Passed NCLEX in 75 questions on 1st try

ajohn154 · Jul 3, 2015

I promised once I passed NCLEX that I would come on here and tell my story.

Background

I graduated from BSN program at a University on May 6, 2015 with a 3.6 GPA. I actually failed one of my nursing classes junior year and that set me back an entire year. I would consider myself and A-B student, mostly A's. I had to work hard for my grades in nursing school - reading hundreds on textbooks page, studying powerpoints, making flashcards, practice questions, etc. I got a job in May as a mother-baby nurse, which was all contingent upon me passing the NCLEX by a specified date.

Preparation

1. PRAY EVERYDAY= I prayed everyday to God that I would pass the NCLEX in 75 questions on the first try. I also made a posterboard in my study area that contained bible scriptures to encourage me and I would often write my name with RN-BSN initials behind it.

2.HURST REVIEW (content)= IF YOU DONT READ ANYTHING ELSE THIS IS ESSENTIAL. I took my Hurst live review at the end of May and basically everyday I would go over 1 or 2 content sections by making flashcards and reviewing them until I memorized them. I did this for all the sections even the 4th day materials. I lightly reviewed the 5th day materials only memorizing med groups by their endings and know their actions and major side effects. I memorized all lab values. DO NOT STRESS OUT IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING 84/125 ON THE Q REVIEWS. MY SCORES RANGED FROM 77/125-88/125 AND I PASSED WITH 75 QUESTIONS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO LEARN FROM THE RATIONALES WHETHER YOU ANSWER THEM CORRECTLY OR INCORRECTLY. I only had time to complete 5 of the Q reviews. HURST REALLY WORKED FOR ME AND WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY

3. PDA by La Charity= This book is a life saver for priority and delegation questions. I completed most of Ch.1-21. I only did Case study 1- Case Study 8. In addition to Hurst, this book saved me on the NCLEX because not all prioritization and delegation questions are that cut and dry. Review all rationale for incorrect and correct answers.

4. NCSBN=Bought the 3 week review and only utilized it for practice questions. I was only able to complete about 600 practice questions and I would just learn from their rationales.

5.NCLEX MASTERY RN App= I only used this app a few times. Maybe did 400 questions from it on areas I was weak in and learned from rationales.

6.PRAY

7. Nurselabs.com has excellent practice question on their website. I may have only complete atleast 300 questions.

In my opinion, learning content is just as essential as doing practice questions. You can always answers questions IF you learn content, which HURST review is perfect for.

I started studying May 26 and my test day was on June 30. The day before my test, I did not study. I only reviewed the 35 page study guide that is floating around on this site. I got a manicure and went to see Jurassic World the day before my test to give my brain a break. I made sure to visit the test site the day before my exam so that I would not get lost on test day.

TEST DAY

My test was at 8 am. I woke up at 5:15 am and got ready. I ate breakfast at Chic Fil A and arrived at my testing center at 7:15 and just reviewed the How to Pass section in my Hurst Review manual. I also drank 2 cups of green tea prior to my test because I hate coffee.I went to the bathroom twice before my test. I didnt get nervous until I was seated at my computer cubby. I used the dry erase board they give you & wrote at the top:

My name,RN-BSN

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

God did not give us a spirit of fear, but power, love and a sound mind

The questions on the test were pretty straightforward in my opinion. The test wasn't that bad. It just reminded me of a cumulative test of everything you have learned in nursing school. I didn't recieve that many SATA questions maybe 5-10, thank you God. But majority of my test was priority and delegation which is where the PDA book comes in. The test was evenly split between all nursing topics. As I was nearing question 70, i started to get anxious because 75 was quickly approaching and if my test went past 75 questions, I was going to go take a break. My last question was a delegation question and I remember answering it correctly and then the blue screen appeared. I felt sick because I know if you get 75 questions, you either did really bad or really good. My test started at 8:07 and I left the testing center at 9:15. I didnt cry or anything, I was just really anxious. The next 36 hours, I wasnt able to sleep and I barely ate. I was consumed with checking my board of nursing website for my license. Around 8 pm on July 1st, i checked the nursys.com website and i saw my name appear with my licence number. I immediately gave God glory for everything because he is the reason I passed. I did my part in the natural world and he did his part in the supernatural realm. I dont know what I would have done if I didnt know Jesus and have so much of my family and friends praying for me.

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE:

1. Pray

2. Stay off of allnurses.com . The stories about people failing really scared me and I stayed off this website the whole entire month that I studied

3. Pray

4. Dont stress about you scores with practice questions. Make sure you learn the rationale and why you get the question wrong even if you get it right by guessing

5. Trust yourself= you put in the work to get through nursing school and can make it through NCLEX

6. PRAY

7. KNOW YOUR LEARNING STYLE. I am a visual person and flashcards that are color coded really helped me out.

8. Be consistent and make a schedule and stick with it

9.

NCLEX WANTS YOU TO PASS BUT YOU HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU ARE A SAFE NURSE WHO CAN CRITICALLY THINK.CHOOSE THE KILLER ANSWERS AND THINK THE WORST. YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT WITH EACH QUESTION TO TELL THE NCLEX LADY WHAT YOU WILL DO SO CHOOSE WISELY-HURST REVIEW TAUGHT ME THAT

God bless everyone who is studying for NCLEX. If you dont remember anything I tell you, pray without ceasing and please use Hurst review and PDA by La Charity those were my main study sources and I will recommend those to anybody who ask me how to study for NCLEX. If you choose Hurst, dedicate time to learning all the content in the student manual, thats the only way you can pass. Do everything Aunt Marlene says.