Passed the NCLEX (2nd Attempt)

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Hello y'all.

I have always checked in on this website from time to time over the years and there are a lot of inspiring stories here. I thought I would share mine. I started college a little later in life. I was kind of a typical dude, just sort of going through life focused on the short-term and partying way too much. My mother was always worried about where I would end up. She was a nurse for about a year before she passed away from post-surgery complications at the hospital she worked at. I was 17 and I was trying to take care of my little sisters because now we were alone. My kid sister passed away about a year after that from rhabdomyosarcoma. After I lost her I started to feel purposeless and I just kind of gave up. After about a year my cousin suggested that I pack my bags and leave. As big and as popular as my hometown was, there was nothing but pain there for me.

I packed my bags and moved to a dusty little college town. There were a few nights where I had to sleep in my car and some days where I didn't have money to eat a decent meal but I kept at it. I was working a construction job when I got a pamphlet from the community college here, and I saw their "become a lab tech" page and I thought that I could do that. I took my first science courses and they were all easy to me. I aced every chemistry class, every math class, every single biology class. A&P was fun for me; I got along with my teachers and they suggested that I "do something more important" than being a lab tech. So I transferred to the university and lo and behold, there's my A&P teacher. She was doing cancer research and she let me work in her lab.

After a couple of semesters, for some reason, I submitted an application to the nursing program at the community college I transferred from. I thought it would be logical to produce multiple options for myself. Why not?

I ended up graduating with a degree in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry in 2012. 1 year later, I graduated from my nursing program, in 2013. I had done 3 years of cancer research and got a couple hundred hours of clinical experience in 6 years. I really like nursing. I love nursing. I like the nurses and the doctors and the techs and housekeeping. I loved it all. I did my internship in the Emergency Department and I really liked it. My mentor enjoyed having me around and I got along with everyone. The house manager shook my hand and said that he heard good things about me and a medic even told my instructor that they could use more people like me.

So, as I'm turning in m graduation papers, thinking that I'm going to pass my NCLEX and start working as an ED nurse and get myself prepared for graduate school, my advisor says that I'm one credit short. Somehow, no one noticed that I had not taken my microbiology lab (just the lecture). I was told that I can't graduate in May. That I would have to take the class over the summer and graduate in August. At first I didn't mind, but on my first day of class, my attitude took a turn for the worst! For 8 weeks I had to sit through the lecture - again - and go through the process of Acing this class one more time. I was angry all the time and I didn't review for the NCLEX. As soon as I got my grade and sent my papers in, I registered for the NCLEX and failed! It took me 4 hours to answer all 265 questions.

I let myself get down about it but I synthesized a plan. I worked a bunch of overtime for a month and paid all my bills several months in advance. I bought a Kaplan class, downloaded every review app I could find for my phone. A friend gave me her Saunders review book. I studied 2-8 hours almost every day for 3 months doing every single question I could. I think I did about 3000 questions. My girlfriend helped me pay my bills and kept food in the fridge. I also ended up selling and pawning most of my things to pay for this review class.

I took the test again a few days ago and I found out this morning that I passed! I'm a nurse now!

If you failed the NCLEX, or are scared that you will fail, try not to worry too much. Dust your shoulders off and take it again. Anyone can give up, so don't be just anybody. Don't live in fear and believe in yourself! :)

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Congratulations! stories like this inpire me. I am so happy for you. Thank your for sharing your story. Wish you all the best in your future endeavors. :sarcastic:

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You have an amazing story thank you for sharing, it was very inspirational. Congratulations!!

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Thank you! I love your last paragraph, so encouraging.

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Wonderful post, I got teared up..I failed the nclex 2x..I am going for the 3rd and last time...I was so close to passing last time..thank you for your of wisdom!! God bless :)

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Specializes in ER, Public Health, Community, PMHNP.

lovely story thanks for sharing

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Specializes in Surgical Nursing.

wow! you are an inspiration! thank you for sharing your beautiful story :) now go out there and make us proud! ;)

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Amazing, congrats to you. You're going to be a great nurse. Your mother and sister would be extremely proud of you. I pray for everything wonderful and pleasant in your life and your career. You have a supportive and wonderful girlfriend, but then again you deserve the very best!!!

