2nd retake in two weeks!!! Ahhh

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Hey guys, I'm pretty new to the whole nursing forum thing. I would like to, I guess vent a little or shake off the stress of studying and absorbing everything.

Ohkay, I guess a little background from the first time I took the exam. Well as you can see from the title, I did not pass the first time. :arghh:. As most of us know, failing exams are not something to be happy about. They leave you in disbelief and I guess grieving, well, that's what I felt when I first failed the exam. I was a bit anxious the first time and I was filled with doubts that I wasn't going to pass. I guess my knowledge in content wasn't really applied to questions the first time I was reviewing for the exam. I was very focused on getting the content down that I soon realized that it was nothing but dreadful everytime I reviewed content. To make a long story short, I failed. LOL

Now, I'll be taking my boards soon (April 29) and I guess I just need a little encouragement. I feel a bit more confident the second time around. I've been looking up some comments about people posting up their NCLEX exam experiences, it gave me some hope and inspiration to get this exam down. I love this website! :inlove:

Hmm ohkay, so the reason for this post is to get some feedback from you guys or your experiences from the review materials that I've used over the course of my NCLEX-RN prep.

So the first time I reviewed for NCLEX, I had a good 3 months of studying content and answering questions. I used Saunders 6th edition for comprehensive and read it about 2 times the first time. Along with that I had a Davis CD software that my friend lend me, I think it's called "Davis RN success 3rd edition". So what I did, I would answer questions in the morning, read the rationals and then read up on content (in order). I would usually score around 50-60% out of 125 questions I would do, but I just felt like maybe I would have scored lower if I didn't get recycled questions.

Along with that I did the LaCharity PDA. It was really great and it really thought me how to prioritize critical patient care or which patient would be best seen first.

I also did the Kaplan Strategy book. I felt like it was very helpful and the questions that were in that book I felt was very similar to NCLEX.

So after 4 sources, I failed, :o:shy:

So after two months of relaxing, I decided to pick up the books again and try a different approach.

I gave myself atleast 2 months to get ready for this exam. I started reading Saunder's comprehensive book again. I finished it with in a month and a half and now for my last few weeks before my exam, I decided to sign up for the Kaplan qbank only. Because my budget for the reviewer was drained due to the fees of reapplying for the exam, my friend and I decided we would half payment for the qbank. I've been keeping track of my progress in qbank. And here's my results breakdown

My score now would range from 50-60%, just on answering 75 qbank questions.

Sample tests

1- 46%,

2-48%,

3-77% (I was very surprised :woot:),

4-I have yet to take it

I'm not really sure where I stand. But maybe I could get some input on my scores that I'm getting in Kaplan. I'm not too sure if Kaplan is harder than the NCLEX, I've been hearing that quite alot. :shy:

I know I've tried different approaches when it came to reviewing for NCLEX, I've been praying to God that this time when I retake it, it will be his will to make me pass. God does wonders :cat:. The first time I didn't really felt bitter when I failed (well after crying). I guess I had God in mind and how he is simply telling me that it may not be my yet to be a nurse. I just have to keep trying and never losing faith in him and in myself.

Thank you guys for taking time to read and putting your input. May God bless everyone.:nurse: you guys are the bomb.com:angrybird11:

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And I would also like to add, do you guys recommend recycling questions and use it as review?

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hi smyles, I think the more questions you will have in your exam the more chance you will get through your exam, seems like you need to warm up before your best taking exam comes in :) based in your sample exams :)

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Thanks so much arvi. Hopefully I'll shake off the nervousness when the exam comes. May I know what your study materials are and how you prepared for the exam? Man I feel like I'm not reviewing enough even though I spend alot of hours studying :down:

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Thanks so much arvi. Hopefully I'll shake off the nervousness when the exam comes. May I know what your study materials are and how you prepared for the exam? Man I feel like I'm not reviewing enough even though I spend alot of hours studying :down:

I would not suggest any, I think you should stick what materials you have, and more Q&A, because it will provide you more inputs. That's what I did.

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I would not suggest any, I think you should stick what materials you have, and more Q&A, because it will provide you more inputs. That's what I did.

