to god be the glory that i passed with one take!
graduated 4 1/2 years ago. no solid nursing experience. crammer. if i passed it, you can, too!
most important: prayer
dear god, thank you for this opportunity. i know you put me here for a reason. if this is truly for me, i ask for your guidance as i study for/take the nclex. help me to concentrate and to remember everything that i study today.
i ask for your blessing as i take the exam. be with me in every question, that i may choose the best answer. i pray that i pass the exam. there is nothing that i can do now, you are in control. i lift it all up to you. and i claim it! i will pass the nclex on (exact date). thank you, lord god!
believe in your prayer. if it is for you and you ask for it, he will give it. if not, it's not yet the time.
1. saunder's 4th ed - big piece of meat to chew, i know, but it's really the best source of info. tried my best to read a chapter a day.
2. prioritization by la charity - the bulk of my test was "who to see first?" go through it starting at least two weeks before your exam, two chapters a day (only 25qs per chapter so it's doable). very helpful for me to be familiar with prio/delegation.
3. exam cram -it was handy to bring this along as i travel as this book's way lighter than saunder's. the info here is a less than what's in saunders but i'd rather be reading something than nothing! i also got this to practice questions (came with cd).it's not a must though.
4. kaplan qbank - i was hesitant to shell out $300 for qbank but now i'm glad i did. although the content was no way near what i had in the exam, the format was almost the same (does that make sense?). the rationales were good. i registered 1 month before my exam and answered 50, then 100, then 150 questions per day. i started with 48% and i just kept going. i think 1 to 1 ½ months before your exam would be good so that way you can still use it in case you don't get it the first time.
other sources/materials:
---flash cards for important lab values - i would do this while in transit and it helped me.
----- emerlindo, bryan_rn2911, senseirn, - reading their nclex journeys, among others, inspired me!
------- https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/how-i-passed-588963.html - sensei's #2 tip had a link. print it and please memorize infection control
3 mos before exam - once i got my att i knew the clock was ticking. i scheduled my exam for the last week of validity. so i knew i had three mos to prepare. hello, saunders! i was still working full time then so my study was sporadic (not advisable)! i started reading on my lunch break . started making flash cards.
one month before exam - i filed for a leave. this was a huge factor to motivate me to do well. i knew i had to ace this. got qbank and slowly started practice qs.
2 wks/ a week before exam - getting serious now. la charity and qbank.
day before exam - i answered 200 qbank questions and about 5 chapters from la charity.
morning of exam - woke up and answered about 10 questions just to get my brain started.
during exam - i paused and prayed right before exam. for every question that i encounter that i have so much confusion/difficulty answering, i prayed.
after exam - ate a donut.
24 h after - tried pvt. prayed. clicked "next" and got this "pop-up." could this be it??! is this what the pvt "good pop-up be??"
i am so sure only the lord god made me pass!
other tips:
**as i'm easily bored aka attn deficit, i read a chapter of saunders, 50 qs then rationale, then watch a funny youtube video or something. then i go back to studying (like, pick up la charity), then answer another 50 qs in the afternoon. i rotate my resources so i don't fall asleep.
** i reward myself with medium iced coffee everyday. j
** get out of the house! for a month i would walk to and from the library (yes, i carried my saunders or my laptop). good exercise. and staying in the library kept me focused. bring earplugs!
**whenever i find myself out of focus studying, i go to the nclex discussion forum here and read on threads to be motivated. i told myself that i would like to be the person who shares these triumphant moments, too!
i will always pray for future test takers like you. j
