Please Help Me. I Failed Boards.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Sep 16, 2005

I'm sorry to read this. I know it will take a few days or so until you get your spirit back up. But look at the bright side.....you do get to take it again until you pass it, just prepare better and give it your best. Best wishes to you.

Nickle · Sep 16, 2005

Oh, I am so sorry. Try to keep a good attitude - you can and will pass the exam. I like the Saunders CD-ROM since it evaluates your performance in each section according to the test plan. To test in your weak areas, choose Exam, then Content Area, then check the areas you are weak in, like for example under Client Needs - Physiological Integrity, under Integrated Processes - Nursing Process/Evaluation. Foucs on the areas you are weak in. If you don't know what areas you are weak in, then take a few of the general exams from the CD and look at the grading analysis afterwards when it lets you review. It breaks it down by percents in each category. And if there are general subject areas you are weak in, review those as well, like fluid & electrolytes or neuro. Practice as many questions as you can. Take a live review if possible; the testing strategies I've learned from the two live reviews I've had were as valuable as knowing the content. Good luck! I'm rooting for you!

RN12345656 · Sep 16, 2005

:) Hello everyone. I am so depressed. I'm here and LPN for two years. I took boards on Monday 9/12/05. They were so hard. I'm an Ortho nurse. I had so many select all that apply questions. I HATE those type questions, because if you don't select everything the whole thing is wrong. I had 1 fill in the blank, which was a math question ( I know I got that one right). Then I had so many Neuro questions. I was about to freak out. I ended up getting 75 questions. So, I must've been doing very bad.
I just can't believe it. A classmate of mine that went to LPN school with me took her boards that day too. After the test, we talked over the questions and the answers I told her I put along with the choices I had, she would've put the same thing. And, I felt the same way about her questions. She had 75 too. So, to make a long story short she ened up passing and I didn't.
I feel so bad about it. But, I know God knows best. I just don't understand. I do however need some help on studying. We have to wait 45 days, and I'm going back as soon as I can. I have a Saunder's book, Kaplan, and ERI book from a review course we took before finishing school. I feel so overwhelmed. What should I do??? I need help.

Try to relax and take deep breaths during the exam. If you find yourself getting anxious, close your eyes take some more deep breaths.

Remember your ABC's

Use your Maslow Hierarchy of Needs

Do not read into the questions. Go with your Gut.

Good luck!

ManyRN2B · Sep 16, 2005

I'm so sorry. I know what worked for me was having a study plan of the material I wanted to cover before I took my exam. I had a 6 wks plan and at the end of each week I would go over what I accomplished and adjust things for the next week as needed.

I loved the Lippincott Q&A book the best. I thought the questions were challenging like the NCLEX and had excellent rationales. The book has over 5,000 questions and it is divided up into body systems and subjects. So you can easily focus on your weaknesses. THe reason I say it was like the NCLEX is because with LIppincott, they always had 2 really good answers. I could almost always narrow it down to 2 right answers and then from there rationalize it out. So once I choose my answer and read the rationale it made sense or should I say I understood how to answer the questions.

I also kept a notebook as I went over my rationales. Anything that I felt was important to remember or was something I thought was hard, I would write it in this notebook. I studied this book mainly on the weekends.

Also with LIppincott book, I copied all the tests I wanted to take and wrote write on the copied exam. I would jot down notes next to the wrong answers etec. etc and kept a folder of all my exams. It helped to back over them because I had the questions with the answers and any quick notes next to it from reading the rationales.

I only used the Kaplan CD trainer. The actual Kaplan book from the store that you can buy confused me more than anything.

Good luck and study hard!!!

suzanne4, RN · Sep 16, 2005

My personal preference is only for the Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN. Please read some other posts here and you will see why.

The NCLEX doesn't deal with how much experience that you have had, or what type of degree that you have. There is a technique for answering the questions and this is what you need to learn. That is actually not hard, if you are willing to do it.

How many questions did you do before taking the exam? How were you using the CDs?

Mommy2Maddy · Sep 16, 2005

Luvanurse - Sorry so to hear about the NCLEX. Keep you head and don't get yourself down. It just wasn't meant to be this time, but you'll get it next time. You did your best and now you'll do even better.

I know EXACTLY how you feel. I have failed three times and I'm going for try #4 in November. You just need to stay POSITIVE. Remember to do questions, questions, and more questions. The saying on this website is to do 100 questions/day and make sure you review the reationales behind the answers.

Also, remember your not alone. Many people have failed the NCLEX. It's not the end of the world. You will pass! I know one person who took it 7 times and then passed. Remember everything happens for a reason.

Study hard and let us know if you need anything!

Brandi :)

luvanurse0630 · Sep 17, 2005

Thanks Brandi. Keep me in your prayers...

