Preparing for my NCLEX Examination

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Hello all! I would like some advice from RNs if you wouldn't mind sharing your experiences. What do you feel is the best way to prepare for my NCLEX examination? Any tips, advice, recommendations, or things to avoid when preparing for my exam? I graduate in December 2013 and will be taking my NCLEX soon after. I am also signed up to take the Kaplan NCLEX prep class. Thank you all for you help!

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Hello!

I completed a 15month accel nursing program in August. I studied for boards for exactly 1 month (all day- 8am-6pm, everyday). I am notorious for being able to study for long stretches of time by changing up what I am studying, doing practice questions and quizzing myself aloud (I never spent longer than 45 min on any subject because I would start to forget or simply memorize, instead of truly understand the content). Because my nursing program crammed a whole lot of content into a mere 15 months of schooling, I thought it was best for me to do a content summation review vs doing countless practice questions. I figured my program had adequately prepared me to think critically, coupled with my prior degree, I felt that I could answer the questions correctly if I understood the basic content. I did not start to formally study until I took the Hurst review. I developed my study plan off of the Hurst review content. It was a 3 day intensive review that made nursing school, make sense! Many of my classmates had great success with Kaplan as well. I chose to know the core content backwards and forwards in lieu of doing a zillion practice questions-- which in my mind wouldn't teach me a whole lot since the NCLEX could pull from a zillion different questions. I probably completed less than 2,000 questions but did do the Kaplan trainers that are floating around the web. I finished in 75 q in 1.5 hours and swore nothing I studied appeared on the exam! However, because I knew the core content, I could reason through the answer choices instead of guessing. Good luck! Develop a study plan, stick to it. It doesn't matter if you get 75 or 265-- by passing, you'll be a nurse!!!

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Wow, it sounds scary but encouraging at the same time. In short what you mean is focusing on the content matter is the most important not relying solely on practice question. Right?

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That's what worked for me... Understanding the basic content. I could've practiced a million questions and still not felt prepared to take the exam. Only you know your strengths and weaknesses. For me, I knew I could critically think... My school used NCLEX style questions from the first semester forward. Therefore, I felt that I understood how to critically think so long as I understood what the question was asking and knew content- basic content. The NCLEX people know you are a new nurse and can't possibly know everything. They want to make sure you are a safe nurse-- not an all knowing nurse... After all we're just GNs (graduate nurses, baby nurses).

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Thank you for your comments. I am signed up to take the Kaplan class. I also am trying to study like crazy!

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I have found that content and studying NCLEX style questions matter. It is a combination of both that helps me get NCLEX style questions right. Although I have not taken the NCLEX exam yet.

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I am taking mines in a couple of weeks. I am going hard on content . I have already done over 3000 questions but i feel if you are strong on content you will be good. I also used Kaplan and Hurst.. Good luck

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