Kward1985

So, very odd & random question....Some people I know who are RNs and friends say that the NCLEX is easier in some states than others. I am completely 100% positive that is false....? I know there are different rules & regulations for each state and blah blah blah....but I thought the questions are still given random & it just depends on the test you got. That is my thinking. My friends think I am wrong because they know in other certifications for different degrees, that it's true, other states have 'easier' tests.....but I'm pretty sure that isn't true for the NCLEX...? Thank you!! :typing

I agree almostnurse1983....it greatly depends on where you live & what speciality you are going for.

That is true, there are many RNs who work in docs offices; that I know at least!

Thank you for the support & advice ) I appreciate it!

Thank you. I will look into that & see how the book is. I am just freaking out b/c I know I need to pass the 2nd time around & I just dont know if there is anything to really 'prepare' anyone for the NCLEX...b/c when I went in there, my mind went blank, and some of the questions seemed too 'simple' and i was trying not to read into them! Oh boy, let the stress level rise again! haha

were you the type of person that was able to not study too much in school & did awesome on tests? it seems like it! :nuke: i really had to work my butt off in school & then got good grades, but i feel like i forgot 1/2 the material. i won't study & cram as much, but i think i need to find a new way of how to study...b/c i've noticed i try to memorize & i know i can't do that....but i don't know how to do a different way of studying.

Thank you so much!! ) :cheers:

Thank you Suzanne! Do you specifically want Saunders 4th ed? Or is it O.K. if I use my Saunders 3rd ed? Also, with your plan, do you suggest to take the NCLEX again at the exact 45 day mark when were a loud to test again or extend it a bit further? Thank you for everything again. This site is wonderful! I just joined this morning & Everyone is so helpful! I'm slowly getting the hang of it! :nuke:

Thank you! That helps! I did use Kaplan and thought it was decent. I've done at least over 1,400 questions and I always review over the rationales. My social life was put on major holt for the last 2 1/2 months! I was really excited & Hoping to pass so I can go to family events & hang out with friends again instead of work, study, eat, sleep! But I guess I will be back at it again! Do you think the ncsbn really helps? I noticed its only $100 for 5 week course which almost is at the 45 day mark of when I'm allowed to test again. I just dont know if I should do both Suzanne's plan & the NCSBN. Did you work as a GN as well during your studying?

did you only do Suzanne's Plan?? Did you do NCSBN online at all???? What Saunders book did you use??? I have the 3rd ed...u think that is ok instead of the 4th ed?? I really dont want to spend another $55! I took my test on the 18th too, but failed for the 1st time....its time for my 2nd attempt! CONGRATS TO YOU!!!!:onbch:

Hey Jack! Quick question for you.... First off, CONGRATS!! ) Second off....I see you used the NCSBN Online review...did that help you a lot?? I recently graduated in May 08 as well and just took my test and found out today I failed....Quite depressing since I've had many years of experience in the hospital, currently work in an ER, & + 4 years of nursing school! My school offered us Kaplan & I didnt think it was too bad...but it didnt go over material too much...just lots of questions. I studied my butt off every since day of every single week! Im trying to figure out another way to approach the exam I guess. I had a ton of med questions, meds I havent even heard of before & I couldnt even narrow down the answers! I think that was what got me! Any advice?? How was the NCSBN?

I actually just took my nclex friday & i had a test that sounds exactly like yours! its so nerve racking!

Has anyone done the ncsbn online learning extension???? I dont know if I should purchase that or only do Suzanne's plan???? Any ideas?? Thanks!:nuke:

Also, Has anyone done the ncsbn online learning extension???? I dont know if I should purchase that or only do Suzanne's plan???? Any ideas??

Just stay positive! im in the same position! We have to relax & be positive! )

I definitely feel like it depends on how you were prepared in nursing school & how your study habits are. I started ATI but hated it...for me it was a lot of work & I didnt have the time....studying 7hrs a day for 6 days a week! Kaplan wasn't bad. I enjoyed the questions and the NCLEX had similar type questions but I noticed the questions on NCLEX weren't as complicated as Kaplan questions were....Also kaplan offers videos on there that were helpful, to the point!

