2) select the 'test taker services' tab at the top.
3) click 'register' on the right side.
4) click the 'credit card' link.
5) click the 'sign in' link in the second sentence.
6) enter your username.
7) enter your password.
? click the button.
9) click 'register' on the left side.
10) select your test type.
11) click the button.
12) select your country.
13) click the button.
14) answer the yes/no questions.
15) select your country again.
16) select your state.
17) type in your city.
18) click the button. a list of schools should appear.
19) select your school.
20) select the month and year of your graduation.
21) select your board of nursing.
22) click the button.
Very important: at this point, if you get a pop up that says 'the candidate currently has test results that are on hold. a new registration cannot be created at this time.', it has nothing to do with passing or failing; It just means that they are reviewing your records due to random reviews that they conduct, or because they needed to locate some data or papers, etc. This means you will possibly have to wait a few more days than your friends who did not get this message. If you get the message 'our records indicate that you have recently scheduled this exam. Please contact your member board for further assistance. another registration cannot be made at this time.', that means you passed. If you do not get either message and go straight to the credit card information page, that means you did not pass.
Your pearsonvue account must state that delivery is successful before you try the trick
XTXRN: It can actually shut off at 75!! That being the minimum and 265 or something like that being the most.
I'm sorry, but that is really scary....I'm sure a lot of those taking the boards are really smart- but what about the ones who just scrape by.... OMG. It makes a mockery of all the work of nursing school.
Not really. Where I took A & P, there were two instructors who taught these classes. Both were MDs. One gave tests with about 15 or 20 questions. The other gave tests with 100 questions. You had to study like mad for either instructor, because you never knew what 15 or 20 questions you'd be asked, or if asked 100 questions, you had to be able to answer those as well.
Was one more fair than the other? BTW, several of the 15 questions would be essay answers, and he wanted to know key points contained in your answer. Both were great instructors, but I took the one with the 100 questions because I liked her teaching style better, and I also felt she was more personable.
I imagine that the older exams were more memorized fact oriented, whereas the new exam integrates everything in much fewer questions. Also, if you don't know exactly what the exam will test you on, there isn't really any way to slack off in your studies. You had better know your stuff or you won't pass.
Not really. Where I took A & P, there were two instructors who taught these classes. Both were MDs. One gave tests with about 15 or 20 questions. The other gave tests with 100 questions. You had to study like mad for either instructor, because you never knew what 15 or 20 questions you'd be asked, or if asked 100 questions, you had to be able to answer those as well.
Was one more fair than the other? BTW, several of the 15 questions would be essay answers, and he wanted to know key points contained in your answer. Both were great instructors, but I took the one with the 100 questions because I liked her teaching style better, and I also felt she was more personable.
I imagine that the older exams were more memorized fact oriented, whereas the new exam integrates everything in much fewer questions. Also, if you don't know exactly what the exam will test you on, there isn't really any way to slack off in your studies. You had better know your stuff or you won't pass.
That was true back in the days of the dinosaurs (my nursing age- lol) !!!
I took boards in 1985- so it's been a while But, a typical question could be about a 12 year old pregnant girl in renal failure.... it didn't isolate specialities or knowledge. I guess it's just hard to imagine that 200 questions (give or take a few) makes the difference in who gets a license and is out there 'alone'. I've also wondered (and this is not in criticism of the students- but questions about the programs) what SNs do during clinicals- I only wondered this from what I saw as a patient. The most any of them did was bring a lunch tray and follow my nurse around. We had to do whatever the floor nurse did, as soon as we were signed off on it by the instructor. And we started doing that (beginning with vitals) the first week. By the third week, we were giving meds (with the hand written med cards and care plans- miss either, and be sent home; miss 2 classes and you had to repeat). Repeat more than 2 classes and you were out of the program. Period.
All exams were formatted after boards. And I was horrified that a minimum of 50% (out of 1000 questions- or thereabouts) was passing- I never thought that was good enough. I did well, but didn't even want to miss a single question. I wanted the maximum number of questions to challenge my overall knowledge so I knew for myself that I was 'ready' (as a student it's so hard to tell sometimes, especially with hardcore instructors- who handed out the reading assignments, never lectured, gave essay tests, and lost 1/2 the class before finals. She showed movie after movie of women bleeding out in childbirth...all that did was chase people away.
I had a CNA who was a SN at a 4-yr school back in 1986... she saw my syllabus, and was upset about how much she wasn't getting exposed to (granted, this school was not known for its nursing program in that city, back then, which is the pits for those who went there).
I guess in some ways, there is never enough to teach/learn. And those who just skim by will eventually be weeded out, hopefully before hurting anybody (no matter when or where they graduated).
