Passed my NCLEX-RN! My NCLEX Review Material Tips

[IceStar817]

After shutting out distractions and really focusing on studying for the test, I ended up buying alot of NCLEX review materials, so I had the following:

NCSBN online review course (5 wks)

Content isn't great, very hard to learn from but the questions were NCLEX type questions. I would purchase this if you're only needing questions to study from and not for content review.

Kaplan - The RN Course Book: Preparation for the NCLEX-RN Examination 15th edition

No online review course, just the book from amazon.com. Must have for content if you don't have time to study, minimum time needed to read over this book is about 1 wk.

Only thing about this book is that it may not have all the info you need and there are no NCLEX practice questions in this book. Probably contains about 50-60% info you would need to study for the NCLEX. You would have to purchase the online Kaplan review course for the questions or just use questions from another source.

For more information download the official allnurses® NCLEX Study Guide: Expert Insights to Help You Pass the NCLEX ebook...

allnurses® Ebooks Library

Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination 5th edition.

Good review book, I just feel like it's too showy and has more info than you actually need to study for. Questions to me are okay but appears to be easy.

Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment (PDA) by LaCharity 2nd edition

Very important, must review for questions. I feel like this book helped me the most to prepare for the NCLEX style questions, especially for those priority, delegation, assignment type questions in which I saw alot when I sat for my 3 NCLEX attempts.

Kaplan NCLEX-RN: Strategies, Practice, and Review 2011-2012 book

I read through this book cover to cover but I don't think it helped me at all. Good book for questions only.

Exam Cram NCLEX-RN 3rd edition

You can actually skim through this book in about 2-3 hrs. It basically tells you the info you need to know for the NCLEX. Only thing, is it's a small book and the info is probably only 30% from what you would see from a Saunders's or Maryann. Good book for questions, as they are NCLEX style questions.

Maryann Hogan Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-RN:Reviews and Rationales 2nd edition

Must have for content and similar NCLEX type questions if you have time to study, minimum time needed to review this whole book is about 1 month, to me this is the best review book for the NCLEX-RN. The content is cut and dry, which was good for me.

NCLEX 4000

Good for questions or alternative type questions, I didn't use it as much or maybe hardly at all.

Kaplan Questions Trainers 1-7 from this website

Questions are way harder than NCLEX, I would probably use this if I need questions to study.

Lab Values

Very important, must review right before you sit for NCLEX. Thank you for whoever posted this:

LabValues[1]NCLEX review2.docx

Yes, I used/reviewed them all. Some people say do as much questions as you can and others have said to study mostly content. It's really up to you on how you study. You must have the knowledge/content to answer NCLEX style questions. In addition, answering NCLEX style questions such as the ones in PDA book helps you to understand why you would choose this answer over the other. That's also important because it helps you to figure out what the questions are actually asking. You probably hear people say to review rationales all the time, well yes review them! It will tell you why you would choose this answer over the other, etc. Doing questions and reviewing the rationales to me is like reviewing content as well. For me, I mostly study content and used the questions from the book (end of chapter quizzes or the comprehensive test at the end of the book, no other review materials used for practicing NCLEX style questions). I think I ended up only studying a total of 500 questions or less from all of my 3 attempts at NCLEX-RN. You're probably thinking, why didn't I practice more questions, well I just ran out of time so I decided to review content more. And also, I did not get to finish reviewing any review books. Saunders was just too showy and hard to follow for me so I probably only read through 2-3 chapters and was like alright no more Saunders. Kaplan, the book has good straightforward info in ADPIE (assessment, diag, planning, etc) format. I probably ended up only using it for 5 chapters and switched bc I found out that Maryann book was better suited for me. The Maryann book I think I only studied through 50% of the book bc my NCLEX date was near so I didn't get to finish. I did finish the PDA and Kaplan strategies book as they were quick reads.

It seems that if you're doing well during your exam, you would see more SATA questions. There will be lots of priority, delegation, assignment type questions so PDA is the best book for it.

I would say that if you're pressed for time and only have about 1-2 week to study I would stick with the:

Kaplan RN Course Book 15th edition, the lab value sheet I attached, the review sheet I attached, and PDA book.

The Kaplan book is like a shortened version of Saunders's and/or Maryann Hogan. It seems to have about 60% of the materials you would see from either Saunders's or Maryann Hogan. Very good if you're very pressed for time.

I would say that if you have about 1 month or more to study, I would use:

Maryann Hogan 2nd edition book, the lab value sheet I attached, the review sheet I attached, and PDA book.

The Hogan book is by far better than the Saunders and/or Kaplan RN course book. It even has NCLEX highlights, which highlights info in the chapter that is most commonly asked on the NCLEX-RN. Even if you don't have time to read through the whole book, review the NCLEX highlights in this book is probably enough. In addition, the questions in this book (end of chapter quizzes and comprehensive test is the most similar type questions you will see on the NCLEX).

Hopefully, this helps those who have lots of NCLEX review materials and can't decide on which one to study on or for those who are deciding on what review material to buy for the NCLEX-RN. Good luck to everyone taking the NCLEX, if I can pass it without practicing lots of questions and reviewing all the content, you can too!

NCLEX-Study-Guide-Must-READ-before-test.pdf

LabValues[1]NCLEX review2.docx

[mikealz]

Hey guys...i just took my first nclex rn examination this passed Friday, 8/10/2012. I did 75 question and the computer shut off, i only got like 3 SATA and all priority question. with that said, i think i failed it. lol, but one thing i learned from my first examination is that, the questions are not that hard, you just need to know your priorities and delegations. my result will come out on monday and will let you guys know how i did.

[Mynursing2012]

Congrats! Thank you for sharing such useful information.