Thanks :yeah: How about your opinion on doing questions you already did. There were at times in Kaplan where I see the same question again. I was also planning to do PDA by LaCharity again but I'm afraid that I might already know the answer to it so instead of having to critically think about the answer, I would just end up picking the right one. :facepalm:

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Thanks :yeah: How about your opinion on doing questions you already did. There were at times in Kaplan where I see the same question again. I was also planning to do PDA by LaCharity again but I'm afraid that I might already know the answer to it so instead of having to critically think about the answer, I would just end up picking the right one. :facepalm:

Its okey, if you encounter the same question, it definitely test you if you knew the answer. In my situation before, I used Saunders Q&A, I have encounter too the same with you, questions where I already took up, but in different format just to test if I knew the answer. The important thing, is that you should need to answer like 2 hours straight or more to maintain your stamina in taking the exam, so you would have your focus on your entire hour of exam. I know you knew that in real exam, your going through a lot more stress compared to studying. So just continue what you doing right now, I bet you will nail this exam. :)

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Thanks so much arvi. Man I'm so scared for the SATA :no:. Thank you so much for the encouragement.

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Thanks so much arvi. Man I'm so scared for the SATA :no:. Thank you so much for the encouragement.

When you get SATA at least you are having correct answers, the more difficult means you are moving to a higher type of questions. :up:

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Hey guys, Hmm just a little updated with my practice questions. So i was able to check a couple of Kaplan qtrainers online and I was fortunate to get some practice done. So far this is what I got

T1: 53%

T2: 60%

T3: 48%

Hmm I'm a bit bummed about my test 3 score :down:. I wasn't sure how my scores are being roller coastered. Hmmm I'm thinking maybe I'm being question fatigued, or maybe I wasn't concentrating enough but I feel very discouraged. :o. Has anyone had a couple of bad scores but still passed NCLEX? I know we shouldn't be basing our probability to pass based on what we score during preparation but instead our knowledge. Hmm I guess I just need a ray of light to get me through. Keeping lord with me through it all. Thank you for reading, for anyone reading LOL.

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In order to pass the NCLEX your practice scores should be in the 65 and up range. If you are still scoring so low you are making critical thinking mistakes. Kaplan has many strategies for analyzing questions. I am fortunate that my school purchased the program for us. You may want to consider that since you are having so many problems. Here are a few tips from the Kaplan training videos I have watched so far, 1. always identify what the topic is. Similar to when in school you had to find the "main idea" of a sentence. Eliminate all extra fluff. 2. Eliminate choices. Most likely you can eliminate one or two answers just because you know. 3. DO NOT use background info or read into the question. If you find yourself saying "yeah but" or "what if" you are reading into the question. Only use the info you are given in THIS situation. Look for priority answers. The passing questions on NCLEX are critical thinking questions that involve analyzing, prioritizing etc. Look for words like MOST important thing for the nurse to do. Look for patterns in the answers. what are the answers asking. are there three that talk about the same thing? that is your topic. do not make up a set of circumstance to fit the questions sitation, again stick to the info given and only that. NCLEX world is a perfect nursing world. there are no limits on time, equipment or staff. if the best answer is "sit with the patient" don't be thinking "oh yeah right like I have time for that". In NCLEX world you have the time. You always have an MD's order. Never pass the buck. If there is something a nurse can do, do not answer "call the MD". Memorize lab values. They will show up as your patient has these labs what should you do. Always use therapeutic communication with everyone, patients, colleagues and families. Eliminate answers that are authoritarian, (do what I say), are Yes/no answers (are you in pain), or ask why (why are you sleeping on your sutures). Don't say "don't worry" to a patient in any form, or focus on nurses experience. (Oh, I know how you feel I had colitis once). Do not delegate assessment, teaching or evaluation. Also a lot of passing questions are based on Maslow, know that. In Maslow pain is considered psychosocial so ABC's come first. Then you need to know which pt. to see first. Unstable before stable, real problem vs. potential, ABC's, acute before chronic, unexpected outcome before expected. I hope these help. The book EXAM CRAM by pearson is written by the people who write the NCLEX (pearson) I used it for my LPN exam and am using it now to get ready for the RN. It has every topic with questions and a CD and online resources. Best of luck.

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Ive been following this thread and want to wish you lots of luck this second time around!!! I also did not pass the first time which was last year july and will be retaking mines on the 28th of this month so one day before you. I would say to keep doing questions, thats what i'm doing now. I was horrible in content so I took the hurst review for content and now im doing kaplan. Took sample test 1 and got a 52%. Did question trainer 1 70.7%,question trainer 2 64.0%, question trainer 3 69.0% so far. I also did saunders for content and now i'm doing exam cram, kaplan, hursts, pda by lacharity, and nclex mastery for questions. Good luck once again!

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