Passing NCLEX second time with simplenursing.

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Hello Everyone!

I've been wanting to share my experience, so here it goes. I graduated in May and right away signed up for Kaplan. My scores were in the mid-50s & low 60s. My first attempt was in early July and I failed it with 82 questions. Tried the Pearson Vue trick and it took me straight to the cc page. After crying for about a week and speaking to my youth pastor I accepted the fact that I failed and there was nothing to feel embarrassed about. I graduated nursing school with cum laude. I knew I had it in me. I remember feeling unfocused and anxious during my first attempt. So I decided to try something different after reading multiple of success stories. I crossed the word FAILED on the report letter with a sharpie and wrote down PASSED. I also decided to keep Kaplan and try it again for my second attempt. I didn't redo Kaplan right away. Instead I ordered four books.

1. Saunders Comprehensive Review NCLEX-RN Examination 5th Ed. (Yellow book) (with CD)

2. PDA book by Lacharity

3. Kaplan NCLEX-RN Strategies, Practice and Review 2013-2014 (with CD)

4. Mosby's Pharmacology Memory Notecards 3rd Edition

I read the first 24 chapters of Saunders and realized it wasn't going to work for me. I am definitely a visual learner. I remember praying for an answer on how to reorganize myself. I felt so overwhelmed. That same day at the library I found Michael Linares on YouTube. I watched about ten random videos and I was hooked. That same day I signed up on simplenursing.com. I bought brand new notebooks and decided to just bring my Ipad to the library and watch his videos. So for about the next 6 weeks I literally watched all his videos. I believe over 800 videos. Each video is about 10 minutes long. Reviewing, studying and learning new things was actually fun. I was never bored and I felt like I had my own personal private tutor who I could rewind anytime. Understanding the pathophysiology is extremely important and Mike definitely helps with that. I was actually pretty sad when I finished his videos but I knew I had to keep going.

I read the Kaplan NCLEX-RN Strategies Workbook in a week but first I took the CD practice exam (68%). I left the 265 practice exam for later. I decided to redo Kaplan after that. The only thing that I was worried about doing it the second time around was that I could remember some of the answers. Yet, I decided to keep going with it. The questions were still difficult but my critical thinking had definitely improved. Since it had been awhile the trainers actually felt like brand new practice exams and I was pretty content with my new scores. It took me 2 weeks to redo the entire Qbank and Trainers. By the way, I spent 6-8 hours a day at the library besides Sundays. Tried my best to arrive at 0930 so that I could leave by 1730, that way I had all afternoon to relax. As much as I wanted a part-time job my parents expressed that studying had to be my full-time job so that I didn't risk failing it the second time around. As soon as I was done with Kaplan I read the PDA book by Lacharity in one week. That was such a hard little workbook but still so worth it. My scores ranged from 40s to 80s. I did feel discouraged sometimes but I made sure to understand the rationales. I read the Mosby's Pharmacology Memory Notecards 3rd Edition in one day. It was an easy read and pretty entertaining which made it helpful. It was a good reference book as well. The last week prior to my test I reread all of my notes and skimmed through the all nurses study guide a couple of times. I also rewrote important notes on note cards to carry around with me. I rewrote all the lab values that I felt were important over 20 times until I had them memorized. For 3 days I also did all the Alternative Items on the Saunders CD (295 Questions total). I also reviewed EKG. Mike really helps with EKG as well. The last thing I did was the 265 practice exam at the end of the Kaplan Strategies workbook. My overall score: 78%.

In total I studied for exactly 3 months. During these three months, I deactivated Facebook and deleted my Instagram. Therefore, I had no distractions. I also promised myself not to go on this website again until I passed the NCLEX. Why? Because I felt that it kept increasing my anxiety. I would get hopeful and smile whenever I read a success story but whenever I saw multiple of people failing time over time I would get so anxious wondering if I would end up the same way. It also became a time waster from studying. So after reading success stories and what helped or didn't help I decided to organize a study plan and stick to it and not return until I was an RN.

I took my exam at 8am on November the 6th because I didn't want to have that much time in the morning to be anxious like I was the first time around. To my surprise I drove to the testing center with a smile on my face. In one of Mike's videos he says "don't be scared, be prepared". I wasn't even scared that morning. I felt pretty prepared. My screen turned blue after 75 questions in 90 mins. Went home, did the Pearson Vue trick and BAM the good pop up. I cried tears of joy and couldn't stop thanking God. I thanked God for giving me the strength to keep going, for blessing me with supportive people in my life, and allowing me to grow stronger through this experience.

Overall, I was determined to pass this exam. You made it through nursing school you can make it through this exam. I do not even want to imagine what would of happened if I hadn't watched all of Mike's videos before redoing Kaplan and reading the other books. I took his videos seriously and wrote a ton of notes. I did my best to understand everything and in the end it was worth it. I ate healthy, I learned to relax in the afternoons and I even started running on the Lakeshore. I live in Chicago by the way so running by the lake was so refreshing. I really hope this can help at least one person who gets a chance to read this. Stay focus and never give up. I also watched Eric Thomas's YouTube video on "Secrets to Success". Sometimes we need to hear the reality of things even if it hurts. You truly want something than go after it. It may not be easy but it'll be worth it. Definitely worth watching!!!

I attached a link which just includes pictures of my little journey and the best pop up I've ever gotten at the end. Included are also my Kaplan scores the second time around. Good luck everyone! You can do this!

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me...

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Congrats! I am studying for my second time. I believe God has a time for everything and our faith grows stronger in him during these experiences. Thanks for the tips! I am going to check out those videos on YouTube.

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Congratulations

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Congrats and job well done!

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Definitely one of my posts! I'm mostly using the same resources as yours. Hoping for the best! Congrats! :)

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Congratulations and Celebrations...............:):):)

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forgot to put *favorite* sorry haha

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Congrats and Thanks for Sharing:up:

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Hi, thanks so much for sharing. I just took the test yesterday and I didn't get the pop up message. I won't know yet until Tuesday but it seems like it's not looking well. Thanks for this message, it will help.

Congratulations and take care.

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Hello... Congrats on passing. I have watched a couple simplenursing videos on Youtube. He really is helpful. Just wondering how different are the videos from his subscription vs Youtube?? And in your opinion do you think the monthly plan is a good value to study for the NCLEX?

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Congrads!!!!

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Hello I know this post was while ago but I was wondering if you ended up doing the simple nursing subscription and if it was different from the youtube?? also if you don't mind can you share what you studied with for the NCLEX and if you took it. feeling over whelmed with the material right now

Thanks in advance

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