Passed nclex-rn with 115 questions!

Nursing Students NCLEX

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When I was reviewing for the NCLEX-RN, I would often visit this site for review material recommendations. And I would always get inspiration from the people who already made it and aced the exam.

Just a little background, I am a foreign-educated nurse. Came here in the US around 2013. I was already working as a registered nurse for roughly 5 years from the country I came from.

I took NCLEX on Monday (March 30) and I got a lot of SATA questions. Around 45. Yes, that many! I even remembered that I answered 3 SATA questions in a row! I was about to cry then! There are also a bunch of priority questions. I didn't get any med calculation which is HEAVEN!!! But... But they gave me so many medication questions regarding teaching and side effects! Around 12-14 questions about meds! I thought they were just playing a prank on me because the medication questions seemed endless! I also got 5 drag and drop questions which I find somewhat easy. 2 EKGs too! And the rest are multiple choice questions. Then the computer shut off at 113 or 115. I went out of the testing center tempted to do the pearson vue trick just to calm my nerves but I read on here that you have to wait 24 hours after completion of your exam. So I did. 24 hours after, I got the good pop-up (saying our records indicate....) but I still couldn't believe it. So I tried checking IL Board of Nursing's website and there was my name with the word PASS beside it! So surreal!

In case you are wondering, the review materials that I used are:

* Saunders 5th ed (read this book from cover to cover and did all the exams on the CD that came with the book)

* I attended Hurst live review class. (I've already finished reading/reviewing Saunders so I won't be having a hard time with the live review. I must say that Hurst is really good in tackling the core content. They also have a nursing support line where you can email your questions regarding any topic, be it Med-Surg, Pedia, etc. They respond quickly too! I am so pleased with Hurst.

* Bought Kaplan book (the blue one) and they helped me with testing strategies. But then again, you must know your core content to be able to pass the exam.

* Rented Lippincott's alternate format questions book from B&N.

* PDA by LaCharity (this book is heaven sent!) I also downloaded this Delegation and Mgt book (pdf file) online for free which has more questions than LaCharity's. But I made sure I finished PDA first before going through that other Delegation book.

* I also have the NCLEX 3500 CD

All in all, I answered 6,633 questions in 2 months. I only studied from

Monday through Friday, 6 hours/day. Whenever I feel like nothing's going inside my head, I stopped studying and just watched tv or walked the dogs instead. Weekends are my free days to let me brain rest.

If you're about to take NCLEX pretty soon, be easy on yourself. Eat healthy. Rest. Don't overstudy. Answer as many practice questions as you can. Write down rationales, it's easier to go back that way rather than depending on memory. Know your core content. During the exam, take your break! If you reached your first break schedule, take it! That would be a good time for you to shake your whole body and wash your face just to somewhat decrease the anxiety.

Good luck to all future nurses here! One day you'll be the one sharing your exam success story!

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Congratulations .... i have also did hurst review.. same kaplan strategies book, have done few saunders chapter, have done half PDA book will finish it soon .... and have done around 500 questions from 3500 Nclex Rn.... what i am concerned is 3500 questions are bit easy and more theory based ... i dont know if i am on right track i m 4 weeks to go for nclex exam

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congratulations! you made it so well...

i am also a nursing grad from PI. just took my NCLEX last april 3 and unfortunately i did not passed :(

i am also from Illinois... congrats again

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Congratulations!

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Hi xuichloe! If you need my help, I would be glad to help you! Don't give up ok! NCLEX is really hard so don't beat yourself up.

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