Need Nclex RN study tips

TheERMurse · Feb 19, 2014

Any of those materials you mentioned should be enough to help you pass the NCLEX. Are you doing well on the practice tests? What is happening to you when you take the test? Are you having lot's of test anxiety?

Krn2be · Feb 19, 2014

MarkG,

I am doing ok on the practice test. Some days I am getting all the correct answers and other days I am not. I have cut my hours down to half time at work which is killing me financially because I have kids but I really want to pass. I was really sick the first time I took the Nclex but went anyways to take it.. Big mistake. The second time I really felt prepared but I think when I hit question 180 my anxiety went up and continued to go up with every question after that. I am currently doing the NCSBN practice banks and my scores are ranging between 63 to 90's and I am also doing lippincott - I feel that the rationals are really good even if I am getting a lot of those questions wrong because they are extremely hard.

rodreli · Feb 19, 2014

why do you mean by it will be last time you are elegible to test? what state is this?

Krn2be · Feb 19, 2014

I am in Florida. They only allow you to take it 3 times then you have to take a remedial course with more clinical hours and its cost about $2000.00 dollars before you are eligible to reapply to the BON.

TheERMurse · Feb 20, 2014

There are really only 2 ways to fail a test. The first is knowledge deficit, basically you don't know the material. The second is self-sabotage, having a really high test anxiety or second guessing yourself. I really can't tell you which it is over the internet since I don't know you. My guess is the second way, that you are sabotaging yourself during the test. If you are making some scores in the 90's on the practice banks, your knowledge base is probably enough. You should only focus on content areas you are weak in.

If your sabotaging yourself, you need to learn to be a confident test taker. There are a lot of self help and motivation tools found on the internet. There are even threads on AN if that may help. You could also find someone local to help coach you, maybe a former instructor or teacher from your nursing program.

Krn2be · Feb 20, 2014

Thanks MarkG.

I think it is self-sabotage. I know the material or I would have never made it through nursing school with decent grades. I do second guess myself more then I should. I think my anxiety for this test has just increased since I took it the first time. I am working on not second guessing or guessing at all. I have all the material I need to pass so I am going to stay focused and work on my anxiety to pass this test.

paradios2014 · Feb 20, 2014

I am also from FL..this is my 3rd time taking it..I ran out of time the second time..My report said that I had 3 above and rest were all near..I knew I should of passed..I feel Hurst was a great tool for content..I was scoring Kaplan qtrainers 1-7 from 60-72%..I used Ncsbn scored from 50-70s for the second time, first time I used Kaplan ( I wasn't feel so confident)...Now I am more determined than ever to pass this test..it makes me angry because I was so close of passing..At this moment I am using Lippincotts 11 ed. q&A which is a must have..I feel like these are very close to the real test...I find them a little bit more challenging than Saunders and Kaplan (my own opinion)...don't give up!! we will succeed:) God bless!

Krn2be · Feb 20, 2014

I am also from FL..this is my 3rd time taking it..I ran out of time the second time..My report said that I had 3 above and rest were all near..I knew I should of passed..I feel Hurst was a great tool for content..I was scoring Kaplan qtrainers 1-7 from 60-72%..I used Ncsbn scored from 50-70s for the second time, first time I used Kaplan ( I wasn't feel so confident)...Now I am more determined than ever to pass this test..it makes me angry because I was so close of passing..At this moment I am using Lippincotts 11 ed. q&A which is a must have..I feel like these are very close to the real test...I find them a little bit more challenging than Saunders and Kaplan (my own opinion)...don't give up!! we will succeed:) God bless!

I agree with you. I am angry I didn't pass when I know I should have but we will pass. I am ready to pass this test so if you need any encouragement while studying just shoot me a message. I am also using the Lippincott 11ed. It has some really challenging questions in it, which make me stop and think. Have you used the CD yet? If so what do you think of it?

We will succeed!!

rnaria · Feb 20, 2014

From the scores that you are getting on NCSBN, I would say you're doing well. I passed in 75 questions on the first try and was doing way worse than you are on the NCSBN practice tests. I think you are just letting your anxiety and stress get the best of you. What really helped me on the test was writing out 1 2 3 4 on the dry erase board and crossing off the answers that I knew for sure wasn't correct. I practiced doing questions at home that way too. It really helped me.

paradios2014 · Feb 21, 2014

Today I finished 1300 questions from CD..I have a thread with my scores...I love this CD..challenging questions for sure..I find them harder than Kaplan..I am going over 1 more last time which I am concentrating on taking ea section at a time which I will set them up like a test (all qs from ea section in one time)...each day I would do 75 qs on Medsurg/25-50qs on Ob/peds and psychosocial...I started doing this CD since 2/13...from doing the CD I can see I was avg 88-100% on OB so I am deciding to leave it last..I want to take the rest of my time on taking the tests from the book (medsurg/peds/psych). During half of my review I am planning to do Saunders 5th ed CD only and lastly, I am planning to do the comprehensive tests 1-6 from Lippincott (closer to my test date)and if I have the time I will review my weak areas from Hurst review..Well this is my study plan so far...Well I am here for you:) We can do it! Lets keep looking forward :) Set a schedule and make sure to do all the best you can to follow it! Talk to you soon;)