OMG where do I begin?!

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Hello all i'm 24, I graduated nursing school may 2009, still haven't taken nclex (family issues as well as becoming a full time caretaker of both grandparents) I've recently been able to retrieve ALL of my books, materials, etc and am READY to start studying and moving foward with my life before it is too late :-/

I have 2 kaplan nclex books, 2 nclex mosby books, a nclex made easy book, as well as nclex 3000 CD. But where do i begin?? Its so overwhelming trying to re-learn everything and i just dont know where to start. Should i study all the material from school first and then hit the nclex books or study straight out of the nclex books?? Also are there any better books i should consider purchasing? Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks for reading!! :)

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Dg into the NCLEX made incredibly easy book and do their questions. I felt that their information on content was very very good. It was simple and straight forward with ways to remember it easily. If you want to integrate content with questions get yourself a Saunders book the comprehensive review. After that I suggest working with Kaplan! Get the content down first that way you would be able to apply it best, and Kaplan has higher ranked questions than most, so don't be intimidated. If you get something wrong read the rationale. If you don't understand it, open up a book and read about it! Best of luck

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Just pick a book and start with chapter one, and go from there. Before you know it you will have made progress. Good luck.

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Specializes in MS, Tele, CM, Informatics.

If I were you....I would goto a hurst review. Since you have been out of the study mode you need something to get you jump started....Don't waste your money in a ton of books....I only used hurst and saunders thats it....THE MORE BOOKS THE MORE CROSSED INFORMATION. Hurst came to my college before graduation. You can do that online or live.

TO HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF PASSING KNOW YOUR CORE CONTENT such as med surg, renal, endo, resp, GI, GU, cardio, dieases, labs, delegation, priority, study select all that apply ...LOOK AT THE NEW FORMAT FOR THE 2011 NCSBN. MED SURG IS THE BACK BONE SINCE THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON IN ALL THE QUESTIONS. Touch over ob/and peds(complications). DON'T STUDY STUFF YOU KNOW WELL...THAT IS WASTING YOUR STUDY TIME. Its up to you as the nurse to attack the questions direct. USE THE SAUNDERS BOOK WITH THE CD if you don't have something already. Go over the sections and do 60 questions a day from each body system. Read the sections in the saunders helps to fill in the grey areas along with the cd. Talk out your concepts aloud to get them in your head so you can pull them back up when you take your exam. Know basic pharm tie that in with disease can help you remember it better...same goes for labs. Remember just because you have a nurse floating to the floor with 10 yrs exp....she or he stills needs the most stable patient. RN can only do teaching so remember that when you look at discharge and admissions....in the nclex hospital. NO GOOD QUESTIONS on NCLEX(SOMETHING HAPPENING IN ALL OF THEM)....PROBLEMS YOU NEED TO FIX. READ CAREFUL, LOOK FOR KEYWORDS. THINK WHAT IS THE BEST, SAFE, AND WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU ATTACK THE QUESTION. Remember we want to correct a problem in the early signs of distress or whatever before they get to the point of the might not make it phase. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR NURSES THAT WILL HELP THE PATIENTS, PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THE PUBLIC.....ALONG WITH LOOK FOR ABUSE. Becareful with labs just because its wnl of the high or low...red flag for new nurses. Goal is to get as many questions right on that exam as you can. Look for keywords read the questions slow. THE SAME WAY YOU MISSED TEST QUESTIONS IN SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU READ THE QUESTIONS TO FAST...CAN HAPPEN HERE SO READ SLOW. DON'T GIVE YOUR ANSWERS AWAYS BECAUSE YOU ARE READING TO FAST....SLOW IT DOWN ON THIS. Ask yourself does my choice make sense....and if so WHY...KNOW THE WHY TO YOUR RIGHT ANSWERS AND THE WRONGS...OR WHAT MADE THEM WRONG . SO REVEIW RATIONALS WHILE YOU PRACTICE FOR YOU EXAM. It often helps you get other key pieces in your head. KEEP POSITIVE, KEEP FOCUSED. You can do it. Also look at select all that apply questions. Hurst review is nice too. Don't get yourself so focused on medications that you don't look at other parts of the test. Its not a pharm test. REVIEW MEDS THAT GO WITH EACH SYSTEM...remember you are loooking for complications(major). So basic meds. Don't hang yourself up here....make sure you know that med surg and all thoses systems well. EVEN WITH A REVIEW STILL NEED TO STUDY I reviewed material 4 DAYS A WEEK FOR 3 WEEKS 4 HOURS A DAY....the last 2 days i did nothing but hurst listening to the review and 2 days before i did the comprehensive test in back of my saunders. Just to see how ready I was.

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wow thank you so much for your long detailed answer it is very much appreciated. my grandpa is looking to hire someone to watch and care for my grandma so that i can start focusing on my studies i really hope to get in the swing of things and i will take your advice as well. Thanks again to all who answered!

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Specializes in LTC, wound care.

Hurst review, all the way. It's the best, and I felt confident an d prepared. Can't recommend her highly enough!

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Hurst review, all the way. It's the best, and I felt confident an d prepared. Can't recommend her highly enough!

Hi LadyJane,

I am thinking of getting the Hurst online but I am so scared to pay 300.00 and may not work for me. Did this help you? I failed nclex on my first attempt, and I really want to pass the second time. I just don't know where to start. Please HELP ME!!!:uhoh3:

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