Hi guys. I have been preparing for the NCLEX-Rn exam. I went through Saunders and read about 600 pages and also "Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-rn" by Mary Ann Hogan and read 650 pages. I also started to practice Saunder's Content area questions (about 600 questions) but they seem very easy and the problem is that I memorized them and I know the answers automatically and I am not sure that will be helpful taking the NCLEX because from what I read it does take some sort of logic to be able to pass the NCLEX just memorizing stuff won't cut it.
I feel a little bit overwhelmed and not sure if I can finish the whole thing in two months when I plan to take the test.
Saunder's it's so detailed that, as hard as I tried to memorize content there is no way I could know all.
The Mary Ann book is a little more settled down and less detailed but still I cannot memorize all in it either.
Can you guys suggest a good way to manage my studies? I feel like it will take me forever to finish studying for this test.
For example:
A good source for question bank that I can just stick to it or Saunder's is fine?
A good source for content or Saunder's and the Mary Ann Hogan book is fine?
Am I studying too many materials and I should just stick to one? Which one do you think is most appropriate?
I also heard from some nurse that he used Kaplan, what are your thoughts on that?
Sorry if I am another that asks the same questions as most people who post here but just thought some advice could help me lots.
Thank you for sharing kkny1234 and congrats on passing the NCLEX. I really appreciate your help on this. I will keep practicing kaplan questions and reviewing them. I also have La Charity but i don't think I will have time to get to it. How strong were you in the pharmacology area? How long did it take you to finish all the kaplan Qbank?
Also on the decision tree kaplan has I am still working on perfecting that.
Have you seen that 35 page review that's floating around? I am trying to see if that's helpful at all....?
thank you! i would say my pharmacolgy was more on the weak side. i didn't study much pharmacology but made sure to know the ones i thought were important like beta blockers, digoxin, and diuretics. even with those i just knew when to use them and nursing care regarding their use. i was hoping i wouldn't get a lot of pharm questions but i did get a handful of them. i think it took me about a month and a half to do all the kaplan qbank questions. i started studying in january but took february off and then started doing them again this month. but i also only did about 20-50 questions a day.
i personally hated the kaplan decision tree and every time i tried to use it i would change my (correct) answer to the wrong answer so i gave up on it. it didn't work for me but if it works for you then by all means use it. i did see that 35 page review. i went over it and typed it over again because the format of it was driving me crazy but i didn't really use it. rather than trying to memorize a ton of information i did questions so i could practice my "critical thinking" skills.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
So I took the NCLEX today. I was the only one out of the whole group that was there for the NCLEX RN.
I was up from 2:30 am test was at 08:00 am.
Woke up showered and reviewed some questions.
When I arrived at the testing center my eyes were barely open. I was tired and definitely not ready to take the test.
First pile of questions I felt that I did well but as I passed 20 questions I was barely able to concentrate.
I had about 5 SATA questions and a lot of delegations and prioritization questions.
I had quite a few medication questions which kind of worried me.
As I was getting to 75 questions I was answering more and more on intuition rather than logical thought.
I don't think I would've made it through 265 for sure.
It stopped at 75 questions.
I honestly feel like I failed but will see. I got some weird question which I didn't even bother with them, I just picked an answer and moved on.
Do you guys know when I can check the results?
What state? If your state participates in quick results they are available in 48 hours post exam. Some state BoN's post results in 24-48 hours. Other states like CA take 3-6 weeks to process pass/fail letters
What state? If your state participates in quick results they are available in 48 hours post exam. Some state BoN's post results in 24-48 hours. Other states like CA take 3-6 weeks to process pass/fail letters
Hopefully if you have to take it again, you don't get up at 2am. That's insane.
What trick? I didn't want to get up at 2 am but I couldn't sleep. I stayed in bed not being able to sleep with my brain processing all sorts of scattered thoughts. I finally fell a sleep after 5 am and when the alarm went off barely got out of bed.
What trick? I didn't want to get up at 2 am but I couldn't sleep. I stayed in bed not being able to sleep with my brain processing all sorts of scattered thoughts. I finally fell a sleep after 5 am and when the alarm went off barely got out of bed.
PVT trick .... best of luck .... mine is due in two weeks
PVT trick .... best of luck .... mine is due in two weeks
yeah I tried that with a bad expiration date and said credit card didn't go through or something due to credit card being declined so I think I am pretty much failed but still will see on Monday, I will find out for sure
Not passing doesn't mean nothing but another payment and another test day. Either way I am at 50%-60% rate passing on Kaplan and I want to do LaCharity questions and some more sounders SATA questions. I will make sure I sleep well before the test and also the day before the test I worked a full 12 hour shift. I was exhausted. If I actually PASS it will definitely be a miracle.
At the end of the day its all in those priority and delegation questions. That's all its all about. How to answer those. I felt like Kaplan was right there with the Nclex. Kaplan was harder though but definitely a very good review.
So I am getting close to take the NCLEX RN second time now THIS Friday.
I did NCSBN NCLEX RN prep.
I went through most of the content and the lessons and finished about 1000 practice questions before my subscription expired.
One they're 10 question quizzes I kept getting between 40% and 90%. Averaged about 60-70%.
I did the Kaplan Test Readiness Test and I got 57%.
If I fail I will go back and restudy NCSBN again it's got everything one need to pass the test. I learned that keeping study material simple helps me the most with memorization.
I have about 2 days available to study until the actual test besides being at work and I don't even know what to do or what to even study any more.
I wouldn't be surprised if I fail and I wouldn't be surprised if I pass either. I feel somewhere in between. Some of the content and the questions I get spot on and some I have no clue what is even asking me.
I noticed that in the days where I could concentrate and took my time with the questions even if I didn't know the answer I could deduct it and I got high scores on quizzes which were 10 questions each quiz 150 questions a day.
On the actual EXAM.
I will shut the timer off if I can.
I will focus on each question and not rush.
Get a good night sleep and not work the day before. :)
If you have any advice please do post. Thank you. :)
Hi, i just took my second attempt at the NCLEX RN last Tuesday, my first time the computer shut off at 193, this time 181. Failed both times. I was doing about 200 to 300 questions a day. I did hurst, NCSBN, and numerous apps for questions. I studied for about four months after graduating in December of 2014. I broke my ankle on Christmas eve day and had surgery on Jan 6, but went ahead and took the test on the 31st of Jan even though I knew in my heart i wasn't ready. So i took my time the second time around, considering i was out of work and had time to study. I felt much more confident this time around, didn't do me any good. I can't sit for the exam again for 45 days, so I'm going to test for LPN while I am waiting. I honestly don't know what I could have done differently to pass this time. I did improve in one category that i was below passing in the first time around, so that made me feel that I had at least made some progress. Definitely make sure you get a good night's sleep, I don't think you can turn the timer off, but do take your time. You have 6 hours. I think maybe I used too many study aids the last time, so the next time i will only use one. Good luck, the test is very intimidating, but also remember you made it thru nursing school, which in itself says something. Tests do not define who you are as a nurse. There's going to be questions on there that you've never heard of what they are asking, meds that you've never seen before. Just don't give up! !
omg move
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Thank you for sharing kkny1234 and congrats on passing the NCLEX. I really appreciate your help on this. I will keep practicing kaplan questions and reviewing them. I also have La Charity but i don't think I will have time to get to it. How strong were you in the pharmacology area? How long did it take you to finish all the kaplan Qbank?
Also on the decision tree kaplan has I am still working on perfecting that.
Have you seen that 35 page review that's floating around? I am trying to see if that's helpful at all....?