SmilingRN

Thanks a lot!

Hi all, So, I just wanted to pay it forward and post about my experience in passing the ANCC FNP exam with the utmost transparency and encouragement. For starters, I don’t think I’m unintelligent but I do KNOW that I am a bad test-taker. I figured I could get through grad school, so I could get through the ANCC exam. Ha! The joke was on me. Everything from my nerves to doubting myself can get the best of me during testing. Now, on to my story... I took the ANCC FNP exam for the first time in December 2017. I wasn’t even out of my program yet and I thought, “What’s the worst that could happen?” I was good student (finished in the top 5% of my class) and was doing extremely well in my clinical rotations. However, I was not prepared at all! I hadn’t mastered the basics (research, skin, cardiac, asthma) and those items were mostly on the first exam attempt. I went in to take my exam without having a firm understanding of the most basic items and FAILED!!! According to my calculations, I would’ve need 5-6 more questions on the first try to have passed the exam. I felt ashamed and defeated, but I knew I had to retest at some point. In the meantime, I forgot about my experience. I didn’t harp on a retake and went ahead to finish up my program (May 2018) and started studying again regularly this past June 2019. For about 8-10 weeks straight, I would go over my weaknesses (GI/GU, cardiac, pulmonary, OB, and peds). I also started on a low-dose beta blocker to help with my nerves and heart rate. I remember the same issues with my nerves and palpitations during my NCLEX prep. While studying this past June 2019, I applied for my ATT and kicked things in to high gear. I stopped studying hardcore in mid-September to give my brain a good rest. The morning of the exam, I went over some basic things (i.e. Tanner staging, vaccinations, STD treatments, murmurs, JNC-8 guidelines) and I am so thankful I did. I retested on this past week and it shows certified. My hard work and patience finally paid off. Please remember that if you have to retake the exam, it doesn’t mean that you’re a bad student or not fit for the job. You have to remain positive and surround yourself with positive people! Do not give up. Do not doubt yourself. During the exam, I would close my eyes, take a few deep breaths, tell myself I had all the answers I needed, and claimed that I would be an FNP-BC. I took a 5-minute snack and bathroom break at the 2-hour mark with 50 questions to go. Then, I went back to the computer to review my flagged items and finish up the test. Believe it or not, I had 62 flagged items!!! I know that I likely didn’t miss all 62, but this help me to do the math regarding my chances of passing. I read somewhere that they score 150 items and you would need 105 to pass. So, I figured with 175 items and 62 flagged that I’d still have 113 correct (enough to pass). Also, I brain dumped so much crap during the tutorial (i.e. Tanner info, murmurs, cranial nerves, vaccination schedule, research triangle, etc.) all of which I had many questions on. The angels were on my shoulders that day (no offense to anyone who is a non-believer). I had plenty of pictures and drag-and-drops. I’m so glad I reviewed these over and over again because most were easy to identify. The following is a list of what I used to prepare: 1) Hollier-Used her review videos and had a copy of her handouts from another students at another school. I loved her videos! The info really stuck with her quick wit and humor. 2) Leik-Used the latest (purple) intensive review book along with the app. The app was awesome because it was in color and I could use anywhere with a Wi-Fi signal. The skin pics helped a lot. Her clinical pearls are priceless. 3) Barkley Review FNP 2017-Used the 2017 version that has JNC-8 guidelines and all current info pertinent to the latest (May 2019) updated ANCC exam. I read the text and listened to the CDs for subject areas I didn’t feel confident about. 4) Exam Edge-Used this site to take the practice tests. I used a friend’s login because you can just reset the exam after each attempt. You can also buy a smaller package because the exams start to repeat questions after test 5. 5) Hybrid handout by Amarina/Haley file-I got this from a peer and it basically combined Leik, Fitzgerald, and Barkley into one document. It was good for when I didn’t want to lug all of my books around. 6) Fitzgerald-Used the text you can buy from the bookstore but I hated it and sold it early on. I attended the review course but I honestly thought it was a waste of money and time. I took the course right before I failed my first attempt. I regret taking it. 7) Joanne APRN videos (YouTube)-This lady was a God-send!!! She made everything so simple and easy to recall. I brain dumped her murmurs and it was smooth sailing. Remember to stay positive and remember that the exam tests your MINIMAL level of competence. Do not harp on things. If you do not know it, just skip it. I felt good going into the exam, but I also knew that I could retake in the worst case scenario. Luckily, I no longer have to worry about it. I can add FNP-BC to my list of credentials. You shouldn’t worry either—study long, study strong!

