luvinlifeRN

Thank you, everyone!!! It was so nice to use this website for support when I was studying and nervous about results, so I wanted to try to support others too!!! Thinking of that "funny" thing really helped me!!! After being in school for a few years (went straight from LPN to RN), it's REALLY nice to NOT have anything to do after work that involves studying!!!! I almost don't know what to do with myself!! I can actually read a book for FUN now or watch TV without feeling guilty!! I'm sure many of you can relate! Hang in there...you can do it too!!!

:yeah:I passed my NCLEX-RN! After using this website to calm my nerves before AND after my exam, I wanted to leave a few words of advice for those who have yet to test or those who are waiting for results. 1. I did the Pearson Vue Trick and would HIGHLY recommend this. It worked for me and EVERY SINGLE one of my classmates thus far (those with either passing or failing results...PVT was accurate on all of them). 2. Take the ear plugs offered to you at the testing center, especially if you are easily distracted. Make sure to read the instructions on the ear plugs because I would have put them in backwards. hahaha! No kidding. Once I put them in correctly, I blocked out EVERYTHING in that room. It was PERFECT. 3. Tell yourself, "This test WANTS me to pass. It is going to HELP me pass." The test will continue to test your knowledge...giving you chances over and over again. It does WANT you to pass. Keep that in mind. 4. If you find you are getting to be a ball of nerves after a few questions that you weren't sure of, remind yourself, "I CAN and WILL pass this." Think of something funny in your life...a funny joke, something funny a friend just said or did or etc. That smile or silent laugh in your mind will help reduce that stress and keep you going. And, it certainly does not hurt to take a deep breath, close your eyes for a couple seconds and relax. I am writing this because I honestly DO think that so many people, including myself, get sooooo worked up before and during this exam that impairs their ability to think clearly. The knowledge is there. You have it. Remind yourself of that. I learned from first-hand experience after taking my LPN boards. I went into my RN boards with a whole different mindset. I was NOT going to let this darn test get the best of my nerves!!! I just wasn't. I really found that taking these simple measures helped reduce my stress level... A LOT. I wished I had done a few simple stress-relieving things during my LPN boards. As far as studying, I did Kaplan (the book) and NCSBN (online). When I would get bored with one, I would turn to the other for a "change." In the Kaplan book, I would do one question at a time...look up the rationale (whether I got it wrong OR if I got it right) and even make notes next to the questions. If I had gotten it wrong, I would circle the question. When it came closer to my exam date, I re-opened that book and looked over all my circled questions, as well as all my rationales. I found this extremely helpful. Obviously, my circled questions were my weak areas or were areas where I just did not read the question well enough and made "dumb" mistakes like missing words like "except" and etc. One can only understand the stress a person feels taking this test if you have actually taken it yourself. I CAN understand that. Yes, it IS an important test. But, is it as important as life, our children, laughter and etc? No. It really isn't. Keep that in mind. Stay positive and hang in there. I was still nervous during my RN, but it was much better than my LPN because my mindset was different. Good luck and remember, you WILL do this! This test WANTS you to pass! :)

i just took mine (nclex-pn) a couple days ago and after a very, very, very long 48 hours, i found out i passed! i swear the 48 hours of waiting after were some of the longest hours of my life! when they took my fingerprint before the test, i actually had to hold my wrist to steady my arm because it was shaking so much! i just wanted you to know that i left feeling the exact same way you did! the test was done at 85 questions for me too. i had a ton of "check all that apply." i hated them with a passion. i'd have one or two checks that i'd remove...then put back...then remove...and go back and forth before i'd finally just have to go to the next question! they were driving me crazy and i swear the computer just kept firing more and more of those things at me! i kept waiting for some specific questions about diseases, but kept getting stuff on delegating tasks to nursing assistants, prioritizing patient care and even had one "check all that apply" with all meds where i had to check the ones that were "wrong." i left there feeling numb because i honestly couldn't remember half of the questions i had gone through, nor knowing at all how i did. then, i kept staring at the doggone question number in the lower right hand corner...paying attention to if i was over 85 or not...which kept distracting me! i almost wish they didn't put the number on there, as i'd rather not know what question number i was on! i remember being around question 77 and just praying it'd be done at 85, so i could go home! haha! :chuckle after the test, i went home and immediately checked the pearson website for early results...thinking there'd be some "fat chance" my results would be up. but, they didn't come until 48 hours later (almost to the exact time). i was so scared to look at my quick results that my hands were shaking entering my credit card number. when i saw the word pass....i immediately let my emotions out and starting crying in my hands. it's like all this stress just rolled off my shoulders. now that i'm actually a person who has taken this test and passed, i know what people say about that "feeling that you flunked." it's so true. seems like many, many people leave feeling horrible and unable to function until they get their results. all i could think about is the people in other states that can't get quick results....i just feel so bad for them! so, i'm proof. if you leave there feeling terrible......think of my story and so many others...and maybe that'll give you a glimmer of hope! all i could think about were the questions that i had trouble with and couldn't remember any of the ones that i felt confident about! try to stay busy and divert your mind while you wait for results. (although, i shouldn't talk. i checked about every 1-2 hours for two days!) i'm sure my family (hubby and kids) are glad that i'm done with this, as i was a bundle of nerves and crabby for two days!! :chuckle hang in there...don't give up hope. i'm living proof that those "awful" feelings are normal and that just because you feel like you flunked...does not necessarily mean that you did!!!!

http://www.northlandcollege.edu/ click on "my nctc" click on "distance education" This is a tech college in Minnesota. I would recommend to call the Distance Minnesota toll free number that you'll get on your screen by following the above clicks. They are extremely nice and will fill you in on everything you need to know about the online LPN program. Clinicals DO have to be completed locally from what I understand. There are also a couple other site requirements to test out for nursing skills I and nursing skills II. You will have to attend orientation dates at the beginning of the program. Towards the end of your education, you'll have to go to the campus in East Grand Forks, MN one more time to test out for IV certification. Otherwise, all courses and testing are done via online. Tests are usually done with a proctor and at a local (in your own hometown)library or school...after your proctor has been approved. It's a great program with a very high success rate on passing the boards. Good luck and hope this helps.