Passed! How I studied...

[christyness, BSN]

when i first started studying for the nclex, i didn't know where to begin or how to organize myself - should i read saunders cover to cover and then do questions? should i re-read all of my lecture notes from school?

i couldn't come up with a way to review that would be both comprehensive and efficient. but i finally did.

here's how i studied:

1. kaplan: i had the kaplan review course in person, and then had access to kaplan's online nclex prep (question trainers, qbank, all that). in my opinion, the kaplan questions were very similar to nclex questions.

i took the question trainer tests and qbank tests with two items beside me - a dry-erase board and a notebook.

2. dry erase board: i used it to organize my thought process while taking the tests. i numbered the board 1 through 4 to correspond to the answers of a multiple choice question. as i eliminated answers, i would make a mark next to its number on the dry-erase board. this kept me from waffling between answers or getting confused.

3. notebook: as i took the tests, i would write down anything i came across that i struggled with, even if it was something i didn't need to answer the question. for example, if there was a lab value thrown in that i couldn't remember the ranges for, i would write that down, even if i knew the answer. i would also write down any information i came across in the answer choices that i wasn't clear on.

i would typically write these review points down in the form of questions, i.e., if the test question was about grave's disease, i might write, "what labs are important in grave's disease?", "what are the meds used in grave's disease?", "what are the possible complications with grave's disease?" and so on.

4. reviewing test questions and all rationales: when i finished a test, i would review every question - not just the ones i got wrong. i did this for a few reasons - sometimes i knew the answer, but when i reviewed, there would be information about the other answers that i didn't know or remember. also, sometimes my reasoning was different from theirs.

5. back to the notebook: as i reviewed tests, i referred back to my notebook with the list of questions/notes on things i struggled with during the test. as i came across these items again, i looked them up right then and there - for this, i used either saunder's comprehensive review or the internet. or both. whatever helped me understand it best.

i would then answer the question i had written down. the notebook became a sort of study guide, and the process of making it and reviewing it really helped me review and retain information.

hope this helps someone :)

[nikkibroddy]

Thank you for your ideas, I'm trying to do the same thing now as I answer questions.

[caliotter3]

:ancong!:

[Sharmi RN-BSN, BSN]

Congratulations!!! You really have mentioned some very good points that i am going to apply during my study.

Thank you so much.

[mitral]

Thanks for sharing! I am so amazed that nursing school doesn't teach us how to study for NCLEX! I kept waiting for that lecture or just really any advice at all and it never came. So i've just been kind of stumbling around between study tools until I figure out what works. Love the notebook idea!

[CTXRN]

Congrats and thanks for the information.

[triemf1007]

Congratulations :yelclap: thanks for sharing the notebook part. I will apply this on my review.