Passing the New NCLEX-RN (with the new passing standards)

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Specializes in Home health, Med Surg, LTC.

Hey Folks,

We all know there has been a change in the test plan and passing standards for the NCLEX-RN. So far I was told so far there has been 10% decrease in the pass rate nationally as compared to last year. Which simply means that the test is harder.

So... A few people I know that graduated a semester before me have taken their NCLEX and Failed!!! This makes me worry because most of them are good test takers. For those who have taken the NCLEX-RN recently and passed, what have you used to prepare for the exam? I have taken the NCLEX-PN last year and was told from friends that the format of the exam is nothing similiar to the NCLEX-PN (My professors and those who took it before this year said that the two exams were similiar)

I am planning to take the exam in a couple of weeks and want to pass on the first try as I did for my LPN. Can someone give suggestions on review books and materials I can use to study.

Thanks.

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I passed with 75 questions just last week.

I used :

*Kaplan book 2012-2013( didn't enrol to their review class coz it's too much money for me)

*Saunders 5th ed read it once cover to cover

*Lippincot QandA ( answered all the questions in their book)

*PDA by Lacharity (answered all questions but not the case study)

*Kaplan Q Trainers (free online)

*NCSBN 3 weeks

I know that's a lot but I want to pass on my first attempt. And of course i used the reviewer that you can download here at allnurses

Good luck to you and just believe and claim it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I passed with 75 questions just last week.

I used :

*Kaplan book 2012-2013( didn't enrol to their review class coz it's too much money for me)

*Saunders 5th ed read it once cover to cover

*Lippincot QandA ( answered all the questions in their book)

*PDA by Lacharity (answered all questions but not the case study)

*Kaplan Q Trainers (free online)

*NCSBN 3 weeks

I know that's a lot but I want to pass on my first attempt. And of course i used the reviewer that you can download here at allnurses

Good luck to you and just believe and claim it.

Where could I find the Kaplan Q trainers free?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Where could I find the Kaplan Q trainers free?

Officially they aren't free and only available with one of the Kaplan NCLEX RN review packages. Be wary if a site tries to charge you (that is not Kaplan) as some members have reported finding the qtrainers in online searches but the site owners were requiring credit card info for access. As Kaplan is the owner of the product only Kaplan deserves to be paid for access.

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Specializes in Home health, Med Surg, LTC.

Thank you so much for the reply. I do not want to pay crazy amount money for any review course

I passed with 75 questions just last week.

I used :

*Kaplan book 2012-2013( didn't enrol to their review class coz it's too much money for me)

*Saunders 5th ed read it once cover to cover

*Lippincot QandA ( answered all the questions in their book)

*PDA by Lacharity (answered all questions but not the case study)

*Kaplan Q Trainers (free online)

*NCSBN 3 weeks

I know that's a lot but I want to pass on my first attempt. And of course i used the reviewer that you can download here at allnurses

Good luck to you and just believe and claim it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I passed with 75 questions just last week.

I used :

*Kaplan book 2012-2013( didn't enrol to their review class coz it's too much money for me)

*Saunders 5th ed read it once cover to cover

*Lippincot QandA ( answered all the questions in their book)

*PDA by Lacharity (answered all questions but not the case study)

*Kaplan Q Trainers (free online)

*NCSBN 3 weeks

I know that's a lot but I want to pass on my first attempt. And of course i used the reviewer that you can download here at allnurses

Good luck to you and just believe and claim it.

Just wondering, what scores did you get for your QTrainers and Saunders?

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, Med-Surg/Tele, LTC.

The test is NOT harder this year than the previous years. It is the same format, same difficulty of questions. Only the standard has been raised. For example, think of it as a school using the exact same test but making the lowest possible A a 92% instead of 90% as it had done the previous year. Less people would be getting A's because anyone who got a 90 or 91% would not get an A this year like they would have if they took the test last year. So this is why less people are passing. But actually, not only the standard has changed. The ratio of questions coming from each category has also changed. For example, instead of having 16-22% of the test on Management of Care as they did on the older NCLEX, Management of Care now makes up 17-23% of the test. There is also less pharm on the newer test than the older one.

And the NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN are indeed the same format. I took the PN one 3 years ago and took the RN one only in October. The only difference between the 2 is that the RN questions are harder.

EDIT: Here's a link to the NCSBN's Answers to FAQs about the 2013 test plan: https://www.ncsbn.org/2013_NCLEX_RN_Test_Plan_FAQ.pdf

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Just wondering what scores did you get for your QTrainers and Saunders?[/quote']oh my, not the best scores...I posted my nclex experience just now..I included it there...
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