Passed NCLEX-RN first try!

[SDSUBSN]

Hello everyone,

I promised myself to make a post to contribute as I have been stalking this website for the past month reading multiple things regarding the NCLEX... I felt like there are stages that we go through as new graduates getting ready to take the NCLEX. I was stalking this website and section on Allnurses to search for hope and read other people's experiences in addition to Youtubing success (and failure) stories. Some of the stages I went through: Anxiety, anxiety, praying, mini mental breakdowns, and relief are some of the feelings I experienced leading up to my test date on May 30.

I graduated on May 6 and studied until May 26. I used solely Kaplan to study. I did not study for the NCLEX during the school year. I studied after graduation for about 8-12 hours a day and 6 days a week like a full time job. Too many resources = not good. I felt like the decision tree was helpful in addition to the practice questions. I listed my scores below:

[TABLE=width: 855]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/26/2017 9:47:52 PM[/TD]

[TD]48.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]REMEDIATION TIME

00:21:39[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/26/2017 4:45:36 PM[/TD]

[TD]53.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:38:36[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/25/2017 9:47:29 PM[/TD]

[TD]45.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:59:40[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/25/2017 1:00:47 PM[/TD]

[TD]62.7%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:33:04[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/24/2017 9:46:36 PM[/TD]

[TD]57.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:35:27[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/24/2017 3:41:59 PM[/TD]

[TD]60.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:34:32[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/23/2017 9:33:20 PM[/TD]

[TD]53.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:50:31[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN Readiness A[/TD]

[TD]5/23/2017 6:44:52 PM[/TD]

[TD]57.2%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]180[/TD]

[TD]00:00:51[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/23/2017 5:31:49 PM[/TD]

[TD]45.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]01:17:18[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/23/2017 3:06:39 PM[/TD]

[TD]53.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:35:17[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/22/2017 10:45:28 PM[/TD]

[TD]46.7%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]01:09:44[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/22/2017 8:23:55 PM[/TD]

[TD]44.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]00:28:49[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/21/2017 11:41:59 PM[/TD]

[TD]58.7%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]01:06:06[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/21/2017 5:44:42 PM[/TD]

[TD]36.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]01:19:39[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]5/19/2017 2:58:11 PM[/TD]

[TD]50.7%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]01:23:10[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN NCLEX Sample Test 3, Priorities[/TD]

[TD]5/18/2017 8:37:39 PM[/TD]

[TD]80.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]30[/TD]

[TD]00:02:10[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN NCLEX Sample Test 2[/TD]

[TD]5/18/2017 4:04:36 PM[/TD]

[TD]44.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]50[/TD]

[TD]00:35:34[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN NCLEX Sample Test 1[/TD]

[TD]5/18/2017 1:39:43 PM[/TD]

[TD]56.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]50[/TD]

[TD]00:18:11[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN Question Trainer Test 6[/TD]

[TD]5/17/2017 5:47:27 PM[/TD]

[TD]50.5%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]200[/TD]

[TD]01:41:01[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN Question Trainer Test 5[/TD]

[TD]5/16/2017 9:02:43 PM[/TD]

[TD]57.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]150[/TD]

[TD]03:04:03[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN Question Trainer Test 4[/TD]

[TD]5/14/2017 7:12:43 PM[/TD]

[TD]50.7%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]150[/TD]

[TD]05:16:51[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN QBank[/TD]

[TD]3/30/2017 6:02:03 PM[/TD]

[TD]45.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]01:08:15[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN Question Trainer Test 3[/TD]

[TD]3/25/2017 12:05:07 PM[/TD]

[TD]52.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]100[/TD]

[TD]03:18:21[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]RN Question Trainer Test 2[/TD]

[TD]3/7/2017 2:47:55 PM[/TD]

[TD]41.3%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]04:38:29[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow2]

[TD=align: left]RN Question Trainer Test 1[/TD]

[TD]2/12/2017 11:56:48 AM[/TD]

[TD]52.0%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]75[/TD]

[TD]03:49:25[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: Gridrow1, bgcolor: #EEEEEE]

[TD=align: left]Diagnostic A[/TD]

[TD]1/22/2017 4:15:33 PM[/TD]

[TD]54.4%[/TD]

[TD]Review Analysis[/TD]

[TD]Completed[/TD]

[TD]180[/TD]

[TD]01:55:55[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

I did not finish the QBank; I finished most of it though; over 80% I believe.

I felt like Kaplan over prepared me for the NCLEX as the questions on the NCLEX were more simple but definitely still challenging. Kaplan taught me how to critically think in addition to nursing school. I did not watch the content videos nor memorize all the drugs. I studied the classes of drugs however I can say I didn't recognize a lot of drugs on my exam. If you are able to recognize the class of drug in addition to the important information needed to take care of a client, you should be good. Remember, the NCLEX is testing you on client safety! What I did was remediate on every single question including the questions I got correct and if I did not know any information, I would look it up in the resource book provided electronically through Kaplan for free of charge.

The readiness test is a good indication of where you stand so definitely take that last. I bought snacks to my testing site to prepare to sit for 6 hours. Bring some stuff that you'd use for a hypoglycemic patient such as orange juice.. protein for brain energy like nuts and eat a well balanced breakfast.

My test ended at 75 questions. I felt good after the test and distracted myself for 2 days trying to not go crazy. There were some questions that I didn't know which is normal - the NCLEX is designed so you get only 50% right essentially. Believe in yourself. If you go in with a positive mentality, you will perform well.

I used the pearson vue trick and it worked for me - I passed and am officially a registered nurse. Good luck to everyone taking the NCLEX. Tell yourself you can do it - if you made it this far, you can do it!

[bsntiger]

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your story! I've been using Kaplan as well getting similar scores. I sit for my boards on Monday and got online looking for some encouragement to calm my last-minute doubting myself.