I just wanted to check back in for 2019 and let everyone know that I’m STILL using the same MacBook from 2010 that I mentioned in my original post. I’ve only had one issue a few years back with the battery and it mysteriously went away. It has lasted through pre-reqs, nursing school (BSN), and grad school! ? Okay, that’s all!

From my understanding, if you have already scheduled and missed the appointment then you automatically forfeit the $200 testing fee. I don't think that it counts against the number of test attempts (if your state has one), however, it is considered a no-call/no-show in terms of getting a new date or refund. I assume that you are an international student and you may have been given a one year application window through your state board and not Pearson VUE? If that's the case, you may want to contact the CA BON to make sure. Good luck with everything!

The PVT has worked for everyone that I know. This is over a 2-3 year time span I'm speaking of. I have heard that sometimes the PVT doesn't work when "delivery successful" isn't reflected on the Pearson VUE registration screen to the far right of the testing details. Therefore, if you were to try the PVT prior to the "delivery successful" message, then the PVT may be inaccurate. It makes total sense to me.

Yeah, that's a good old case of "splitting." It's most common on the mental health units. However, I'm sure that non-psych patients are good for it, too.

Some of the students had Swiss Army rolling cases. I've even seen a few doctors using them in the hospital and I see that they carry a lot of equipment. Costco usually has a deal on them and it comes with a lifetime warranty, from what I've heard. I used a rolling bag after using a carrying back because the books started to hurt my back after a few weeks. I'm no teenager, but I'm not 30 and it was scary to think my back was taking a beating because of a few textbooks. Sometimes, I'd have Peds and OB on the same day so between books, binders, and a laptop I'd have at least 10-15 pounds worth of materials at once. Yeah, it was corny to have a contraption that could also double as a luggage, but I only have one back and I want to keep it in good shape. Just some food for thought.

I always look drugs up before I give them just because you always need to know what and why you're giving a patient a particular med (i.e. six rights of medication administration). However, in my nursing program it was taught that in not every instance will the most experienced nurse be able to offer information to the client---a prime example is when a new diagnosis or lab result is available but the doctor has yet to see the patient. In those instances, you will find yourself saying, "I'll have to ask the doctor" because failure to do so could end up costing you your job. We all walk a very fine line of autonomy and interdependency when it comes to nursing. However, I don't mind.

To piggyback off of your statement, sometimes a nurse has to exercise better judgment and hold medications because of a patient's rapid or unexpected change. We wouldn't wait to see what the doctor thinks as the patient is starting to code. I think the OP is being hypercritical or that she may just have a problem with this particular new nurse.

People on the outside looking in always have the most to say: "Why not just go for an MD?, if you're looking into becoming a CRNA?" -or- "Why didn't you just go on to become a doctor, if you are doing so well at nursing?" Blah, blah, blah. At the end of the day, you have can only live your life for you and the people you may have to provide for and it bothers me when people question what you have determined is best for you and yours. Even though I am an RN now, I would have rather went to LPN school immediately after high school and returned back to school after working as an LPN. To be quite frank, some of the best nurses who I've worked with and have had the pleasure of being taught by started as LPNs. Sometimes people say things because they have no experience and have heard things about what they don't actually know to be true from personal experience. I wish you the best of luck in your career! You're going to make a great nurse and will have so much experience, if you do decide to become an RN. The options are limitless!

No problem and thank you, everyone!

@ 48 hrs For sure! Sometimes I would stare at the screen for 5 minutes before selecting choices from Kaplan's SATA because they were just that complex. Luckily, it helped when it mattered most!

@ NW_studentnurse Thanks! The NCLEX SATA are pretty straightforward. At least, they were in my opinion. I read somewhere to treat each option as a true or false based on what the question is asking you, so I breezed right through them and didn't have more than maybe 10 out of the 85 questions on my exam. I think I benefited from doing the Kaplan SATA and the Saunders SATA in the actual book and the CD-ROM. The Kaplan SATA and LaCharity were definitely the more difficult of all types that I had seen during my study. However, you'll learn how to select answers based on inclusion or exclusion given the data provided in the question with the more practice that you get answering this question type.

@ ohyesitslizz Bummer! I checked within 48 hours of completing the exam (which was around 1100 on 8/5/13). Perhaps this is why you can't see your option to view your Quick Results? I would try again after a time when you know for certain that you were at home after the exam. Keep us posted!!!!

