jiwonkim89

Hi everyone, These past months flew by but were also quite tough after losing a job offer due to failing the nclex....after 75 questions. Yes, 75. This meant I BOMBED it, which totally makes sense because I took a break from school and pretty much forgot a lot of med-surg stuff! Anyway, I cried for a week and went back to studying. I took the exam this past Friday, results were on hold due to my cold hands not being able to be detected by the palm machine, and at 6 AM this thanksgiving morning...my license was posted on the CA Board of Nursing website. Here are some study tips. This post is long btw! Failing at 75 questions: All my nursing friends who already passed told me to do a bunch of questions and don't waste time reviewing content. I read some of the chapters on Saunders and decided to just do lots of questions. My thought process was, "C'mon how bad can it be? I just graduated from a nursing school with a 95% pass rate. How can I not pass?" So I rushed and set my exam date. I took the nclex and it was nothing like I thought it would be. I left the test center feeling like I didn't do superb, but not so bad that I failed it in 75 questions. Then I went home and did the PVT trick with a card with no money, lo and behold, I get the insufficient funds page--> Fail. The trick worked for me, although I have read it doesn't for some people. Studying second time: I read and created study guides on Word doc for every chapter for Saunders, condensing/summarizing the important points. This is how I studied through out nursing school. I have no idea why I changed my method when it came to taking the first NCLEX...probably out of haste and being overwhelmed. Do what works for you. I took my time (about 2 chapters a day) for 3 weeks to review content and do some Saunders (easy) questions. If you failed before, focus even more on the sections you were below passing on your CPR. Pharmacology: I watched the Pharmacology video on Kaplan on demand and practically memorized everything that was said.There is no other way out of it... I knew almost every drug on my exam. I got a huge poster board and divided into individual boxes labeled with drug class name. Then I got small flash cards with each drug name. I would radomly pick out a drug card, place it on the correct drug class box, and recite the important facts regarding it. Practice Questions: After reviewing content, I did 50-100 questions/day for about 3 weeks from the Kaplan Qbank, Lippincott Q&A, and PDA. My Qbank scores on my first try ranged from 40's to 60's. After a thorough content review, my scores were consistently above 60's. I read all the rationales behind right and wrong answers, and wrote the important ones in a notebook. While doing questions, I revisited my study guides mentioned above..a few each day. Topics to review: I can't reveal specifics about my exam because it's illegal, but please make sure you know the basics of some topics that are often only glanced over such as: Nursing ethics terminology, Psych defense mechanisms, Meds (Digoxin, Phenytoin, Lithium, Insulin, all antihypertensives, all bronchodilators, steroids, anticoagulants, thrombolytics, blood products, and IV fluids), Fluid and electrolyte balance, routine procedures (Blood glucose check, stool sample, NG tube feeding/medication/insertion/removal, transfusions, incentive spirometer, MDI, IM/SC injection, chest tube maintenance), traction and cast care, crutch/cane/walker, pediatric conditions (hip dysplasia, von-willebrand, B-thalassemia, fifth's disease, PKU,etc), OB (ectopic pregnancy, fetal alcohol withdrawal syndrome, etc) immunization schedule, lab values... Of course there is so so much more to that list. Basically what I'm saying is...there is rote memorization that is required to pass this exam, on top of the critical thinking skills. Make a list of topics you need to review and attack each section slowly and consistently. Gauging whether I passed or not: Many people say they had a bunch of medications and diseases that they have NEVER heard of. Well, I had one drug I've never heard of and a few answer choices with disease processes I wasn't too familiar with. Other than that, I was very familiar or at least somewhat familiar with everything on my exam. Because of these "easy questions" I was very convinced that I failed again. Everyone's experience with the nclex is so different. It's really hard to gauge whether a question is above or below passing level. My last question (76th) was a content regurgitation SATA. I left the test center feeling like I didn't get a chance to prove myself by answering many higher level questions. Btw, I had less than 10 SATA questions My test results were on hold so I couldn't even try the pop up trick, leaving me very stressed out. Then it suddenly changed to the good pop up 62-ish hours later! And 48 hours after my pop up changed, my license was posted! I can't leave out the fact that I am a Christian. My faith is my life. So there was a lot of meditating and prayer throughout this process. I know this is just the beginning of my career and I'm so blessed and excited for the challenges and blessings ahead. This is hands down the most memorable Thanksgiving day ever! Please feel free to PM me with any questions you have. God Bless!

Got a call for second round of interviews for the PACU :-D Anyone know what I can expect?

Hello! I had my prescreening interview today and I think it went well. The nurse managers were very kind and outgoing. It was pretty much all "get to know you" questions. Competition is fierce though >. Best of luck to everyone :-D

Got in contact with the recruiters. I'm interviewing next week for the PACU !!! Good luck to everyone!

Hi all, I had a missed call from CHLA. My phone shows their main hospital line--is this the number other calls were from? No voicemail was left... I tried reaching the nurse recruitment office but it goes to voicemail for them. Any advice on how to get in contact with them? I really hope they call back -_-.

Thank you for your advice. I have a lot of thinking to do...

Teaching english in Korea will average around 1800-2000 USD. They give free housing and round trip flight. I also have a lot of family in Korea, so loneliness is not an issue. I think I would be able to save/pay off at least $1000...if not $1500. I'm trying to stay positive. I'm just glad I have the option to defer..whew.