[iheartNICU89]

congrats and thanks for the tips!

[NadiaMarie]

Priority questions are higher level questions as well as delegation! You need a good content base and good critical thinking in order to answer those! Lower level questions are the hot spots and whatnot :) Also, it is difficult to fail in 75 questions I've heard. Hope you did well!

[madel0119]

Hi KarenRN10,Congratulations!!! Job well done officially RN after your name.

I would like to please send me thru my email theLab values NCLEX rev docs which u had used in your review.Im reviewing also for my exam on Nov i really appreciated this thread in sharing your review method and dedication to achieve your ultimate goal.

[Jes24]

Yes, I just took NCLEX last week and I took a total of 85 questions. With in the first 75 questions I had like 20 select all that apply and many priority/delegation questions. I had thought I failed but my friend had said if you were getting a lot of these type of questions that I had passed. I did the Pearson Vue pop-up when I got home like an hour later and I had got the pop up. Less than 48 hours later my name was on the BRN website (Ca does not participate in Quick Results). The pop up has worked for me and all of my friends! If you get the pop up u pass; if you get the credit card screen u fail . Good luck to all who have not taken it. I did kaplan questions like crazy, I also borrowed a friends Hurst book and watched the online videos which was very helpful.

[sweetnurse786]

I took my nclex last week and I failed I made some really stupid mistakes...I rushed myself and was out the door in 1 hour with 75 questions and failed. People said if you get a lot of SATA or questions in " " or if you get a lot of priority questions you are doing well and that is all not true. I got all of that and still did not passed. A friend of mine who also did not pass had similar pattern of questions...so do not listen to people when they give you such advices because everyone has a different test. No one will get the same questions or type of questions...

My first attempt I studied for 3 months (big mistake) you only really need a month to study and second, I rushed myself when you should take your time for the first 75 questions. I used Kaplan and I did all the trainers, qbank questions and sample tests and scored in 50s-70s and I still did not learn their strategies. I feel the NCLEX is MUCH harder than Kaplan and its not just me who felt that way but majority of the people I spoke with in my cohort felt that way. Kaplan's teaching is all about knowing their strategies and applying them to all sort of questions but they dont work necessarily..at least it didnt work for me or most of my friends. I listened to Feur lectures for content because my content is weak and I also found a few documents on allnurses.com that were really helpful for content. I also did Saunders questions from Saunders Q&A book which were much easier comparison to Kaplan as well as the NCLEX. I must have done over 3000+ questions and still did not pass...but I know for a fact that my issue was timing...

Now my second attempt strategy is to focus on really knowing how the NCLEX questions are designed...the book that I think are similar to NCLEX style questions are Prioritization, Delegation and Assignment by LaCharity. Majority were prioritization. I do also believe that the actual NCLEX questions are written poorly on the test and they are bound to make someone really really think about them before selecting an answer. I am also thinking of buying a package from NCSBN because they are the ones who actually write the NCLEX so I think for practice questions I am going to use their questions and for content, I am going to review my notes as well as go through the Saunders Review book.

In addition to all that, I am going to pray (which I did in my first attempt) and not give up on God and next time I know I am going to pass. I will keep you all posted! best of luck to everyone...

[ronim73]

Will be taking nclex-pn for the second time. So nervous. Need to stop putting it off and do it. Just not sure where to start.

[angileek42]

I'm planning on taking the test between Nov-Dec so thanks for taking the time to share your tips.

[rizmei]

thanks for sharing will take this december probably first week!! waaaahh

[nebulizer34]

Hey guys. Just thought I'd give an update. I took the NCLEX on Friday and passed! To be completely honest, I didn't think the test was that bad at all (I'm not a phenomenal student by any means, and am not just saying this because I passed. I SWEAR). Obviously you never truly know until you see you license #, but after all the studying and thousands of practice questions answered, to get a test like I got felt awesome. Never in the test did I feel that I was trying to being tricked. It really seemed to me that the test was very straight forward. I worried a lot about what kind of questions I would get and how challenging the select all the apply would be, since I suck at select all that apply. But I felt pretty confident on the SATA questions I got (I prolly got 25-30/90 questions). The test didn't ask about any obscure drugs or anything like that, It really just seemed to want to know kind of basic stuff. The most challenging questions were probably the priority questions, you are going to have to critically think about those (make sure you know what is an expected finding and what isn't). Like I posted before, I used to the Saunders CD, NCLEX 3500, Mosby's Comprehensive RN, ATI codes, and I read the OP attachments everyday the week before I took the test. In conclusion, the test is very passable, study hard and you will be fine. I wish you all well in your future endeavors.

[lillypad274]

I just passed at 75 questions (first time).

I found the FEUER Audio Review CD Sets very helpful. They came with booklets with review materials and questions. I mostly used the Saunders Comprehensive Review book and also, the Saunders Q& A book ( those questions were more difficult than the Review book).

Also, I reviewed part of the Delegation and Prioritization and Assignment book by Linda A. LasCharity, Kumagai, and Bartz.

I got both the FEUER PHARMACOLOGY Audio Review as well as the NCLEX RN / LPN Audio Reviews and felt that they were well worth the money. There are some very helpful tips that will not only help you in the NCLEX exam, but also in your nursing career to be a better nurse. They share some interesting stories as ways to demonstrate ways to avoid common errors and anticipate things and be prepared.

The Saunders Review Book was also excellent, and it was nice that it divides the material into 10 page chapters in outline form with questions and rationales at the end, so you don't get so overwhelmed with the size of the book. There were a few mistakes in Saunders that I noticed such as review of CPR had contradictions from one page to the next. One of the chapters for labor did not include information that was needed to answer the questions at the end of the chapter and it was not info that most students would be familiar with. The rationales were very good.