@ Kaydensmom01 My initial paragraph was replying to your notion that grades indicate how you'll do in nursing school and whether someone is understanding the material. The subsequent paragraphs are about my personal thoughts (i.e. how I feel, what my experiences have been, my take on the topic overall). Therefore, I hope that you don't think that I was taking jabs at you or highlighting things that you clearly never mentioned. I merely emphasized that OP shouldn't give up. He stated that he is retaking the course with the D, so as far as a nursing school not wanting to see that---I'll assume that he knows and hence why he is retaking. Once again, I'll agree to disagree. The grades may help to objectively identify potential candidates at some schools. However, I know for a fact that at my university they consider some less than stellar academic outcomes to balance out the nursing student body. In fact, this is part of the reason why my school holds an in-person interview to gauge whether you'd be a good fit regardless of your accomplishments. Some of those students soar and some of them sink. But, I wouldn't tell someone not to fly because of a broken wing. I don't want you to take anything I'm saying personally. That's the beauty of this website...everyone shares their opinions in a respectful manner. If I have offended you or made you feel slighted by my post, I sincerely apologize. I've just noticed that OP hasn't came back into the discussion and it's not the end of the world because he has had a few rough grades.

@ Kaydensmom01 You make some valid points. However, there were several students in my nursing class with previous failures and some with learning disorders who went on to graduate on time from the program and subsequently pass their boards (on the first attempt for both). Nevertheless, I won't jump to conclusions and say that OP is in this category. You state that GPA is an indicator of how you understand the material, but I beg to differ. G.P.A. is a reflection of a overall grades, not IQ or mental acuity. Subpar grades do not mean that a person is not understanding the material. For instance, when I was in 3rd grade I hated school. I was teased by other kids, dreaded going everyday, and just really didn't care. I'm not sure how I made it to middle school? I used to act out in class, never do homework, and intentionally fail standardized tests. Was I not understanding what I was learning? Nope. I just had other issues at the time and I didn't care about how I performed academically or didn't really put forth an honest effort. If OP is anything like me, it could mean that he has test anxiety or perhaps didn't do the classwork. I just hate to jump to conclusions based on someone's grades. I used to do that when I was a tutor and you just can't go off of this alone. Grades just don't reflect a person's true ability or intelligence. I know some super smart individuals who would rather skate by with just a "C" then to sit down, put forth the effort an earn an "A." It's strange, but true. OP seems like he really wants to become a nurse and I would want him to fully explore his range of options rather than being discouraged by some of us. Nursing judgment is not the same as intelligence testing. An IQ or mental development expert couldn't tell me how to do my job and I wouldn't guess how to do his/hers either.

So, I paid for the Pearson Quick Results...PASS!!! PVT worked for me! My license will be posted on BON tomorrow.

I purchased my MacBook Pro back in 2010 when I first started my pre-reqs. Now, I'm completely finished with my nursing program and my MB Pro is still in fantastic shape. It allowed me to multitask during school, create professionally-quality projects, and it never crashed once during its lifetime. Also, every now and again, Apple runs a "back-to-school" promo which allows you to get a laptop or desktop and receive either an iPod or a printer at no additional cost. That was a few years ago, so I'm not sure what their current deals are. Overall, I am satisfied. Back then, I was debating between a MacBook Air and was immediately turned off by the idea of no CD-ROM with the MB Air and the need to buy an external disk drive to play discs. This was a major issue because most nursing textbooks come with a complementary disc to follow along with during study. After adding the external hard drive, the price was practically the same as MB Pro. Recently, my computer gave me the "service battery" alert that appears years after use indicating that the battery needed replacement. I was surprised to find out that a new battery wasn't 100% mandatory as the MB Pro would still work while plugged in to an electrical outlet even if the battery completely died (talk about a sweet deal?). I no longer have a need to tote my MB Pro around since school is over. Another thing...several people have advised me to make sure that the next time I buy any electronics (i.e. MB, iPad, iPod, iPhone, PC laptop, etc.) to make sure that I let it power completely down after the first few cycles in order to improve the longevity of the internal battery. I'm not sure how true this is, however, I will be sure to do so next time I buy anything of substantial value to avoid this very minor problem with the MB Pro battery. I know some people are saying why bother spend the extra money, but I consider my MB Pro one of my best academic investments. Some of my friends with laptops/PCs the same age as my MB Pro have already replaced their systems. Not only is my computer still completely functional, but it looks brand new because I covered it in a protective skin and have carried it in a fitted InCase zipped pouch. After I purchased this MB Pro, I tried other Apple products as well because I was so impressed with the quality of this laptop versus my other PCs. I hope this helps a little. **Also, I used my student ID at Best Buy (an authorized Apple retailer) when I purchased it and received a $200 instant discount. I'm not sure if they still do this. Additionally, I purchase Office Suite for Students at a local college bookstore that had it at the time and it was only $89.95. Not only did I get trustworthy laptop, but I saved money by doing my research about special offers beforehand. You also have the option of purchasing a Mini Port to HDMI adapter that allows you to hook your MB Pro up to a television if you feel like typing or watching movies from the couch with the option of using wireless optical devices. Another cool feature is that you can FaceTime from your MB Pro, so if you have friends with any Apple device with FaceTime, you can chat using your laptop versus your iPhone or iPad (or, just use the MB Pro if you don't own either one of them). Sorry to text your ear off, but I debated on buying my MB Pro and it ended up exceeding my expectations.

