NCSBN Learning Ext course

[KJM-RN]

I have gone through the 2013-2014 Kaplan book and did very well on their tests (70's-90's). I am still doing questions out of the LaCharity book. I also have the blue Saunders Q&A book, but haven't used it much. I am doing the NCSBN course and am taking the NCLEX in a week. I find that I am not doing that well on the NCSBN questions, mostly getting in the 60's, sometimes 70's but rarely the 75% they say for passing. I often find their questions to be confusing and I'm not even sure what exactly they're asking me. Also a lot of their questions seem to be content questions and not necessarily NCLEX style.

Does anyone that is taking or has taken the NCSBN learning extension course feel the same way?

I'm wondering how I should focus my studying for this last week, drop the NCSBN course and pick up the Saunders book or try and do a little of both? I'm definitely going to continue with the LaCharity book too.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I actually do feel very prepared for the NCLEX next week. I did very well in school and don't suffer from test anxiety. NCSBN was making me nervous bc it says passing is 75%, and I'm not always getting that, but definitely close to it. I'm finding Saunders questions to be pretty easy and their select all that applies are way easier than Kaplans.

I'm curious which sources select all that apply questions are more similar to the boards- Saunders, Kaplan, or NCSBN?

For me, I thought that Saunders was closer, although NCSBN is a very close second. My SATAs felt closer to Saunders.

[SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP]

I didn't do great with the NCSBN questions but I passed NCLEX with no trouble 75 questions in and out and felt NCSBN helped me the most besides school and lots of practice questions. I was doing so poorly I almost cried, then I took the Hurst practice tests and felt more confident. I didn't even finish the learning extension review I just did my weak areas and tested as soon as possible, about four weeks after my last final.

[FineAgain]

I used the NCSBN for a couple of weeks before the NCLEX...found it to be helpful just because of the variety of questions, and I learned from the rationales. I found the NCLEX to be MUCH easier than the practice questions. If I had it to do over again, I probably would not use the NCSBN, I would stick with my ATI practice exams, and...my Saunders book and cd were invaluable. I had a hard time with SATA's and with the cd I could practice only those if I wanted to. I passed with 75 questions -- good luck!

[KJM-RN, BSN]

I used the NCSBN for a couple of weeks before the NCLEX...found it to be helpful just because of the variety of questions and I learned from the rationales. I found the NCLEX to be MUCH easier than the practice questions. If I had it to do over again, I probably would not use the NCSBN, I would stick with my ATI practice exams, and...my Saunders book and cd were invaluable. I had a hard time with SATA's and with the cd I could practice only those if I wanted to. I passed with 75 questions -- good luck![/quote']

Thanks for the advice. I think I agree that if I knew better I wouldn't have purchased NCSBN, but since I did I'm going to continue to use it along with Saunders and PDA till next Tuesday. Glad to hear others saying the same as I was thinking about NCSBN.

Sometimes the correct answer contradicts the correct answer for a different question. I just had a question about what to do first for RSV, I picked isolation precautions and it was wrong then later I had a similar question but for meningitis so I picked institute seizure precautions but it was institute isolation precautions.

I really thought purchasing a review course by the makers of the NCLEX would be best, but apparently they're trying to throw us off. I'm sure the course will help me, but I definitely don't think it's worth the money with so many other better sources, although I won't know for sure until next week.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Sometimes the correct answer contradicts the correct answer for a different question. I just had a question about what to do first for RSV, I picked isolation precautions and it was wrong then later I had a similar question but for meningitis so I picked institute seizure precautions but it was institute isolation precautions.

I wanted to highlight this because this is important....the QUESTION is ASKING you a totally different scenario...it is NOT knowledge based...I know what questions you are talking about, and I know why you got tripped up.

One question asked you about safe, effective care, whereas the next question was asking about health promotion and maintenance. Go with the four main subjects in what the question asks you, as well as the rationale. You will get questions like this on the NCLEX. Understand what they are asking you to do as a licensed nurse: Safe, effective care, health promotion and maintenance, physiological and psychological integrity. Once you look at the NCLEX in that way, the more likely you will choose the BEST answer.

[KJM-RN, BSN]

I find the 'what to do or who to see first...' questions the hardest. I've definitely been getting a lot better at them and I understand what you're saying somewhat. I need to read the whole question throughly and not just look at "RSV" or "meningitis", to be able to assess exactly what they're asking in each particular question. Thanks for the reminder, that is what the NCLEX is all about, it's just easy to quickly read the question and pick an answer.

[MERESA-RN]

I just found out I failed NCLEX RN for the first time yesterday. I went ahead and signed up again, I can test in 45 days. Putting me around Sept 5/6. Any suggestions on study material? I used Kaplan and a little bit of Saunders the first time around. My scores were high 60-80% on Kaplan so I am a little upset the program didn't workout for me because I was told my scores indicated a passing NCLEX. I was looking to NCSBN, any thoughts?

[stoseibo]

for my last week, i soley went over my rationales from the questiosn i did from day 1 when i started preparing... ncsbn can be confusing and i did it for like 1 day if that, but the questions and rationales i got from there that i thought were interesting i just kinda made a note to self in my head and what i thougght was bogus i just ignorred it

[MERESA-RN]

ya i guess im just going to stick with saunders and kaplan. they seem to be the most frequently used sources and have the best passing rates. i agree with ncsbn being confusing, i guess thats why they are the makers of nclex. blah!!