Passed in 75Q! Here's how...

[Jonesie_MacRN]

I just found out that I passed! My road to taking the NCLEX was a bit bumpy, but I want to make sure it's smoother for you. :) Here's what I did (and what I wish I'd done) along the way.

When I first graduated, I couldn't figure out why my ambition level was so low and I couldn't concentrate. Why did I sleep all the time? Why couldn't I eat? As you've probably already diagnosed (you smarty, you), I was depressed. I had to seek treatment. If you have any health issues-- especially the ever-neglected mental health-- make sure you seek treatment before studying. After all, you can't study if you're paralyzed by depression, anxiety, ADHD, or even burn-out after the rough last semester you had!

After, I was feeling a lot better and able to schedule my test. I was feeling very behind, as most of my cohort had taken it at least once already. I wanted to dive right it, but it was overwhelming to decide where to start.

How I studied:

I finally decided to do Kaplan. I missed the live review since it was scheduled while I was seeking treatment for my depression. I didn't miss much, though. Their strategy was on a poster (and I don't think I used their strategy even once during the NCLEX). There was no content review for them, but their first 3 QTrainers were more knowledge-based. Don't think by any means that you need Kaplan. You just need a resource with predominantly application/analysis level questions. I heard UWorld is good for this. The NCLEX Mastery app is NOT. Neither is your review book. But! Keep that around. It comes in handy.

I didn't take the readiness test until the week of my test. I started with Diagnostic, then the QTrainers. Here's the important part: I did the test, then reviewed every question with a notebook, colored pens, and my Saunder's or Hogan's book nearby. Even if I got the question right, I made sure I knew exactly why it was right and the others were wrong. The Kaplan rationals were vague, but that was good. It forced me to open my book and find the information. I wrote down anything at all that I didn't know. I read through my notes completely before the next test, and so on. I also read all the lab values and the study guide that is floating around on here. I found that useful for transmission-precautions and positioning clients.

I found that I had weaknesses. Pharm, renal, and oncology were among them. Also, in our school we had never learned the names of any tubes (like Salem Sump or Miller-Abbot), so I read that entire chapter in my Hogan's book and jotted down info that I found to be important.

For pharm, I studied using a friend's Pharm Phlash cards. I made my own with index cards. I copied down the class of the drug on one side, then info about it on the other. I always tried to write drug endings and mnemonics. Just the most important things. Bare minimum with these, because it is so easy to go overboard.

Also, Kaplan would give me my weaknesses on parts of the NCLEX. I tried to keep every category above 50%, but found I had to look up infection control and psychosocial integrity because they kept sinking below level. I just read the entire chapter in Kaplan. Again, I wrote down and reviewed what was important.

Here's my scores in the order I took them. For Kaplan, they want you to have a 60-65. BUT, if you have above a 50, you're okay. You can pass the NCLEX as long as you are trending upward and able to answer the higher level questions.

My scores were:

Diagnostic: 73%

QT1: 74%

QT2: 64%

QT3: 60%

QT4: 65%

QT5: 60%

QT6: 65%

QT7: Not done

Readiness: 72%

I took the readiness test the Monday before my Friday exam.

Strategies during the exam:

I had something fun planned the day before and day after the exam. I wanted my anxiety level to be low. I scoped out the test site the night before, especially since it was in another town two hours away.

I planned to be there for six hours. I never let myself believe that it was only going to be 75 questions. I packed enough food to last me. I had salty and sweet things, so I could munch on what I was in the mood for. I even told myself that if it got to the 80s, I was a quarter-way through. Then, halfway in the 130s and so on. I wanted to be encouraging myself during the test, not beating myself up for not finishing faster.

I used my dry-erase marker to make sure I read the question carefully. If it wanted me to intervene on something wrong or false, I wrote a negative sign (-). If it wanted me to pick out something true or right, I wrote a (+). Then, I wrote a negative or positive for each option. So, it looked like this

Question: (-)

1. +

2. -

3. +

4. +

So, in this question, two was right, because the symbols matched.

For priority, I would write 1-4 and a word about the problem or potential problem.

1. Problem- blood sugar

2. Problem - circulation

3. Potential problem - fracture

4. none, expected, psychosocial (pain)

In this one, 2 was correct. I also did the same with delegation.

1. Discharge teaching- RN

2. Dressing, chronic - LPN

3. Ambulation - UAP

4. Blood, assess, acute- RN

Anyway, you get it. Writing it down made me slow down, interpret the info, and make sure I got what I believed to be right.

As I was taking the test, I felt alright at first, then the questions got ridiculously hard. I felt like I was guessing on every other one. When the computer shut off at 75, it was very hard for me to imagine I had passed. I thought I had failed, and you will, too. It's designed to get you to a point where you only have a 50% chance of getting it right. If you above the pass line at that point, then you will pass.

I did the PVT because my anxiety was so high. I waited the 24 hours, then used a credit card with a changed security code on the back. I told myself that if it declined it, that it was a stupid trick, but if I got the good pop-up, I would stop worrying. I got the good pop-up. I only did the trick the one time, and I slept like a baby that night. (I'm not condoning the PVT, only telling you my experience.)

That's it! I paid for my quick results the next morning and felt nauseous while typing in the cc info. Thank god I passed!

Bonus tip:

Feel over-prepared. Walk in there thinking, "There's not one more thing I could have done to prepare." If you feel like you didn't take it that seriously, or you're not ready, then reschedule. I backed my date up two weeks and it made a huge difference in my knowledge and confidence. Don't be scared of the 'you can only pass if you take it in 6 wks' language they use in school. It's been almost four months (only about a month of studying) and I passed.

God, I hope this helped you all! Let me know what you think! Also, if you passed, write some of your strategies so that everyone can benefit from our experience.

[shingo333, MSN, RN, NP]

Congrats!! Thanks for coming back to share your experience and your tips. I'll have to use some when i take mine next week.

[hopetopassnclex]

Congrats and thanks for your tips they are great. I will use it when am ready to write.

[Ukrainian]

Well done

[Jonesie_MacRN]

Let me know how it turns out! :)

[it'sfulltime]

Congratulations. Thank you for the great tips.

[it'sfulltime]

Hello Everyone, I am out of nursing school for over 1 year. I am scheduled to take the NCLEX first week of October. Any suggestions for me? Thanks

[ShyeoftheTiger]

Itsfulltime, I think OP hit the nail on the head. I would take her advice especially during the test. That is hella valuable advice and I wish I had it before the test if not just to ease my anxiety!

I don't normally like "I passed in x questions here is how" posts (no offense Op) because the information will not apply to 99% of the people, but this one is actually pretty useful as far as during the test strategy. Everyone has differing opinions on the best study resources, but this test advice is super G.

[Jonesie_Mac]

Wow, thanks. How did everyone's test go? Anyone else that took theirs recently wanna add some advice to this to help out our future fellow nurses?

[shan409, ASN, BSN, LPN, RN]

Congrats!!!!!