New here, failed boards...

Ari RN, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2004

Tough Luck. That stinks....... It must be hard to receive bad news. Well, just focus, keep the faith and take that stink'in test knowing that you will pass.

Exactly how many questions did you get? Did you receive any new format questions?

Good Luck next time. :)

Julie5 · Jul 18, 2004

I got all 265 questions and did not get any new format questions. Just a whole bunch of priority questions and tons about who to discharge if there is an emergency and you need beds. Oh and I got a lot on who to put in a room with who. I just did not feel prepared at all! I felt like calling my school and screaming. It is a really scary feeling to think that I did not know much at all of what they were asking. Thanks for the reply.

Julie

BSN2004 · Jul 18, 2004

That sucks.

I'm really sorry to hear that, and i am in fear that i will hear the same news. What you said about telling your family and work hit home, I'm scared to even tell my family when i'm gonna take it. Everyone keeps telling me to have positive thinking and be confident, how do i get that? I go in and out of studying habbits. I study real hard for two days but am dissapointed with the practice exam results so i give up for a week.

On good days i think of a few things that maybe you can think about.....

remember when you were waiting for your answer on if you got in the nursing program or not? "that worked out". remember one of the first days in fundamentals when you realized you were the only one who didnt know how to take a b/p? "that worked out". remember when you had that life or death ped's exam that would have ended your life if you failed? "that worked out".

Everything that worked out so far got you where you are today..... with a degree in a field that you love that will bring you happiness of punching out from a loooong hard day at work knowing you helped some one live that day. NO ONE can EVER take that degree away from you. you earned it, you deserve it, YOU HAVE IT. okay, so now you have this NCLEX that you have to take to start the rest of your life........ do you want it? do you need it? well, you needed everything else you got to get you here, so go get it. in one year you're gonna be applying for a dream job that will mean everything to you and you can look back at yet another thing (NCLEX) and say "that worked out"

Start studying again, the more you know the more confident you'll be.

Heather R.N. · Jul 18, 2004

It has been 5 years since I took my boards in Ohio and from what I remember they did not ask a lot of detailed questions regarding diseases, etc. It came down to being able to read the question and decide what sounds the best. Basically, judgement type questions overall, not specifics. I didn't take any review coorifices. However, I did a lot of practice questions, mostly on my computer. I swear that this is the best method. It gets you in the mindset that the exam requires. You learn how to play the game. I know that everyone keeps telling you to relax and that probably seems impossible right now. I think that just doing practice questions and boosting your confidence is what you need. (Just remember that you are probably not going to be getting perfect scores, most average in the 60's) You can always go back to your review books to look things up as needed. Please don't let this set back get you down. Some of the most intelligent nurses that I ever met missed their boards on the first try. It is a really strange test with a lot of irrelevant questions. The most important things that you need to know as a new nurse are basic physiology, how to do vital signs, the ABC's and basic pharmacology. However, the most important thing that you should know is that when you start your first job you should be asking a million questions everyday, b/c in the big scheme of things you know very little when you graduate. Actually, a good nurse never stops asking questions. If you need any other advice or a pep talk just e-mail me. Good luck !!!!

Heather R.N. · Jul 18, 2004

I too had a lot of questions like that. Five years later I look back and think how irrelevant that was. The questions should focus on things like, "You walk in the room and the patient is unresponsive and frothing at the mouth what do you do" ? I really don't think that the state boards do an adequate job of finding out who is safe to start practicing.

I got all 265 questions and did not get any new format questions. Just a whole bunch of priority questions and tons about who to discharge if there is an emergency and you need beds. Oh and I got a lot on who to put in a room with who. I just did not feel prepared at all! I felt like calling my school and screaming. It is a really scary feeling to think that I did not know much at all of what they were asking. Thanks for the reply.
Julie

AliceanRN2B · Jul 18, 2004

Hi Julie, I am so sorry to hear your bad news. I know how that must feel after four long and agonizing years of nursing school. It is an overwhelming exam, there's no doubt about that. I just found out my results and also was sure I had failed, but fortunately, by some miracle, I passed. I did go to the Kaplan course and feel like it helped me with strategies, but what was really helpful was the CD trainer they gave us to use at home. There were lots of similar questions regarding prioritizing and delegation. My professors said that the key to success is to answer as many questions as possible before testing, i.e. taking practice exams at home, and lots of them. Also, when you go to Kaplan and they hand you back your initial exam....if you don't understand it, go to the instructor and ask them to explain things to you in detail. Its an expensive course, but often I felt like I had to be aggressive to get individualized attention.

Well, I've rambled enough, but I'll keep you in my prayers. You'll do it!!!!

Alice

Thebeeguy · Jul 21, 2004

I took the kaplan course and it helped me by giving me strategies on how to take the test. It was well worth it for me. Good luck soon to be RN.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Jul 21, 2004

you poor thing!

i'm not sure, but i know that some of the others will know... if you took the entire 265, the computer must have had a really hard time getting a read on you. you must have gotten that very last question wrong... if you go to the last question and the PC hasn't decided, it decides on wether or not you pass by your last answer.... you answer correctly, you pass, if you answer incorrectly, you fail (someone will correct me if i'm wrong!).

but in one way, that is good. you must have been very very close to passing! you'll do good next time... taking it this time was like running a marathon. next time, you'll probably be familiar with the test, so it'll be like running a sprint!

good luck... you'll do great!

reyna · Jul 21, 2004

i remember somebody once told me...everybody can pass the nclex, it's when you pass that differs. try reading or enrolling in kaplan courses. they teach you how to take the test and how to look at the questions. hang in there.

Love-A-Nurse · Jul 22, 2004

don't give up.