I have been reading a lot on this site and trying to take the tips and apply them to my own situation, however, I still am having some serious struggles.
I graduated from nursing school in May of this year and have taken my NCLEX 3 times, failed each time. I am "Near passing standard" on all categories. The first test I had 75 questions and then the following two I had the full 265. I am taking my test for the 4th time on December 4th. I did Kaplan the first time and it didn't seem to work for me. I have been busting my rear for the last 6 months trying to master the NCLEX test-taking style. Here is my current predicament.
I went all out this time around. I signed up for Kaplan and am doing the on-demand course. My online review class is the 17th of November to the 25th. I just was prescribed Adderall for my concentration problems--this had made a huge difference in my life. I was afraid of taking my anti-anxiety medications for the NCLEX because I didn't want to be zonked out of my mind during the test. I wanted to be clear headed but I think maybe this hurt me in the end. In addition to doing Kaplan again I also rented the LaCharity review book from Chegg for more practice questions. I have tried Saunders, Hurst, NCLEX 3500, and Evolve.
Here are my current results for my question trainers on the Kaplan site:
QT 1-59% (1st attempt), 85% (2nd attempt-I don't think this is valid since I had done this test previously and I do believe this was more of just a "recall the answers" result)
QT 2-61%
QT 3-54%
Sample Test 1- 44%
Sample Test 2- 62%
Sample Test 3- 87%
I have been doing the Qbank in amounts of 50-75 questions at a time and am getting anywhere from a 54% to a 65% on them. I am just entirely frustrated with this situation I am in. I am trying so hard but it just seems like I am all over the place and not consistent. If this continues I will be postponing my test date until I can get some consistency in my results. I also don't know what I am supposed to be trying to get on my question trainers. What are your guys' suggestions? I know I have the ability to pass this test. I know I am smart. Am I just thinking to far into these questions? How can I get better at answering NCLEX style tests? I worked in the ICU and on a Cardiac ICU before and throughout nursing school and I find that sometimes I am getting the questions wrong because I fall victim to the "real world" answer being incorrect. I know Kaplan has some chart explaining the likeliness of you passing but I can't find it. I know that my scores are about what others get but I am just not using to getting anything below an 80% so that kind of freaks me out too..
What can I do to pass the NCLEX this time? I am so over this chapter of my life. It is time for me to pass, turn the page, and begin my nursing career. I am open to any and all suggestions! If you can say a small prayer for me that would mean the world too!
I suggest you review a test taking strategies for NCLEX style questions. If you know the material it may just be an issue with knowing how to apply your knowledge to the question types.
The fact that you're near passing standard means that you likely know the material but you have problems answering the questions appropriately. I would suggest that you probably should concentrate on ABC's, Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, and knowing what you the Nurse can do on your own. The other big piece of the puzzle is figuring out exactly what the NCLEX is asking you. Answers that have you looking for help from another allied health person such as a physician or asking for labs or something along those lines will not be correct. Information that you need to correctly answer the question will be contained in the question and the answers along with the information that is in your head that has been put there throughout nursing school.
Remember that within the world of the NCLEX, we are dealing with an ivory tower hospital where everything is done perfect And you have all the necessary things to get the job done. In this type of facility you have very clearly delineated roles between all healthcare providers. Of course, this type of facility never actually exists in practice. Because we are dealing with "ivory tower" practices, you have to forget how things are done where you work. Any question has an answer you think is right because it's along the lines of "on my unit…" that answer would be wrong. This is "ivory tower, perfect world" nursing.
ABC's, Maslow's, and "perfect world nursing..." stuff will help get you through.
Also, when you're in the testing environment, you should relax, breathe, focus only on that particular question in front of you because that is the only question that matters. The question you just answered and the next question you'll get really doesn't matter at all. You can't change the past and the future question has not yet been set so don't worry about them. Take the time you need to read the question, answer it in your mind, read the answers, re-read the question looking for clues from those answers, and select the one that is most correct and move on. You have 6 hours to finish the exam. That's plenty of time. Don't worry about anyone else in the test center. They've got their own tests to worry about and they could be done at any time. I'm a fast test-taker and I was done in 75 right about 50 minutes or so of actual testing. One of my classmates finished at 265 with about 5 hours. Test-takers like me or my classmates are not people that need to worry about because it is not a race to see who finishes first or last, concentrate on yourself and your exam and the question that is directly in front of you because that is the only thing that matters in the world at that time.
IMHO, you already have all the tools you need to pass. The fact that you've seen the NCLEX several times now means that you know how it goes. That's a huge advantage because it's now a familiar testing environment for you. I wish you well and hope that you pass at your next attempt.
Loo17
328 Posts
I suggest you review a test taking strategies for NCLEX style questions. If you know the material it may just be an issue with knowing how to apply your knowledge to the question types.