my4angels

I don't post here often but I thought I should share my NCLEX-RN story just to help someone who may be in the same situation and I'm sorry in advance this is a long story. I am a wife and mother of 4 (oldest 13, youngest 5), I graduated with my LPN in March 2012 and continued right on into my RN program which I graduated from in September of 2013. My LPN boards seemed to be no problem, minimum amount of questions and finished in less than an hour, passed the first time, Great! However, my RN NCLEX was a total reality check, I tested less than a month after graduating and since my school seemed to think that ATI was the greatest gift to nursing all I studied was ATI info and questions, I tested on my grandma's birthday and planned to call her later in the evening with the best birthday gift ever (well in her eyes). But my plans changed of course! 265 questions, nausea, and anxiety took a huge toll on me, by question 125 my mind went blank and I couldn't even see straight much less think straight, all I kept thinking to myself was God PLEASE let this end I don't even care any more. Got home did the PVT and FAIL (went directly to the cc page). I was devastated and to top it all off 2 of my friends from school followed right behind me and failed as well. After about a week of depression, I said to myself "OK get it together and lets do this!!" so I started having study sessions with my classmates that hadn't tested. Fast forward to February time to test again!! At this point one of my friends had failed a second time, which really had me worried since we failed together the first time and we were neck and neck with grades in nursing school. This time ATI was not even on my long list study materials, I received tons of materials from classmates that were passing and co-workers, which included the hurst review book, Mark Klimek review book, bought Kaplan review book, flash cards, Prioritization book, NCLEX review materials, and that seemed to make me even more anxious. I had someone tell me "your using to many sources, only use one or two" d/t discrepancies in materials. So the day of my test we had a horrible snow storm so I left my house 2 hours before my test to make sure I made it to the testing site (15 mins from my house)on time. I get there and 4 others are camped out in the parking lot, so I start studying my material (I have an hour to spare). Low and behold 265 questions AGAIN and AGAIN I lost focus at about 125 questions:( Go home and of course my results are on hold, I check all day to see if it changes and nothing! The next day I finally have the hold lifted and of course I FAILED AGAIN!! At this point my whole world is crashing around me and I almost lost control again but my heart, family, and friends wouldn't let that happen a second time! A week after failing a second time I decided to refocus and dust myself off. This time would be different, I thought long and hard about my study strategies and what I could do differently, I decided to purchase ONE study source, but which one? After reading reviews and discussion boards, I decide to do the Kaplan On-demand which is all online, it's rather difficult for me to do it any other way with the kids, husband and full time LPN job. At this point I spend a month on kaplan just going over the videos, reading the book and focusing on my test plan. Finally I receive my ATT and began the long journey of by buckle down study plan (I made this up myself), and my friends who have already passed are still studying with me:) I have now chose to do questions DAILY no matter what, work a 12 hour shift come home do questions, have a day off do questions off and on all day. My personal goal was 3,000 questions before test day 3 weeks away, so I am studying like a mad woman. Here we go, I start this week and everything is going well and if I keep to my schedule I will have completed my 3,000 questions on Wednesday the day before I test, however I decide that I will not study the day before, I will make myself relax. I end up just shy of my goal (by 250 questions) and I feel good. Wednesday night I begin to feel the pressure, What if I didn't study enough?, what if I fail AGAIN?, what if, what if. This of course starts to take a toll on my home and my husband and I have a little tiff, after realizing my nerves are on edge, I apologize and have a complete break down, all my husband says is "it's OK I knew immediately why this happened, which is why I just let you continue on your rant, I love you and stop worrying, we've been each others back bone from day one and that's not going to change, now let's pray!!!" LOVE THIS GUY!! After all this I call my mom who has my children for the night so that I can relax and she says "you know the devil is hard at work, when your husband dropped the kids off we prayed together and when you started telling me what happened when he got home I immediately began to think that this is just a ploy to throw you off your game but don't let the devil take you under your blessing is coming". After talking to them both I go to bed. Before falling asleep I have a talk with God which results in more tears but I just prayed that he would see through this awful test and give me a clear mind going in. I wake up on Thursday (yesterday) and I have a feeling that I've never felt before, I'm calm, I'm confident, I'm ready!!! I jump up and get dressed, get my son that isn't on spring break ready for school, do my hair, and my make-up (and for me this is quite a morning, I HATE mornings). I go pick up a smoothie (did I mention I got braces on Wednesday, so I also hadn't eaten in about 24 hours), I put gas in my car and head to the testing center, get there and still not a worry or doubt in my mind that today is the day that the NCLEX will go down!!! After the test: 79 questions and I'm thinking that was way to easy either I did an amazing job or I just BOMBED this test!! I do feel like I passed and that makes me excited for my results, I get home check the PVT and I'm on hold Again:( so I talk to my friend who has her quick results available and Low and Behold she passed!!! I'm checking pearson all night long, wake up today and decide I have to share my story because deep down in my heart I know I passed. Well as I'm typing this novel I check pearson one last time and guess what, I got the GOOD POP UP!!! Thank GOD its over!!! My long emotional NCLEX journey is finally over, now to wait for my official results!! The moral of this story is DO NOT GIVE UP, if you get frustrated and feel like the world is against you just get back up try again and if necessary again and again. Words can not explain how I feel right now I can't even hide my emotions!!! Sorry it was long sorry I rambled and I hope it helps at least one person!

