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I used Kaplan and a little bit of Lippincott NCLEX review -make sure it is the content review and not just questions and answers. I also looked up ATI and put in the area of study I was interested in and did the chapter and the practice questions. I also found you tube videos really helpful with content I struggled with like EKG reading

Take your time, you are in no rush, eliminate what you know is wrong and then deliberate what remains. Good luck !!

I passed in 75 questions on my first attempt and only used Kaplan. I think it's a great resource but I do agree you need to understand content to help your critical thinking. I did every question set and I think it prepared me for the NCLEX exam as it helped me think the language of NCLEX. The questions on Kaplan are much more difficult and complex than the NCLEX, I was expecting to feel like I had been put through the wringer on the exam but I didn't find it that hard. I had spent months reviewing content and I think that helped me a lot.

Hi I recently passed my NCLEX on Monday 22nd in 75 questions. I had about 5 questions relating to meds. when I was studying I tried learning all the drug classifications but really couldn't take it all in. I sat and thought of the most common drugs they may ask me about and I decided to learn them. I looked at antibiotics, anti Parkinson's, anti psychotics, ADHD, hypothyroid drugs, lithium, digoxin, tb drugs and drugs for osteoporosis. In them I learned the ones with the most unusual side effects and that was it. Obviously I knew some other random ones but I just could not face learning every drug classification and as most people will tell you NCLEX can ask you about anything so when I didn't know a drug I wasn't surprised. i think if you are really able to critically analyse a question and remove some of the obvious wrong answers then you have a greater chance of picking the right answer. good luck, stay positive, you can do this

I used Kaplan on line course. I'm a foreign educated nurse and left nursing school 16 years ago. I really think Kaplan prepares you for the exam, gives you lots of content and question sets to work through and a Q bank with 1500 questions. I found the questions on Kaplan much more difficult than the actual NCLEX which I passed first time on September 22nd with 75 questions. I studied the Kaplan course for just under 4 months and did 6 hours a day, no evening and no weekends. take it a day at a time, I started with the areas that I was really clueless about. You have lots of knowledge and will be able to make calculated choices, Kaplan teach you a decision tree which is really helpful if you are not sure of the answer of a question. Good luck and believe in yourself.

Hey jp_0991 i guess I would say just keep doing what you are doing and focus on areas that you are maybe weaker in. I think it's good to think of a few classifications of meds that you want to be familiar in, I didn't go through the process of learning all the endings of drugs, they can ask you anything and some of the drugs I had in my nclex were not ones I was familiar with but you can normally make an educated guess. I learned about 5-6 classifications of drugs that I thought were regularly used like antibiotics etc and within that I memorised only the ones with odd side effects. i did have a plan to learn one classification a day but they all faded into a large pharmacological mess after day 5. Your scores are good, mine were much worse! I would say question trainer 6 +7 are much more NCLEx like and they are higher level questions. Read every rationale and understand why you got things wrong. good luck!!!

Hey Carrot cake, I bought the Kaplan course with all it's question trainers 1-7 and you get 1500 questions on the Qbank with an alternative format question set (that one killed me as it's mostly SATA which I hate). I really liked it as the Content book and review material was really good and the videos although sometimes overly long really helped me bring a focus to what I was reading. I think I paid 360 as they had a deal giving you 75 dollars off. I also signed in for some of their free live sessions that are posted on their website, they are always at odd times like 8pm on a Friday but they were really useful. good luck with the study and the test, take it one day at a time and you will be fine

I'm in Florida

My BON posted my licence on their site this morning

You will definetly make it. I passed on Monday 22nd at 75 questions first time. Still a bit stunned but I used Kaplan, got the low 50's till the readiness test when I got 67. I didnt cram cram every drug in my head but did the ones I felt would come up, antibiotics, cardiac, Parkinson's, anti psychotics and any unusual ones that might stand out. The exam for me was easier than the Kaplan question trainers 6 and 7 -the NCLEX questions don't seem as complex. just keep your finger off the mouse and use what you learned in Kaplan, I kept asking myself what are they asking and when I looked at the answers I asked why for every one and discounted them. Take your time, breathe and you will be grand!!!! Good luck

Dear Colleagues, Just wanted to drop a line of encouragement to those of you taking or studying for your NCLEX. I sat my NCLEX for the first time on Monday 22nd September and I passed in 75 question and was in the exam for 55 minutes. i am a British registered nurse and have not held a clinical post for ten years although I specialised in children with disabilities in the Uk. Never been in an American hospital and when I started studying 3 months ago I couldn't tell you what a penrose drain was or what needle I would use for what. None of the drug names are the same and most of the nursing terminology is different. I used Kaplan and found it a fantastic resource. I studied every day except for weekends, I got low 50's for all my tests but finally got 67 for my readiness test. If there was something I wasn't sure of I went on the internet to see a video to make it clearer. I couldn't revise every drug classification so I studied a few important groups, antibiotics, anti psychotics, Parkinson's drugs, ADHD medication, hormonal drugs for cancer and cardiac. Could not retain any more facts on drugs. on the day of the exam I just told myself to do my best and hope for the best. obviously I can't say what was presented to me but it was not as daunting as I thought. I found the questions on Kaplan much more difficult and complex. I prayed that it wouldn't shut me off at 75 as I felt that if it kept going then I was doing okay and keeping my head above water. when it shut off at 75 I was a bit stunned. I came home and tried to analyse everything that I did wrong and couldn't face the thought of facing the books again. Luckily I found out this morning through BON website that I have my licence. To say I am delighted is an understatement! please know that if I can do it without the benefit of being trained in an american college or university then you definetly can. Take one day at a team and keep your eyes on the prize. Keep your finger off the mouse and read every word before you commit yourself. I have a 5 second rule of reading and understanding then taking a breath for 5 seconds then pick my answer, sounds crazy but it works for you! good luck to all of you!!

thanks for the replies-fingers crossed if I keep my sanity I will get through this. Good Luck anursedad!

Dear Colleagues, its been great reading all the positive posts here and they have really kept me going. I sit the dreaded NCLEX on Monday after 4 months of study. Still don't really feel ready but cant put it off any longer. Ive been a registered nurse in the United Kingdom for 17 years so it has been a real culture shock doing all this studying but I got through it all one day at a time. I used Kaplan online for International Nurses-expensive but well worth it. I scored in my 60"s for the last two question trainers which was an increase from the 30's when I started. Praying I don't get hundreds of SATA as I am so rubbish at them. anway here goes, hopefully I can celebrate next week-either way I will be openiong a bottle of vino Regards