Thanks for sharing this stuff with an old fossil !! There are things I don't understand about how things are now- just as y'all will never understand how they used to be- I think there are good things and bad things about both :)
The computerized testing is not just straight questions and answers. The questions start off relatively "easy" and progressively get more difficult as you answer them, if you are doing well. You have to progress to pass. It is not just a matter of getting a certain number of correct answers. If the computer sees that you are not progressing, it will shut off and you fail. If you are doing really poorly, the computer will recognize this early and terminate at 75 questions (the minimum). If after 75 questions and you are riding the line between failing and passing, the computer will continue to give questions until it determines (based on the programming) that you are passing or failing to a max of 265. Sometimes, a taker will be randomnly (sp) selected for "test" questions the BON is considering for use in the future. These questions are not calculated in the pass/fail situation at all, but the tester will still receive 265 questions. This is not an indication on whether or not the taker rode the line all the way to 265. They could have passed at 75 or 100 or however number of questions. There is no way to know for sure. You either pass or fail. The content is random as well. You have no idea what you will be tested over, so all material should be studied. I know I would be terribly intimidated by a paper test that would take me 2 days to complete. I also know that the computerized testing was very intimidating as well. Two different methods that, I think, for the most part does a pretty good job for licensing. There will always be those who do well on tests, but may not be good at bedside nursing. What the test doesn't weed out, the unit will :)
The computerized testing is not just straight questions and answers. The questions start off relatively "easy" and progressively get more difficult as you answer them, if you are doing well. You have to progress to pass. It is not just a matter of getting a certain number of correct answers. If the computer sees that you are not progressing, it will shut off and you fail. If you are doing really poorly, the computer will recognize this early and terminate at 75 questions (the minimum). If after 75 questions and you are riding the line between failing and passing, the computer will continue to give questions until it determines (based on the programming) that you are passing or failing to a max of 265. Sometimes, a taker will be randomnly (sp) selected for "test" questions the BON is considering for use in the future. These questions are not calculated in the pass/fail situation at all, but the tester will still receive 265 questions. This is not an indication on whether or not the taker rode the line all the way to 265. They could have passed at 75 or 100 or however number of questions. There is no way to know for sure. You either pass or fail. The content is random as well. You have no idea what you will be tested over, so all material should be studied. I know I would be terribly intimidated by a paper test that would take me 2 days to complete. I also know that the computerized testing was very intimidating as well. Two different methods that, I think, for the most part does a pretty good job for licensing. There will always be those who do well on tests, but may not be good at bedside nursing. What the test doesn't weed out, the unit will :)
That's very true :)
Thank you for explaining this to me. It still amazes me that 75 questions is 'enough'. Hard to wrap my head around :) There were 1500 of us (yes- I meant 2 zeros!!) in a huge conference room at a hotel near one of the runways at O'Hare Airport in Chicago- back when it was the busiest in the world (before Atlanta). Every few seconds this crazy blast would go overhead- as if we weren't all terrified enough! I had always thought the computer system would still require that many more questions would be answered.
xtxrn: We are up waaayyyy too early! I would not have been able to cope with 2 days worth of testing + being at an airport with all of the distractions! That was probably part of the testing process too - how well the testers handled the environment (ha!). Hope you have a great day!
xtxrn: We are up waaayyyy too early! I would not have been able to cope with 2 days worth of testing + being at an airport with all of the distractions! That was probably part of the testing process too - how well the testers handled the environment (ha!). Hope you have a great day!
Thanks :) You too :)
One poor girl was literally in a hospital bed at the front of the room- looked like some trauma stuff- leg in a cast...but they hauled her in her bed to take boards. Otherwise she'd have to wait 6 months for the next chance.
We all stayed 4 to a room in the hotel..... I was the first one done of the 1500 on each of the 4 sections... the 'monitors' were constantly asking me if I had to go to the bathroom (couldn't go unescorted!)...I was like "NO, let me out of here- I'm DONE with this part"... Then I'd go sit in the hotel room to wait for the rest of my co-students, and look out the window at the Chicago skyline.
I'm often up all night. This is the only contact I have with people, except for MD visits, and regular phone calls from my 79 year old dad. I like to answer people who don't have any replies- it's hard to post and just be left hanging (there are some I won't touch- LOL)
I never thought I'd be disabled (who does?). Not working as a nurse has been hard- I really loved what I did- especially in TX... people much friendlier down there.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Ok I took my NCLEX yesterday. It cut me off at either 125 or 126. I was so nervous and wasn't paying attn. I did the trick and at first it was telling me " the candidate currently has an open registration for this exam. An new registration cannot be created at this time". I then checked hours later and I got the pop up that says" our records indicate that you have recently scheduled this exam Please contact your member board for further assistance. Another registration cannot be made at this time" Sooooo. What does this mean?? Did I pass or fail?
Because you are asking about the trick I am merging this with the current thread
I'm sorry, but that is really scary....I'm sure a lot of those taking the boards are really smart- but what about the ones who just scrape by.... OMG. It makes a mockery of all the work of nursing school.
What? I think you are wrong here. If there is one thing that we should all have learned on this board by now it is that NCLEX scores do not have any bearing on what type of nurse you will be. Nursing is a lot more than a single test.
I just took my RN boards today after a very stressful week. My test shut off after 127 questions and I got the good pop-up from PV. I really hope I passed!
It makes a mockery of all the work of nursing school.
But, a typical question could be about a 12 year old pregnant girl in renal failure.... it didn't isolate specialities or knowledge. I guess it's just hard to imagine that 200 questions (give or take a few) makes the difference in who gets a license and is out there 'alone'. I've also wondered (and this is not in criticism of the students- but questions about the programs) what SNs do during clinicals- I only wondered this from what I saw as a patient. The most any of them did was bring a lunch tray and follow my nurse around. We had to do whatever the floor nurse did, as soon as we were signed off on it by the instructor. And we started doing that (beginning with vitals) the first week. By the third week, we were giving meds (with the hand written med cards and 
nurse678
45 Posts
I passed with 75 so yeah lol