While the "D" letter grade could come off as a "black eye" on your transcript, I would still find a way to apply to the program of your choice after you retake any courses. I know someone who barely had a 2.9 when he/she applied to nursing school and still managed to graduate with a BSN from an accelerated program. That person even did so with a higher overall academic standing after the program was over. This may not be the case for everyone, however. With that said, I don't think that the fact that you are struggling right now means that you'll do horribly in nursing school. In fact, it may be just the opposite. While acing all of your nursing courses and clinical experiences may be rare for even the most determined student, it is not impossible. No one knows what was going on in your life when you took those courses to warrant such grades. Personally, I was never good at science or math in high school or college. However, I buckled down, read those "___ for Dummies" books for whatever subjects I was lacking in and used the Internet to build the skills that I never had or desired in my youth. To make a long story short, no one is perfect and just because your grades aren't typical of what most programs expect; it doesn't mean you automatically disqualify or will fail if the opportunity presents itself. You can go for some certifications (e.g. phlebotomy, CENA, PCT, etc.), involve yourself in some health-related programs or volunteer opportunities, and brush up on some of the topics that troubled you most in between time in order to build a strong character profile if you haven't already done so. It's so easy for us to see a candidate with a perfect G.P.A. and automatically assume that he or she will do great in nursing school. However, I know plenty of people who started with me who had a 3.9-4.0 just like I did who were nowhere to be found after the first week or so of classes. Was it academic inadequacy or lack of drive? Who really knows? I don't think it really matters at this point. Therefore, do not be discouraged. Sometimes we can be critical on this site and forget that there is a human being on the other side of the virtual board. Give it a chance because I'd hate for anyone to go through life without at least trying. What if only 25 people apply to the program you're interested in, but they're looking for 30? You would've chosen not to apply because the kind nurses over at allnurses.com told you to just hang it up? That would really stink. :poop: No one here knows your fate. But, I have faith in anyone with drive and passion regardless of what their past efforts show. P.S. Where I live, the LPN program does allow its students to repeat courses with a limit of 2 total attempts while in the program. You have an unlimited amount of chances in the prerequisite courses. I used to work as a lab assistant for that program while obtaining my BSN and many students found success even with grades that weren't the best. Don't lose sight of what can be yours. Good luck!

Congrats, RN!!!! :)

While I was taking prerequisite courses, this was not very uncommon. We were given a five-paged syllabus at no extra cost, however, we would have to go to the bookstore at the start of each semester and purchase a course pack for our classes. These course packs would include pages from various other lab books versus a single text. Supposedly, it allowed the instructors to design the curriculum as they saw fit versus how the publishers offered it. I got smart after my first purchase and started photocopying the pages needed for submission, so that I could sell the book later (i.e. I recouped most of my money and the buyer was happy not spending as much as the bookstore). This is just an idea as long as the book isn't protected against photocopying to help you save a bit of cash. The school got hip to students making copies and added the copyright a few semesters later. However, it was good while it lasted. I'd just hate to get into trouble for something so avoidable, so I'd check first. I'm just a nurse, not a lawyer.

@Havin' A Party! Thanks!!! I feel great (for now). I can't wait until Thursday when the BON posts the updated license numbers from Monday. The average wait is approximately 72 hours where I'm located.

@alchemist405 I believe that you are equipped with everything you need to pass the exam. If you can get through nursing school, then you can conquer this exam as well. Please, don't ever be discouraged. Staying calm helped me during the exam. I have had the worst bouts of test-taking anxiety, however, I managed to get this under control in preparation of test day. I paced my breathing and took my time on each questions. While other people who were taking the NCLEX were leaving within 60 minutes, I had only reached #55. I worried about my personal mission. I hope this helps and I have faith in you!