Hey Ya'll....I recently took the boards this past friday 7-18-08, I failed. I graduated school May 12th, 2008, & I started studying my little butt off. I used Kaplan...then switched to ATI because I felt I needed better review of material...well after 2 wks I felt like it was wayyyy too much work to do (I started studying 7 hrs a day for 6 days a week to keep up!). So I decided to go back to Kaplan. Well, after I switched back, I noticed I started to look way too far into questions & seemed like I screwed up my way of test taking....Long story short...I got roughly between 145-160 ?'s on my test and didnt pass...At times I felt like my mind went blank...I couldn't even remember a simple sign or symptome of a well known disease. I think after taking Kaplan & ATI & STudying too much...NCLEX was very 'simple', broad questions which screwed me up. I was doing tough questions and then when it came to boards, it seemed like I had a hard time taking simple questions...but I knew the tougher questions...Any advice for me? Any advice when to schedule NCLEX again? should I do it in the 45 days or 2 months or 3 months?? Thank you for your time! :bowingpur

I have a question. What is the HESI? I heard so many nursing students talk about how their school made it mandatory for them to take it. Our school offered ATI & mandatory to do Kaplan. Personally I thought ATI was a waste...Too much studying & busy work! (4 years of nursing school crammed into your layed out study plan) Kaplan wasnt bad, but I just took the NCLEX for the 1st time, friday, and I just found out I failed *( So I have to find something else to do....I just wasnt for sure what the HESI was...?

I think it can help because it will give you experience. But on the other hand, you have to watch out how much you work as a GN intertwining study time. I work as a GN now and it can become difficult at times when you come home. I work 12 hr shifts & 1/2 the time Im exausted after work! It really depends on how much stress you can handle & how well you handle your time!

Congrats!! What types of Questions & material did u have?

This is a stupid question, but was does "PM" mean?? A lot of people put that on here and I have no clue what it means....Also, How do you e-mail people?? To get a hold of Suzanne, I have to have 15 posts to threads to be able to e-mail her....? Is that correct??? I just joined today, So i am trying to learn the ins & outs of this. Thank you! :typing

Don't feel scared...I know it is normal, but I have at least 5 friends who JUST took it and got all 265....They all passed! So no worries!

Ilovenursing08 --> That very well could be. I did study a lot. I got a few SATA, but my test was mainly meds. They were meds I had never even heard of! From 5 years being a CNA on the floor with 2 years in the ER + 4 years of nursing school....I had never heard of these meds in my life! The questions wanted me to know s/sx of the meds...well...the meds had no helpful hints either like -olol or -sone at the end & I was unable to eliminate answers, like if some sounded a like...pick the odd ball out, etc. Then I had diseases I had never heard of either in my life. I had somewhere between 145-160 ?s. Some of my other friends had all GI stuff on theirs & passed with 75 questions...pretty sure if I had that stuff, i would have passed! Tomorrow I am going into work to figure out what I need to do about the situation. Hopefully I just get demoted to a nurse extern....definitely am done with being a CNA.

Susan...From reading a bunch of threads on this website...it sounds like your plan is phenomenal...Where can I find your NCLEX study plan at? I just found out I failed for the 1st time.....I need help....I'm new to this whole thing....thank you!

Hey! You know what...I just took my NCLEX Friday, 7-18-08....I just got my results today & found out the devistating news....I failed....This was my 1st time taking it! It's truly frustrating b/c I studied my butt off since the middle of May (thats when I graduated) and I'm probably a select few who really studied their butts off. There are 4 people who really really struggled through nursing school who passed! And makes me really frustrated! I am extremely happy for them...but on the other hand...I just think....How come they passed but I couldn't! We all did Kaplan. I did all of their 1,200 questions, watched their videos and everything. Our school paid for kaplan and ATI. I tried ATI but hated it! It was too involved with material and they gave you a ton of homework....overall, i would start to study 5-7 hrs a day for a week....not realistic if you ask me! I was stressing myself out and realized I was trying to jam 4 years worth of nursing school back into my brain! It wasn't happening.....So I thought Kaplan would help! I thought it was helpful when I was doing it, but apparantely not since I failed! I am frustrated & I'm sorry, I am just venting...I found out I failed 2 hrs ago. BUT, What do I do next? I feel like a failure...I feel like all my studying was useless...I have 7 years clinical experience with 5 years of that being a CNA on ortho, peds, med/surg, & oncology...and the last 2 years being in the ER. I currently work in the ER as GN and I do not know what is going to happen now that I failed. My temp license says it expires 8-13-08...do I need to apply for a new one? Or won't they let me? I'm stuck on what to do. Maybe I studied too much...Or maybe I just don't know my material as well as I thought..?? I don't really know? Please help someone PS...I just heard about this website and became a member today...I hope Im doing this right...Im new! :wink2: