New LPN graduate moving over to this side...

[Carebear77]

hello everyone :) i'm a new lpn graduate (as of last week) so i am transitioning myself from the student area to this area. i am now preparing myself to take my boards. i am planning on doing the kaplan, i just want to make sure that i pass. any advice for taking boards? i'm so nervous. as soon as the state receives my information from my school i can schedule my exam, they already have my application.

it feels so great being done. i have already finished all pre-req's for the lpn-rn that i will be starting next year. so i am one step ahead and can focus on making money and getting caught up on bills lol.

i started my new job last week already as a gn and once i pass my boards will move to a lpn and my pay will increase. it is soo great already having a job.

but i wanted to say hi and hope to "meet" you all.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Welcome to the wild side (just kidding). You would have been welcome over here even as a student, I am sure. However, to study for the boards, I can just say what I did. I got Delmar's Comprehensive Guide to NCLEX-PN and got hold of as many CDs as possible, such as Lippincott, Mosby, Saunders, Incredibly Easy and maybe another one to be able to see questions in different styles. I also remember using the on line NCLEX preparation (forgot the name of it, but you can purchase prescriptions for as short as three weeks, or as long as 5). Also, Helen Feuer has wonderful CDs to listen to; there are 27 in all, and they also have pharmacology. It was an expensive program, but it was so entertaining that I felt like I was actually in the audience the entire time listening. I used to listen to one CD in the morning, one at lunch and another on the way home, and I would answer questions based on what I listened to. I did as many as 400 questions per day. I am a quick test taker, so, time used to elapse before I realized it. At best, I knew that I would not last past the first break allowed, because I was able to do well over 400 questions in two hours, so, 205 was nothing to me.

I broke down what I would review and when-one week for each-med/surg, psych, peds and OB. I would listen to Med/surg one week, do questions, and the same scenerio for the rest. Then, I would highlight what I didn't understand and would go back to it for further review. I think I took the exam 2 and 1/2 months after I graduated. Made concept charts to illustrate things I didn't understand (electrolytes was a biggie for me-couldn't get it together for the life of me until about a week before the exam). I did pass the first time with 85 questions in 40 minutes.

My main advice is while you may wish to sample different CDs for a question bank, try not to use more than one maybe two books for review, because it will only confuse you. Many speak of Suzanne's Plan over in the NCLEX forum in a positive manner. I didn't use it myself, but I continue to hear good things. Best of luck!