I am in the same position. I took my test two weeks ago and received all 265 questions, I got home from my test did the pearson trick and to my surprise I got to all the way to the cc page, I was heartbroken, angry, and disappointed with myself most of all. I took about a week to compose myself and receive my transcript from the OBN. After I got my transcript I realized that I too just barely failed which made things even worse. However I have now began a study group that meets once a week to study and I am studying daily on my own. I plan to retest as soon as my 45 day waiting period is over which is early December and I will pass this time around. I'm just using this time to better prepare myself and focus on correcting my previous mistakes.

I really needed this. I take my boards in a few days and really needed a pick me up! Congrats on Passing!

I will be graduating from Hondros (westerville) in Sept 2013 from the RN program I also completed my LPN there. As far as the price I currently pay a little over $30,000 for the RN program alone and no they do not require pre reqs however the general education classes needed are included in the program such as Algebra Intro, 1, & 2, Ethics, English, Sociaology, and Psychology all of which are offered online (psych can be taken in class). The program is 18 mo and for the most part I like it, I think every school has its flaws. Ive spoke with many nurses from other schools and they all have similar complaints (lack of clinical experience like starting IVs etc, lack of clinical sites which is d/t the fact that Ohio has an over abundance of nursing schools). I had no problems sitting for my LPN boards at all and as someone else mentioned they are accredited by the OBON but NOT the NLNAC or CCRNE which I have heard is not really looked for when applying for jobs. Right now I have heard of our students being hired at all the major hospitals in Columbus EXCEPT for The Ohio State University Medical Center D/t them requiring these accredidations. All in all I think you will be ok in the program just remember no school is perfect! Havent heard any complaints or compliments towards Fairborn! HTH

You just have to stay focused if this is what you really want. I'm halfway through my RN program right now and its not been easy, I have 4 children (12, 9, 7, & 4) & its really rough making sure my clinical schedule works (which it never does) with my husbands 12 hr shifts, the kids schooling, their extracurricular activities, my work, and the little family time that we get. Which will be a bit of a burden lifted off of you since your children are a little older. I refuse to give up and i spend plenty of nights up just thinking about what I could do to make it easier on all of us, but nothing ever comes to mind:) I say if you want it go get it!! If you need a motivation buddy, I'm here, luckily the classmates that i have are the same classmates that i had through LPN so we keep each other on our toes, which is what any nursing student needs!!

I Just graduated from Hondros in Westerville with my LPN and am continuing on in the RN program, but there are plenty of schools out there. You have Columbus Public nursing school, Fortis (not recommended I went there and left), Lincoln (new school but a coworker of mines teaches there), Chamberlin, etc. I cant think of anymore right off hand but we have tons here in Columbus. As far as finding a job I had an interview a week before I took the NCLEX and they offered me $18 (just graduated in March) which I thinik is a fair amount but I have 2 class mates who work at LTC facilities who make $22 an hour, so it just takes some looking around but you can find places that offer a good amount!! I've been putting in alot of apps so there are jobs out there. Most hospitals in Columbus do not hire LPNs to work on the unit mostly in there hospice organizations, I work at Grant as a Tech and will not be able to stay there as a nurse unfortunately, OSU does not hire LPNs, Ohiohealth's hospice, Mount Carmel Hospice and Childrens Hospital does though. Hope this helps!!