need help with preparing for NCLEX...AGAIN....

passion4womyn · Jun 5, 2009

what should i focus on to prepare me for NCLEX?what book should i purchase, was it common knowledge, major illnesses,infection control?

caliotter3 · Jun 5, 2009

You need to start studying again as if you had never tested and put a good deal of effort into it. Do as many questions as possible and study the rationales. Schedule the new test from one to three months out or longer if you need it to prepare. Good luck.

Mbgb · Jun 6, 2009

thanks so much, caliotter3

Mbgb · Jun 8, 2009

where do i go to for practice test questions just like NLCEX....i still have my kaplan but i have read most of their questions already and know the answers...can any one help me? i do not want to spend money anymore of online study...is there any books that i could get to help me...books that have practice questions?

CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 8, 2009

How about the Saunders NCLEX review book? That's the one I used. It has the book, plus a CDROM you can use to quiz yourself over different topics.

Check Amazon for used copies at a decent price. It doesn't have to be the latest & greatest version. One version "behind" should also be OK.

Rianna1 · Jun 8, 2009

Here's how I studied for the nclex:

5 weeks, average of 5-6 hours studying every single day, even on weekends.

i listened to kaplans lecture once and the pharmacology lecture twice, but i don't think i retained a whole lot. If anything, it made me sit down and do something, even if it just motivated me to do questions.

I made myself sit through all the lectures.

i broke it up though. an hour and a half of studying before kids got up in the morning, another 2-3 hours after i dropped them off and then if i had any brain power left 2 hours in the afternoon. And then maybe another hour after the kids were asleep. I always tried to go to bed at the same time, somewhere between 10:30-11:30 and wake up at the same time to keep a routine going.

I always made sure I did something everyday. I would start off with 50-75 questions in the early morning. 100 more late morning 100 more in the afternoon/evening.

The q-trainer questions I did twice and emptied the q-bank questions. I also did NCSBN and Saunders cd for some basic knowledge questions. I think I probably did somewhere between 4000-5000 questions.

Whenever I felt like it was too much, I would go for a walk or go to the gym or cook/bake something and then go back to the studying.

Always take breaks, but not too long of breaks to build up momentum.

Do not study a couple days before the exam. I didn't listen to this and I tried to study, but I think it messed me up cuz really, nothing more could be retained at that point.

On test day, I purposely drank a lot of coffee so that I would have to take a bathroom break. I ended up taking a break around question 30 and passed with 75 questions. I also took "mental" breaks between questions by closing my eyes, breathing and stretching my arms out. Take your time in answering the questions. I always had the habit of going too fast, but made myself take as much time as I needed for each question.

Good luck!

gianphilippines, LPN, LVN · Jun 9, 2009

Try One System Per Day, that's what I did.... Saunders has a per system category.. I used Prentice Hall as well... I like Prentice Hall, the way they ask is a bit similar to NCLEX but kinda harder...

Others tried Suzanne's plan but I think it's not available anymore... And have a study schedule.... Sacrifice this time....