Passed Nclex-RN 265 Q!

2 Posts

I studied nursing in Puerto Rico in Antillean Adventist University and graduated June 2013. I knew that my success was not complete until I passed the nclex-rn. I promised I would post to show my experience and help others because for me it was a difficult and very stressfull journey. It was to say the least a long journey. My school offered Kaplan and when I graduated I went to the review which was Monday through Friday from 9 to 4. I was shown just strategies and the kaplan tree and was given the kaplan content book along with kaplan medicaation book. I started studying full around Septemeber and honestly was very stressed and overwehlemed because I felt I knew nothing. The kaplan questions were very difficult. I tried to review content and did not do many questions maybe around 500. I still took the test March 2014 and failed in 82 questions.

I then was devasted but failing was not an option. I did the whole Hurst review which really helped me in my core content. The videos and all the extra information that comes with it really layed a foundation. This time around I bought the Saunders Question and Answer Review but literally did only about 300-500 questions. I was not concentrated at all and felt like I did not know how to review or study for the test. I took the test again in may 2014 and failed at 75 questions. I was devasted and did not study for around a year.

I then started studying again around September 2015. This time I really wanted to make this come true. I knew I had to put triple the effort because so much time had gone by without studying. I took on this challenge. I bought the NCSBN 8 week course. Every night I would pray so God could give me the strength to focus and study. At the same time I woud read the Kaplan content review book. I would read this after I finished reading the content from NCSBN. I felt that reading again content from the kaplan review book would reinforce. I did not complete the course and did not get the certificate because it is long and I ran out of time. I would read and take notes. I did do all of the questions but I did not do the pharmacology section because I left it for last to review but did not get to it. Keep in mind that in my first 2 attempts with the nclex I was not working. This time I actually began working as a home aid and was studying also. My job was such a blessing because I could go to work and study. During those hours I would answer questions from the saunders question and review book. Before work I would do the NCSBN content and questions and at work I would straight in answer questions from the saunders book. I would roughly say I would do 100 to 150 questions a day. I would take breaks on the weekends. I felt that sometimes I would study so much that I would actually start to feel very stressfull and needed those breaks. It worked for me because I could start fresh and motivated again on Monday. It made since to me and helped me alot. Sometimes I did study on Sundays.

My registrations to my board of nursing was long and difficult. This was also an obstacle. My board required me to take a rememdiation course and since I live in GA and I applied to South Carolina, they requiered me to take a remediation course because of my past failed attempts. The only one I could take because of the long distance and options they gave me was either kaplan or NCSBN. I decided to do NCSBN since kaplan was and is very expensive. This time I decided to focus on the questions and weak content areas. I also found online question trainers 6 and 7 from kaplan and did those. I also did Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment[COLOR=#000000]. Even though I did the NCSBN questions twice I made sure to read and learn from the rationals and the ones from the PDA book. I made sure to keep answering questions about 150 a day. It would take me about 4 hours to answer and read each rational especially if I had to write down things I felt that later I needed to review and learn. A week before I had to take the exam I really reviewed medications. My class in nursing school was not a very good class and felt I knew nothing but I made sure to review and learn. I used the charts from the Hurst review. I made sure I knew well antipsychotics, cardiac, diuretics, insulin, respiratory meds. I reviewed all sections but for me I felt those were my weakest ones and ones that appeared more when I practiced questions.

The night before my test I did study about 4 to 5 hours. I reviewed meds and read the 38 page review I found here. I also answered questions from the PDA. I watched a movie with my husband and prayed. My exam was March 4, 2016 at 8:00. I arrived early at the test center around 6:30. I arrived very early but I did not want to take any risk. Before I went in I reviewed more and reviewed my labs and ECG changes and answered the electrolyte questions from the PDA book.

I was very nervous when I went in to take my test but I prayed in my mind. As soon as a started testing I think almost every question I prayed. I had studied so many months that I knew God would do His part. I kept calm but those first 75 questions I made sure to really focus because I wanted to get all the 265 questions lol. I was anxious but its important to calm yourself and trust what you have gone through to prepare for the test. I got all 265 questions. For some reason during the test I thought it was 275 questions so when it shut off I was shocked and thought it should of let me continue and just finish. I did get all the types of questions there are on the nclex. I did not get any calculation questions. I felt I knew what most questions were talking about and what they were looking for but they were still difficult to answer because sometimes all the answers would sound correct or sometimes I just painly did not know. There were moments were I felt that I was doing good and then moments where I felt I was not meeting the expectations. Sometimes it has to do with how positive you think and not bringing yourself down. I do not remember how many of each type of questions I got but I do remember I had a lot of priority questions.It took me 5 hours to complete the test. I prayed when I finished and trusted in God.

I payed my results when they were available in the quick results which was Sunday March 6, 2016. My husband and I did it together and before we purchased the quick result we prayed to just trust God's will. When I saw the PASS I started to cry and felt so happy. Most of all grateful to God! Every hour and minute focused on the test was completely worth it. It took so long and so much studying. Everyone is different in studying and learning, for me I really had to have a good foundation in content and practice questions. Even though it took me so long to pass the nclex-rn, I can say that the most important things are to trust God, believe in your capacity to study and pass the test and discipline. You really must be focused, focused on your goal and make it happen. You know what you need to do to, you just have to put it all into action. Do not be discouraged and overwhelmed. Take your time learning the rationals and learning and reinforcing areas you need to. It took me 6 months the third time around. I lived in pure stress during those months but I had to keep myself motivated and focused even if there was a chance that I would not pass. It is not impossible! Sorry if my post is long but I wanted to share my experience and maybe someone can relate and not feel discouraged because I know sometimes I felt that way.

Below are the items I used to study to pass nclex-rn my third time:

1. NCSBN-first time I did the 8 week course and the second time I did the 3 week course. The second time I did the NCSBN I did receive the certificate.

2. Saunders Question and Answers for nclex-rn

3. Prioritization, delegation and assignment

4. I read the whole Kaplan content review book

4. Saunders CD that comes with the Saunders content review for nclex-rn. I only did the analyzing and applying questions in the CD.

5. I did about 100-150 questions a day. I did have a break during christmas about 3 weeks. So those weeks I really did not study because family was over and I jut decided to take a break.

6. I did do HURST the second time which really helped me in my content review.

Everyone studies different and this is what I did. Overall I think I probably did more than 3,000 questions. I just made sure to get those questions in and dedicated about 4 to 8 hours a day studying. I hope this can help someone and know that you can do this. Just keep strong, be focused and motivated. Trust yourself and most of all trust God.