need a new study approach for nclex.... any ideas?

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hi. im new here and im sure this topic has been posted a million times.... i just really need a new aproach on how to go about studying for the nclex. there are so many review books available and so many ways to read them. (im currently using saunder's comprehensive review). the approach im currently using is reading the chapter fisrt before answering the questions for each chapter... but i also heard that one good technique is to answer the questions first to assess my knowledge about the topic. anyway, im asking this to give me an idea. with all the review books coming out, its hard to pick. i might even think of buying a different book. i would greatly appreciate any advice.... :hngon:

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hi. im new here and im sure this topic has been posted a million times.... i just really need a new aproach on how to go about studying for the nclex. there are so many review books available and so many ways to read them. (im currently using saunder's comprehensive review). the approach im currently using is reading the chapter fisrt before answering the questions for each chapter... but i also heard that one good technique is to answer the questions first to assess my knowledge about the topic. this was told tome as part of "suzzane's plan"... anyway, im asking this to give me an idea. with all the review books coming out, its hard to pick. i might even think of buying a different book. i would greatly appreciate any advice.... :hngon:

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Hello,

I can only speak from my personal experience. I took the Kaplan review course and went over and over questions and the rationales....sometimes to the point of "obsessively" in addition to taking any type of a variety of NCLEX style questions available on the internet etc. I passed the test with 75 questions...so I assume it all paid off.

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I have the same book, I did however get LaCharity Workbook for prioritizing/delegation. I am working on the first part of Suzanne's plan. You can check it out in the NCLEX section. Everyone seems to be passing with her plan. If you go to her first tab, and follow her directions that might help! :)

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My program is excellent. Would highly recommend it to you.

You are not doing yourself any favors by reading the chapter first, you will not know where you have any weaknesses and this is so very important.

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Do Suzanne's plan. There is a direct correlation between number of questions attempted prior to NCLEX and success rates on NCLEX, in other words, the more practice questions you attempt, the greater your likelihood of passing. So, get after those practice questions. Do Suzanne's plan. Do them EVERY DAY.

Good luck.

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just do suzannes plan at https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/07-08-revision-314448.html.

I passed with 75 questions. Do the saunders quizzes first and then look at reviewing chapters.

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I also agree that you should do questions first. It gives you a reality check, if you will, about your strengths and weaknesses. Another thing is that (and I've heard it said here many times) you don't want to use too many different study guides. IMO they all have great information but what I found when I was studying (and trying to use as many different resources) was that there were discrepancies in some of the information like lab values, positioning for certain procedures, etc. Pick a couple maybe 3 at the most and stick to it. I used Kaplan's and Saxton's question trainers and for reading I used the Princeton Review's Cracking the NCLEX (which I borrowed from the library).

Kaplan is great for getting used to how questions are worded and the as you complete each qbank the questions get progressively harder.

Saxton also has gresat questions but unlike Kaplan, it gives you the option to go into 'study', 'exam', or 'quiz' mode, you can select a comprehensive exam or you can focus on certain topics, and it even allows you to select the difficulty of questions.

Cracking the NCLEX is an awesome book for reviewing because it breaks each system down in a very easy to follow format. They cover things like assessments, medications, nursing considerations, etc. I highly, highly recommend this book....they don't bombard you with tons of information. It's really great for content review....

All that being said, I gave myself a month's time to study. I would alternate days...first I would do questions and review what I got wrong. The next day I would focus on reading. Then I would do questions the next day. I just kept doing that until the day before the test. I re-did a lot of the questions and my scores got progressively better by doing this.

That was my strategy. Hope that helps! GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Merged the 2 threads together

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i'm in the same boat you are...i have the saunders book, my friend wants to share the cost of the hurst review, our school supplied us with the eri review, and i'm looking into the ncsbn review. needless to say i don't know where to begin. i don't think my school prepared us enough for the nclex-rn so i don't feel overwhelmingly confident. i did great in school & in clinicals. i feel confident that i will make an awesome nurse it's just this exam that freaks me out!!! i just want to weed out the garbage from the good stuff; i don't want to waste unnecessary energy on something that is no good.

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Worst thing that you can do is to use too many sources.

That is when I get contacted by someone that has failed and needs help with passing. Majority of them used multiple sources, very bad idea. It only gets you more confused.

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im planning to PM suzanne too to be able to take her plan..hope it will work for me. and so i'm being very eager to post some more..",

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