Jane: "I think I'm going to need a Venturi for your Venti there, Paul." Paul: "Where did you say they keep the stirrers on midnights?"

Hello, I took the NCLEX-RN less than 24 hours ago and it was definitely a wild ride. The exam wasn't extremely difficult as many led me to believe, nor was it super easy. However, I felt strange leaving the testing site because the big bang never came as everyone scared me into believing. Let me give you my background: I got laid off from the auto industry in 2010, then began an accelerated 12-month BSN program last May 2012. I cried, screamed, and kicked myself during this time because I thought that I had taken on more than what I could handle. I'm glad I didn't give up. I graduated with a 3.6 G.P.A. and honors this past April 2013. However, I was discouraged by my subpar test-taking abilities. I've never failed a nursing exam, but I did not feel that testing has been my strong suit until I started preparing for the NCLEX. You really have to change your way of thinking in order to be successful at such a test. So, I started preparing for the exam on 6/12/13 and did close to 2,700 questions leading up until last Thursday, 8/1/13, when my brain decided that it had had enough. I spent the days leading up to my weekend shadowing a nurse in my prospective specialty and siphoning some of her positive spirit to use for my test. My shadowing experience gave me a little extra motivation to do well yesterday (I've been doing the PVT like a maniac and I still can't believe that I'm getting the "good pop up"). Nevertheless, here's a brief overview of what I did to prepare for the NCLEX-RN. As I mentioned earlier, I've never been a stellar test-taker but I wasn't going to let that discourage me. I asked for advice from any person I saw wearing ceil or navy blue (i.e. common colors that most of the nurses in my region wear). I reviewed all content areas for the exam and paid special attention to my weak areas such as OB, pediatrics, mental health, and cardiac (umm...pretty much everything :/...) Surprisingly, as I was writing for the exam I encountered many questions from those areas. I passed with about 85 questions (I turned the timer and question number off at the beginning and only glanced after the 2-hour mark when I approached my first break and later when I was nearing 75). I left the center at around the 2:50 mark and that is all that's all she wrote. Here are some of the resources that I used to study: a. Kaplan Live Class (4-day course) w/ Q bank (did all 1300 Q bank Q's and repeated some incorrect items), did all 4 Sample tests, Question Trainers 1-6 [my brain was fried by the time I reached QT7), and Alternative Format 25-item test [nearly 2000 various Kaplan questions in total] b. Saunders Comprehensive 5th edition by Silvestri (Yellow version) & disc. I did about 300 questions total from this book and the disc combined c. PDA by Lacharity (reviewed a few SATA [select all that apply] questions and case studies for practice) when Kaplan wasn't suffice d. Nursing Made Insanely Easy (obsolete edition) by Rayfield/Manning that helped tremendously throughout my 12-month BSN program and during my NCLEX-RN prep. e. Pharmacology Made Insanely Easy (most recent edition) by Rayfield/Manning f. NCLEX RN Course Book by Kaplan (free Kindle download that came with Kap course) g. The Basics by Kaplan (free Kindle download that came with Kap course) h. ATI Comprehensive NCLEX-RN Review (I used the paperback version, but I see that it may be available online if you search very hard) i. Personalized study group 2-3 hours, one day out of the week (This helped as we could talk through certain practice problems and bounce ideas and memorization devices for important rationales) j. Prep document (35 pages) posted on allnurses.com from a user who passed (I don't know who the user is or what link I accessed the doc from, but there are a few floating around if you peruse the site) As you see, I used whatever I could get my hands on. It may seem as if I did a lot (or, too much:unsure:), but I had to do what was necessary to PASS. I know myself better than anyone, so I didn't let anyone persuade me into moving my test date up just because they had already taken theirs. In fact, I moved my date approximately 4-5 times before settling on 8/5 (1 day before my birthday and 2 years after I received acceptance into my BSN program). I made sure not to burn myself out by watching new shows on Netflix, going to the movies and/or dinner with friends, laughing until I cried in order to keep from shedding tears of fear, and going to the gym at random hours of the day and night while preparing for the "dreaded" NCLEX. Don't mind me...it wasn't too bad. As long as you are willing to put forth the effort during studying, you will succeed as well. If I can do it, anyone can do it. This is one of the best birthday gifts ever! I can't believe that I have achieved such a feat and I am honored to be considered amongst some of the most caring, yet hardworking people in the world. Be confident, faithful, and optimistic in your journey. We are all in this together!