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Good job! Congratulations for passing the exam and good luck in your career.

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Congratulations to you!!! your story inspired me my test is today and your the first story I read. I wish you the best of luck in everything you do :)

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That's great!! I'll be taking Nclex soon as well. My second time. Omg. Pray for me all. Thanks you and congratz!!!!! You can celebrate

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Kudos to you, now you know there is nothing that you cannot do. Congratulations to you. Keep that determination as you continue and advance in nursing.

Hello y'all.

I have always checked in on this website from time to time over the years and there are a lot of inspiring stories here. I thought I would share mine. I started college a little later in life. I was kind of a typical dude, just sort of going through life focused on the short-term and partying way too much. My mother was always worried about where I would end up. She was a nurse for about a year before she passed away from post-surgery complications at the hospital she worked at. I was 17 and I was trying to take care of my little sisters because now we were alone. My kid sister passed away about a year after that from rhabdomyosarcoma. After I lost her I started to feel purposeless and I just kind of gave up. After about a year my cousin suggested that I pack my bags and leave. As big and as popular as my hometown was, there was nothing but pain there for me.

I packed my bags and moved to a dusty little college town. There were a few nights where I had to sleep in my car and some days where I didn't have money to eat a decent meal but I kept at it. I was working a construction job when I got a pamphlet from the community college here, and I saw their "become a lab tech" page and I thought that I could do that. I took my first science courses and they were all easy to me. I aced every chemistry class, every math class, every single biology class. A&P was fun for me; I got along with my teachers and they suggested that I "do something more important" than being a lab tech. So I transferred to the university and lo and behold, there's my A&P teacher. She was doing cancer research and she let me work in her lab.

After a couple of semesters, for some reason, I submitted an application to the nursing program at the community college I transferred from. I thought it would be logical to produce multiple options for myself. Why not?

I ended up graduating with a degree in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry in 2012. 1 year later, I graduated from my nursing program, in 2013. I had done 3 years of cancer research and got a couple hundred hours of clinical experience in 6 years. I really like nursing. I love nursing. I like the nurses and the doctors and the techs and housekeeping. I loved it all. I did my internship in the Emergency Department and I really liked it. My mentor enjoyed having me around and I got along with everyone. The house manager shook my hand and said that he heard good things about me and a medic even told my instructor that they could use more people like me.

So, as I'm turning in m graduation papers, thinking that I'm going to pass my NCLEX and start working as an ED nurse and get myself prepared for graduate school, my advisor says that I'm one credit short. Somehow, no one noticed that I had not taken my microbiology lab (just the lecture). I was told that I can't graduate in May. That I would have to take the class over the summer and graduate in August. At first I didn't mind, but on my first day of class, my attitude took a turn for the worst! For 8 weeks I had to sit through the lecture - again - and go through the process of Acing this class one more time. I was angry all the time and I didn't review for the NCLEX. As soon as I got my grade and sent my papers in, I registered for the NCLEX and failed! It took me 4 hours to answer all 265 questions.

I let myself get down about it but I synthesized a plan. I worked a bunch of overtime for a month and paid all my bills several months in advance. I bought a Kaplan class, downloaded every review app I could find for my phone. A friend gave me her Saunders review book. I studied 2-8 hours almost every day for 3 months doing every single question I could. I think I did about 3000 questions. My girlfriend helped me pay my bills and kept food in the fridge. I also ended up selling and pawning most of my things to pay for this review class.

I took the test again a few days ago and I found out this morning that I passed! I'm a nurse now!

If you failed the NCLEX, or are scared that you will fail, try not to worry too much. Dust your shoulders off and take it again. Anyone can give up, so don't be just anybody. Don't live in fear and believe in yourself! :)

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