nurse551

it is indeed a jungle.

SO guys, it's been 6 months since I have taken that dreadful NCLEX examination, 6months. Half a year and here I am today, sipping a latte at Starbucks and enjoying reading some of my past posts about my journey with the NCLEX. To this day, I believe the NCLEX is useless, and I hope to God someone changes this exam more suited to where they are living or at least change the questions that fits more appropriately to their nursing program. Regardless of my distaste of the NCLEX, I passed it and I moved on with my life. Never forgetting the moment I failed, to those hard nights studying while everyone enjoyed being a nurse and the perks of their paycheques, while I stayed home or went to the library eating cupped ramen noodles or just starving with only caffeine in my system. Regardless of what I went through, out of it, made a more humbler and more stronger me, for that, I am thankful. So forward to 6 months since, I thought I passed the worst, but what I didn't realize is now facing the real world of earning money and spending it wisely. Learning about my nursing union, learning about what lateral bullying is, what kind of nursing culture I have entered into. I am now an adult realizing I am **** scared of this world without my safety net I called school and guidance of my instructors. I was working on 2 different units, facing the new situations as a new graduate RN, I was learning about the different kinds of nurses, some nurses were welcoming, warm and inviting while others were just complete bullies, making me question all my beliefs, realizing my own mental limit. I went on and pushed it to the side, trying to convince my self it was part of some hazing and that I needed to work hard in the beginning so I can fit in. I was also working really hard because I was stressed out about doing as many and learning as many skills as possible without even thinking about my mental health. I was heavily burnt out and didn't even realize it. the NCLEX may be hard, but it's a hurdle, the real challenge is figuring out what nurse you are, who you are and how it affects your work with patients and the staff.

HI EVERYONE I WANTED TO SHARE MY GOOD NEWS, I GOT MY RESULTS THIS MORNING THAT I PASSED MY NCLEX. I have been reading all nurses forums since my first attempt/failure and this forum really helped me. I wanted to share my journey with you guys. FOR MY FIRST ATTEMPT, I did the full 265 questions and, when only took 1 break. I went to the bathroom and took a drink of water and came back. I literally studied 5 days a week and occasionally took Saturdays and Sundays off. For my first attempt I did the NSBCN course and uworld. Not to knock down those two resources, but I did not learn much from them mainly because I am a visual learner. So if you are someone who learns by reading and taking their own notes then those resources are for you. FOR MY 2ND ATTEMPT... I started studying 2 days i got my big fat FAILURE email from my nursing body. I don;t recommend that, I recommend to take at least a week to two weeks off to really recuperate, and take a break.Anyhow, I started using hurst, AWESOME RESOURCE if you feel you struggled on content, and then I bought the kaplan in class review which was extremely helpful because they help you with strategies. The nclex is 50% content, and 50% strategies!! so kaplan helped, and the inclass bootcamp comes with a qbank, which is A LOT HARDER than uworld in my opinion and harder than the nclex itself because it's quite wordy HOWEVER, uworld had the best rationales, kaplan had really short and crappy explanations. ANYhow I studied everyday, even on christmas and new years I studied at least 20 mins by doing small mock exams. So the day before the exam, hurst recommens u don't study, but I studied anyway, I only studied for 4 hours, and then called it a day, went for dinner with my boyfriend to enjoy myself. The morning of the exam, I woke up early, had some breakfast and packed a snack and my water. I drove to the testing place, blasing some hillsongs music to really pump myself up. I got there at an early time around 7:15 am and they let me go in right away, i was the only person inside the testing room. when I hit 75 questions I started to get defeated and asked for an early break. I went out, stretched, drank water, went to the washroom and looked in the mirror and told myself "you are passing today, and you are gonna burn all your nclex notes". As soon as I got back, I did a couple more questions, I stopped counting at 115, and a little over than the computer shut off. I smiled, because I knew I was kicking ass (although the questions were hard and rally didn't know for sure if I was even getting them right), I must have because I passed. I drove home, hugged my dog and my dad and then binged watched netflix. Then bam, this morning I got my results and BAM I passed. I felt so lonely during this journey and honestly its such a heart breaking experience to fail and I understand anyone who is struggling with this. SO please email me if you guys need any support. I love you all nurses!! I am still very much against this exam, but I am glad I passed and it is over. GOD BLESS YOU ALL! KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT!

hi everyone!! I PASSED MY EXAM GOT MY RESULTS THI MORNING. PRAISE GOD!!!! I WILL MAKE A NEW THREAD ABOUT MY JOURNEY!!

Hey everyone i did my exam today and the exam stopped around 120-130. Fingers crossed I passed!! i am super anxious right now.

Hi Meaz, I am so sorry to hear of your struggles leading up to this exam and your results. I completely understand and empathize with you on what you are going through right now. Is this your first attempt at the nclex? Let me know. Becuase if it is, depending what state/country you live in, you can still work. I failed back in november and will be retaking it in exactly 7 days from now. Everyone is different, and people like certain nclex prep things over others, but I decided to completely change my studying habits. I started doing hurst and did the kaplan IN PERSON session. I found it helpful, my marks are not the best however they have increased since changing my studying style. Feel free to email me if you want to talk some more. I understand where you are coming from. Private message or leave on her your email and I can contact you if you would like if u have anymore questions.

