Preparing for NCLEX as a NEW nursing student

2bNdNurse84 · Jun 27, 2013

But the Saunders comprehensive Nclex ( yellow cover) everyone uses that! :)

pknurse · Jun 27, 2013

I say Saunders because it is a relatively cheap book that has the content spelled out in an easy to understand manner. I really don't believe you should start looking at NCLEX-type questions until your last year. You just don't have the knowledge to answer the questions; they are critical thinking questions that require application/analysis. In my opinion (remember the NCLEX is adaptive), A&P was completely irrelevant on my boards. Furthermore, you're going to be too engrossed in your classes to even want to look at additional material.

noname123 · Jun 27, 2013

First of all, relax! You won't take NCLEX in the next 4 years, right? The best strategy is to focus on your current study. You need a solid fundamental nursing knowledge to really understand the NCLEX questions. NCLEX is not just about the A/P, but it's the critical thinking.

I believe your school will request you to buy at least one NCLEX book. If not, I recommend the Saunders 6th ed. (the newest one.) Saunders is very basic, and it's good for your grades. As you know, you will have to achieve certain level of grades to pass a semester. Besides nursing courses, you still need to study other genreal courses as well. Anyway, try to study and understand the study material as best as you can. When it's time to take NCLEX, you won't need too much time to review them again.

Good luck, and congs! Come back here when you reach the last semester. You will have more sense about how to prepare NCLEX by then.

KJM-RN, BSN · Jun 27, 2013

You're not going to have the knowledge until you've taken the majority of your nursing classes to be able to answer NCLEX questions. The start of the program is way too soon to be preparing. Focus on learning the material presented in class and if you're that anxious to start studying do it your last semester before graduation. Definitely no need to start preparing yet. Good luck in nursing school!

BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 27, 2013

Hi everyone,
I start a BSN program in the fall and have read frequently that you should start at least reading over NCLEX preparation materials the very first semester of nursing school. Does anyone have experience with this and what would the the BEST NCLEX prep book for a new student (and to use WHILE going through the program)? I hope this question makes sense, I have obviously taken anatomy/physiology and the other prerequisites so I have a basic understanding of the stuff but I'm wondering if there is a book better suited/organized to a beginner nursing student level. Any input is appreciated! Thank you!

Honestly, I wish someone had told me to buy Kaplan and LaCharity's Prioritization book when I started nursing school. Yes, I wouldn't have understood every question but I would have been able to go over questions related to the areas we were studying at the time and better understand questions on the tests. The Kaplan 2013-2014 comes with a CD of questions, which is nice, and the LaCharity book has both regular questions and Case Studies. I got them both before my second year and did much better overall because of them. Good luck!

danik · Jun 27, 2013

First of all, relax! You won't take NCLEX in the next 4 years, right? The best strategy is to focus on your current study. You need a solid fundamental nursing knowledge to really understand the NCLEX questions. NCLEX is not just about the A/P, but it's the critical thinking.
I believe your school will request you to buy at least one NCLEX book. If not, I recommend the Saunders 6th ed. (the newest one.) Saunders is very basic, and it's good for your grades. As you know, you will have to achieve certain level of grades to pass a semester. Besides nursing courses, you still need to study other genreal courses as well. Anyway, try to study and understand the study material as best as you can. When it's time to take NCLEX, you won't need too much time to review them again.

Sorry, I guess I should have been more clear! I am already finished with my general education courses so I actually won't have any general courses like you mentioned, just nursing classes (+Pharm and path)! And I am in a four-year program but I'm already through the first 2 years of prerequisites so I actually only have

TSgcc13 · Jun 27, 2013

Like most of the others have said, I wouldn't worry too much about that now. Most nursing schools have "required" books for u to get that include NCLEX review books. Trust me, you're gonna get PLENTY of NCLEX practice! Relax while u can, luv! On a side note....I really liked ATI.

Meimpress · Jun 27, 2013

Reviewing things starting at the beginning of the nursing program is a GREAT idea but most of us don't do it unfortunately.

shortlilgirl02 · Jul 1, 2013

I would suggest a book that has topics and systems sorted out - there are lots out there. What looking at a prep book will do for you while in school is focus you on the main points of the treatments and nursing interventions you will do. Sometimes in nursing school, you get a lot of unnecessary information, and prep books help condense it to something usable. I'd say most importantly, memorize normal lab values and try to understand electrolyte imbalances because those are part of pretty much everything you study.

hanoi98 · Jul 1, 2013

I used the Davis series of books for beginning nursing student and found them very helpful. Get them according to subjects, that way the info got break down nicely. It is never too early to start on NCLEX questions. It will help you in the nursing class tests too. I started it my first semester of the ADN program. Good luck .

NPOaftermidnight, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 1, 2013

The most important thing to help you pass the NCLEX is to focus on what you're doing in class and learning all of your nursing content really well. I also completed the online ATI practice assessments for each topic as we did it in the program and I think that helped me do better on tests in school while also preparing me for the NCLEX. Remember that the NCLEX assesses for minimum competency, so if you focus on learning each subject area really well, you will be in excellent shape : )