Passed in 75, Not many SATA Q's

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Hello fellow nurses!

I had to write on here because this site had me FREAKED OUT. I kept reading and hearing from others that you're doing well if you keep seeing SATA questions. Some people on hear say that they get 15-30 and pass in 75 questions. When I tested last Thursday, I was freaking out because I only had about 6-8. I didn't have many other alternate format questions either, 3 pictures and one EKG strip. That's it. When it turned me off at 75 I started crying. I thought there was no way I could have passed with so few SATA's, after everything that I had read on here.

I found out today that I passed! Please take my advice and DO NOT put all of your eggs into the SATA basket. If you do get them consistently, that's great! You're still probably doing well. But if you don't get them consistently it's not the end of the world. Like I said, I only got a handful and still passed in the minimum amount of questions.

I had to write on here so that others don't do what I did and start freaking out every time they click "next" on the exam and a SATA doesn't pop up. Breathe, calm down, and treat every question that it is passing level. Don't even consider the option that you'd be getting a below passing level question.

Very happy to focus on my new job now without the exam lingering over me like a raincloud.

Good luck to all!:)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Congrats!!! :up::up::up:!

I agree. I have posted sage advice about keeping calm, reviewing ALL questions and rationales, and having endurance to the end by focusing on questions.

No NCLEX test is the same...preparation on understanding what the question is asking you is key...

And a great stress reliever is sometimes stepping away from AN for a while. ;)

Welcome to the club!

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Thanks for putting this out there, OP. I had 75 questions 7 SATA, 1 EKG, 2 math calculations, and I think 2 alternate format type q's. I hope that I passed...I made good grades in school and my HESI exit score was high so we'll see. But I've read that other people have passed with minimum questions and only had 6-8 SATA

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I only had 5 SATA and passed at 75. My friend claims to have had 20.

And please, can we debunk this myth once and for all? Having SATA questions does not mean you are above passing level as SATA questions can occur both at below competency (failing) and above passing level.

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I was just about to post a discussion on this topic. I'm taking the NCLEX in a week and have been getting many SATA questions wrong. On the other hand, I am getting high scores on all the resources I have been using and feel confident in my ability to pass the NCLEX. I have used the Kaplan review book, LaCharity book, and NCSBN course. I rarely get below a 70% on any test I've taken while studying and am frequently achieving scores above 80%, but I get almost all SATA questions wrong. I was super nervous that this was going to make me fail NCLEX because I read on here of people getting SOOO many of these question types. During nursing school I almost always got SATA questions correct so I'm not sure why now I keep getting them wrong while studying for NCLEX. Anyway, I'm still nervous that I'm not that great at SATA so I'm going to continue doing the LaCharity book till I finish it or my NCLEX date (whichever comes first). Any advice on how to better prepare for these questions? I know the T/F aspect, but it's just not that helpful. I always seem to pick 1 too many or 1 too little with these questions.

Thanks for sharing your experience, it definitely helps to ease my nerves somewhat. Congratulations on passing!

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Lucky you guys. I had 21 SATA, 2 strips, one math. I must have kept getting them right because my test was getting intense however I am very happy to be part of the 75 Q crew.

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Specializes in ICU.

I'm really jealous - I had more than 20 SATAs... close to the end it was almost every other question. It was bad. I passed in 75 too. :)

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Specializes in Oncology.

I honestly do not know how many questions I had to endure while taking the NCLEX because I forced myself to stop paying attention. However, it was somewhere between 110-125, and I have no doubt that I ended up going over 75 because I was too concerned with what type of questions I was getting. By question 30ish I had only received 5 SATAs and nothing else. I had a brief mental breakdown at that point and completely psyched myself out. I just KNEW I was going to fail because I wasn't getting hardly any alternate format questions (all I could hear in my mind were the stats of those who had already passed and "over half of their exam was SATA"). I think at that point I probably started getting some questions wrong and got a little too lost in the panic. I forced myself to take my hand off of the mouse, close my eyes, and I prayed/thought encouraging and positive thoughts for several minutes. Once I got it in my head that ANY question could be an upper level question I was able to focus strictly on answering each question the best I could. In the end I had around 16-17 SATAs, one drag and drop, a picture (not a hotspot), and two dosage calculations. And guess what?! I passed!!! So don't get caught up in what kind of questions you're getting; just focus on each question as they appear and do your best to answer each one correctly. Don't try to guess whether or not you got that question right/wrong based on what kind of question the computer gives you next or you will risk psyching yourself out and possibly costing yourself the exam.

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Specializes in Dialysis Acute & Chronic.

the board is a joke compared to nursing school. i had 75 Q's and left feeling like i had my way with the exam. i think a lot of people get too freaked out that it is a make or break exam, i was crapping my pants like i lost control of my sphincter! I took a deep breath and made sure i RTQ (read the question) and kept my anxiety in check. sure enough after 75 questions it turned off. :woot:

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I have a stupid question, but is each question numbered so you know what # question you're on?

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Hello fellow nurses!

I had to write on here because this site had me FREAKED OUT. I kept reading and hearing from others that you're doing well if you keep seeing SATA questions. Some people on hear say that they get 15-30 and pass in 75 questions. When I tested last Thursday, I was freaking out because I only had about 6-8. I didn't have many other alternate format questions either, 3 pictures and one EKG strip. That's it. When it turned me off at 75 I started crying. I thought there was no way I could have passed with so few SATA's, after everything that I had read on here.

I found out today that I passed! Please take my advice and DO NOT put all of your eggs into the SATA basket. If you do get them consistently, that's great! You're still probably doing well. But if you don't get them consistently it's not the end of the world. Like I said, I only got a handful and still passed in the minimum amount of questions.

I had to write on here so that others don't do what I did and start freaking out every time they click "next" on the exam and a SATA doesn't pop up. Breathe, calm down, and treat every question that it is passing level. Don't even consider the option that you'd be getting a below passing level question.

Very happy to focus on my new job now without the exam lingering over me like a raincloud.

Good luck to all!:)

CONGRATS!!!:yes:

Just like you I am freaked out about my test!! I test in two weeks and I have visited this site everyday to find out what to expect and what I should study. Do you or anyone have any advice on what should I study. I've taken Kaplan live, Saunders, PDA, and NCSBN (I hate it).

Pls HEELLLPPP!!!

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Specializes in med surge.
the board is a joke compared to nursing school. i had 75 Q's and left feeling like i had my way with the exam. i think a lot of people get too freaked out that it is a make or break exam, i was crapping my pants like i lost control of my sphincter! I took a deep breath and made sure i RTQ (read the question) and kept my anxiety in check. sure enough after 75 questions it turned off. :woot:

Yes, that is what I have done. IT'S so nerve wracking because the content is so vast. ONE week left for me. I'm praying.

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