Luvanurse - Sorry so to hear about the NCLEX. Keep you head and don't get yourself down. It just wasn't meant to be this time, but you'll get it next time. You did your best and now you'll do even better.
I know EXACTLY how you feel. I have failed three times and I'm going for try #4 in November. You just need to stay POSITIVE. Remember to do questions, questions, and more questions. The saying on this website is to do 100 questions/day and make sure you review the reationales behind the answers.
Also, remember your not alone. Many people have failed the NCLEX. It's not the end of the world. You will pass! I know one person who took it 7 times and then passed. Remember everything happens for a reason.
Study hard and let us know if you need anything!
Brandi :)

luvanurse0630 · Sep 17, 2005

I did about 800 questions. I could've done more, but I had a lot going on. So, I guess it was partly my fault.

My personal preference is only for the Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN. Please read some other posts here and you will see why.
The NCLEX doesn't deal with how much experience that you have had, or what type of degree that you have. There is a technique for answering the questions and this is what you need to learn. That is actually not hard, if you are willing to do it.
How many questions did you do before taking the exam? How were you using the CDs?

lady_jezebel · Sep 17, 2005

It's OK. Your world is not over. Just study & try again, it's your best option. These kinds of things happen, but try to put it into perspective. When things like this happen in my life, I ask myself, "would I rather be in this situation or in the shoes of that patient who is septic and in renal failure and vented??" Or look at the people in New Orleans. It's all relative. Don't be hard on yourself -- save your energy for test preparation with a new approach.

Your situation is only a temporary setback, nothing more.

lady_jezebel · Sep 17, 2005

And just to add, the approach that worked for me was to view the test as assessing BASIC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. You are tested in order to demonstrate that you can provide safe care. Do not read too much into the questions, just chooose the answer that provides the safest care. Also, in priority type questions, always use the ABCs. For example, if "give blood" or "give oxygen" were both correct options for a question, choose B (breathing) over C (circulation). When you prioritize patients, go to the A (airway) pt first (for ex., child with drooling sitting upright has epiglottitis & will soon have an occluded airway; a patient who demonstrates anaphylaxis will also soon have a swollen airway), B next, then C third; a change in LOC could be an A, B or C question if they give you clues, but one they love to ask is about hypoglycemia for a diabetic (this type of pt would be addressed after the ABC pts, or you would ask another nurse to assess them as you address the others). NEVER select an answer that lists "call the doc" as the first thing you would do. NEVER do something without an order, unless it truly falls under the scope of nursing (ex. skin care, toileting, psychosocial, etc...). Know what things are withing your scope of practice as an LPN. Appying oxygen or infusing fluids are medical directives & require a new or standing order. For therapeutic communication type problems, choose the answer that shows you are LISTENING to the patient in a way that does NOT pass judgement -- the "what I hear you saying is...." type answer. Know what parameters you need to check before giving meds (ex. hr before digoxin). Know standard precautions (for ex. HIV pts only require std precautions, nothing more), and what requires more stringent gear (ex. gown for MRSA, contact precautions). Safety -- always place the most critical pt near the nursing station, and use one-on-one observation if needed; physical or chemical restraints are always the last option.

So basically, with each question I asked myself, "what are they testing for here?". Most of the questions will be about safety, basic nursing knowledge, or theraptuetic communication.

I would say more, but gotta go to work...

luvanurse0630 · Sep 17, 2005

I truely am going to take all of this advice into consideration.

And just to add, the approach that worked for me was to view the test as assessing BASIC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. You are tested in order to demonstrate that you can provide safe care. Do not read too much into the questions, just chooose the answer that provides the safest care. Also, in priority type questions, always use the ABCs. For example, if "give blood" or "give oxygen" were both correct options for a question, choose B (breathing) over C (circulation). When you prioritize patients, go to the A (airway) pt first (for ex., child with drooling sitting upright has epiglottitis & will soon have an occluded airway; a patient who demonstrates anaphylaxis will also soon have a swollen airway), B next, then C third; a change in LOC could be an A, B or C question if they give you clues, but one they love to ask is about hypoglycemia for a diabetic (this type of pt would be addressed after the ABC pts, or you would ask another nurse to assess them as you address the others). NEVER select an answer that lists "call the doc" as the first thing you would do. NEVER do something without an order, unless it truly falls under the scope of nursing (ex. skin care, toileting, psychosocial, etc...). Know what things are withing your scope of practice as an LPN. Appying oxygen or infusing fluids are medical directives & require a new or standing order. For therapeutic communication type problems, choose the answer that shows you are LISTENING to the patient in a way that does NOT pass judgement -- the "what I hear you saying is...." type answer. Know what parameters you need to check before giving meds (ex. hr before digoxin). Know standard precautions (for ex. HIV pts only require std precautions, nothing more), and what requires more stringent gear (ex. gown for MRSA, contact precautions). Safety -- always place the most critical pt near the nursing station, and use one-on-one observation if needed; physical or chemical restraints are always the last option.
So basically, with each question I asked myself, "what are they testing for here?". Most of the questions will be about safety, basic nursing knowledge, or theraptuetic communication.
I would say more, but gotta go to work...