Hi everybody. This is long but I would REALLY appreciate your advice. I also posted this on the general student board, but I think advice from the professionals would be more practical. I am on the verge of starting an ABSN program at a private school...or maybe not. I need some serious advice about financing the school. I come from a low-income family. My parents were very irresponsible with their money and have bad credit. Over the course of four years, they took out student loans out in my name to cover their living costs. I also have three credit cards that I never used but are under my name. I have a car loan in my name on a car that my parents drive, although payment is almost done. I was young and really uninformed about how this would take a toll in my life. I naively signed and handed my SSN to my parents. I know this makes my parents sound horrible but I understand their difficulties as first generation immigrants...and I still love them and respect them wholeheartedly. They are paying off this debt with minimum monthly payments. Anyway with about a total of $40k in debt, low credit history (just graduated college), high debt to income ratio (i work part time and take prereq classes) and a few late payments....my credit score sucks (600). Here's the dilemma, I have to take out private loans in order to finance for my absn program. First of all, I don't even know if I can get approved even with a cosigner. Honestly, I'm afraid to even do so because this inquiry will lower my credit score more. Even if I can get a student laon (probably very high interest rate), I don't know if going into nursing school with such a bad credit would be a wise choice. My program allows me to defer for one year. I plan on working my @ss off to save money and pay off at least the maxed out credit card and save money by teaching english in korea (where I am from btw). This will raise my credit score. However, my parents are advising against that. They think its better me to enter nursing school and just get it over with in one year..enter the workforce. I'm 23. An adult...but I am still very tightly knit with my parents. It's also a cultural thing too. When I mentioned this option of deferment and working to them yesterday, my mom flipped out...my dad was more calm. There are more complications to this situation but I've tried to simplify as much as possible. Would you start nursing school with bad credit and get done one year earlier, start working earlier...OR...defer acceptance, work for a year, pay off some debt, save money, and raise credit score but graduate one year later? I would appreciate honest answers~ Thank you!

Hi everybody. This is long but I would REALLY appreciate your advice--especially those who have already graduated, and are working. I am on the verge of starting an ABSN program at a private school...or maybe not. I need some serious advice about financing the school. I come from a low-income family. My parents were very irresponsible with their money and have bad credit. Over the course of four years, they took out student loans out in my name, which I did not need because scholarships and grants covered my undergrad tuition and living costs. I have three credit cards that I never used but are under my name. I have a car loan in my name on a car that my parents drive. I was young and really uninformed about how this would take a toll in my life. I naively signed and handed my SSN to my parents. I know this makes my parents sound horrible but I understand their difficulties as first generation immigrants...and I still love them wholeheartedly. They are paying off this debt with minimum monthly payments. Anyway with about a total of $40k in debt, low credit history (just graduated college), high debt to income ratio (i work part time and take prereq classes) and a few late payments....my credit score sucks (600). Here's the dilemma, I have to take out private loans in order to finance for my absn program. First of all, I don't even know if I can get approved even with a cosigner. Honestly, I'm afraid to even do so because this inquiry will lower my credit score more. Even if I can get a student laon (probably very high interest rate), I don't know if going into nursing school with such a bad credit would be a wise choice. My program allows me to defer for one year. I plan on working my @ss off to save money and pay off at least the maxed out credit card and save money by teaching english in korea (where I am from btw). This will raise my credit score. However, my parents are advising against that. They think its better me to enter nursing school and just get it over with in one year..enter the workforce. I'm 23. An adult...but I am still very tightly knit with my parents. When I mentioned this option to them yesterday, my mom flipped out...my dad was more calm. There are more complications to this situation but I've tried to simplify as much as possible. Would you start nursing school with bad credit and get done one year earlier, start working earlier...OR...defer acceptance, work for a year, pay off some debt, save money, and raise credit score but graduate one year later?

Awesome! I just asked this through the online chat. But this clarifies in more details. Hopefully, I like Baltimore enough to be willing to stay a few more years to work and for my masters!

I am actually curious about this. I will be attending for the absn. I feel like I should have applied for the msn program too, ESP. Because no gre is required and I know the whole DNP is creeping up soon too. Any response would be great!

I got accepted at around 2:40ish PST! My mom and I were in the car talking about how I would have to wait until tomorrow. Then I just got a phone call from a 410 area! My mom started crying and it was crazy...lol. I truly hope everyone else on this forum gets accepted. I know the wait it extremely painful but just one more day~

I only applied ABSN. Anyone else in my shoes? I wonder if they are calling the BSN/MSN applicants first? There is nothing in my mailbox yet...

My recital is actually on Christmas Eve. I'm in the process of REALLY preparing for it since I am done with school for now. Sephora! Wow...I need to start wearing make up. My mom jokes that I wore more make up when I was a preteen in junior high than I do now. -_- Any basic make up tips? Can you recommend a good tinted moisturizer for just average skin? Hehe... Just to relieve some nerves, watch this cute and funny video clip if you haven't yet: The Halloween candy one is hilarious too! I'm praying all of us will receive a GREAT early Christmas present from Hopkins very soon!

This is definitely very nerve wracking. I wished my last final today and I was hoping maybe I will receive a call today? It's almost 3 PM PST...so the office is probably closed. Maybe tomorrow? I'm just praying! Has any one heard back yet? I feel like some people did...it's already the 13th!