree with TriageRN. I understand how you feel right now. In fact, I just went through the same situation in Dec. 2004. I finished the 265 questions. Guess what? I passed. The waiting was like he**. I have friends calling me and asking me about the result which didn't help at all. I just kept myself busy and relax in between. The exam itself was very stressful, I deserve to relax after the exam. "I did my best out there and now I just wait." That was what was going through my mind during the waiting. I also made plans in case I didn't pass (which kind of prepare myself for the unexpected). There was nothing else I could do but wait... then move on.

BTW..that BS about taking the test right away...nonsence! I took mine 4 months after because I chose to get married and have a honeymoon as a present to myself and my family for putting up with nursing school. I took my time and studied the NCLEX books and what not very causually. Again I assumed that I know the info...I just have to LEARN to retrieve it under stress! I passed!!!!! And why not...it isn't like the makers of the NCLEX and the BON don't want it so hard nurses can't make it...they need nurses...

That is very true. Nobody else would know if you are prepared enough, only YOU. Again, I've gone through this one too. I did the same thing as TriageRN did. I chose to get married and enjoy the family life. But as I have said, only YOU can judge yourself if you're ready to take the NCLEX or not. Doesn't matter if you're fresh from school or not. As you have said, you've studied really hard to get ready for the exam. I think you did great! Goodluck and Cheer Up :)

RNview · Jan 29, 2005

HaHaHa. I bet your daughter was on that website 24/7 until she saw that??? Haha.
So, your daughter found out before getting the official letter. How long after she took the test was her "active license" posted online? How long after her discover online did it take for the letter to finally arrive?

I was like raindrops daughter... 24/7 on the website. :chuckle I gave it a break though. I controlled myself and checked the web after 3 days (which takes forever by the way). I remember myself when I was checking it online, my hands were shaking and I felt like I was chocking. :rotfl: In California, it takes 3 days to come out online. The official Certificate arrived after 1-2 weeks. That was the best day of the year so far!

crystalbluern · Jan 29, 2005

HaHaHa. I bet your daughter was on that website 24/7 until she saw that??? Haha.
So, your daughter found out before getting the official letter. How long after she took the test was her "active license" posted online? How long after her discover online did it take for the letter to finally arrive?

Yes, we was very glad we didn't have to wait through the weekend, the long distance pep talks were getting expensive. She took the test Wednesday and it was posted as a valid license with the LA state board on Friday Afternoon.