I am doing hurst + kaplan + uworld. I am taking my 2nd attempt in exactly 1 week. I try and quickly fly through at least 1 core content a day (studied core content hard last month) and then do small quizzes and do 3 75 question exams and read the rationales for both wrong and right.

hi!! we have similar stories, i failed on nov 15th, 2016, and I studied and prayed so hard as well, i studied 8 hours a day for a straight month. I am going in for my 2nd attempt in exactly 1 week. Have you taken your nclex yet or when do you plan to take it? How did you switch up your studying this time around?

Thank you so much everyone, everyones response has been overwhelmingly kind!! I will keep everyone posted! 12 more days!

Thank you so much!!

Did u end up passing?

Hi everyone it has been a month since failing my first attempt at the nclex exam and I wanted to post a new thread on my journey so far. Before I share... this was the first time I posted on all nurses.com and kind of give everyone background information on my journey to the nclex.. POSTED ON NOVEMBER 16/2016: "I just failed my nclex, I took it yesterday got the results this morning and I failed. I am feeling pretty depressed right now, basically at my lowest point in my life right now. I am stressed out because I am out of money, I budgeted my entire savings to save and last me through until this exam. I was wondering if anyone can offer me some tips. I used the NCBSN course and UWORLD. Please anyone help me.... I will never forget that feeling, never in my life have i ever felt that low. I remember receiving my results, and having my graduation and walking across the stage the very next day. I was an emotional wreck, and everyone knew I took the exam and when I got to graduation, everyone kept coming up to me asking me how I did.... It was my fault I told them when I was taking the nclex because now everyone was asking me how I did. I lied. I lied to everyone telling them I did not receive my marks, when in all actuality, I did and I failed. I felt like such a failure and I still do at times. My mother did not help, she put a ton of pressure on me prior to the exam always saying "you better pass" or "I hope to God you don't have to take this again". It did not help. I knew my family was disappointed in me during graduation because they were the only people that knew I failed. My boyfriend really supported me and he was the only one that was truly happy for me during graduation. I could not enjoy grad, or even the family dinner I had, no one laughed, everyone just kept their heads down and ate. I went home and I wanted to die. I decided a little over 2 days, to share my news that I failed to a couples of my nursing friends and even posted my crying fiasco on youtube. I was amazed at the outpour of support I got from new grads around the world. I got emails from nurses from California, and oversees, and the classmates I shared my news with, gave me nothing but support. My friend even gave me her hurts account, since it was active for 6 more months. I read on some blogs, it took people more than a week or 2 to really relax and regroup to get back into nclex mode and study. It took me 2 days to really get back to it. I was running on adrenaline, and I just anxious. I began reflecting FIRST. I realized that what I did to prepare for the nclex was terrible. I was using UWORLD, doing 75 questions a day and not even bothering reading the rationales, because I would get upset at my low marks (stupid I know). Then I used the NSBCN course. The course, personally, was too much, too overwhelming and I felt I was just reading threw the content just to get it over and done with, and then after each system I would do a quiz in every category. I knew right away, this was not effective because my marks were steadying to be 39%-52%. I even did a quiz before the nclex exam and remember getting 49%, and remember saying to myself "whatever, I'll be fine". BIG MISTAKE. that was a warning sign, and I didn't listen to it. When I took the exam, I was nervous, but excited this day was finally over, and I can go back to my real life and enjoy being with friends and family, and have the TITLE OF AN RN. But nope, I took forever, I did the full 265, and was the last one in the room. My friends were gone, and by the time I hit question 170, I gave up, I began answering questions without thinking it through just so I would get it over and done with. When I got to my car, I phoned my mother and cried. I did;t need my results to know I failed. Forward to 2 days after graduation, I began to realize I did not study effectively, because I am a different learner. I knew I was a visual and auditory learner so I knew hurst would be good. Therefore, I began watching videos, 1-2 a day, did the worksheets, and started doing SMALL quizzes after each chapter I received. I knew it was working because my quiz marks wee wavering to be 70-100%. I no longer did the 75 question a day. After watching ALL of the hurst videos, I enrolled in a IN PERSON kaplan course, which just ended today for me. It was helpful, and now when I do larger quizzes, my marks are slowly and progressively getting higher, they are now averaging up to 60-78% (both kaplan and UWORLD QBANKS). Today, I spoke with the kaplan instructor and she told me she believed in me, and at that moment, I am starting to believe I will pass my 2nd attempt. She advised me not to tell anyone when I will rewrite the exam that way there is less pressure for me, which is so true, my first attempt I told everyone and they hounded me the next day to see if I passed, either they are excited for me, or wanted to hear I failed... but not this time. I have my rewrite scheduled in 18 days.... and for the first time in a while. I believe this is it, I know I will pass. BEFORE, when I use to do practice exams, I would get 1 right, and the next 1 wrong, a trend I saw over and over again.... which explains why I went to the full 265 on my first attempt. NOW, I see a string of right questions where I would get 10-12 in a row right, and couple here and there wrong, some 4 in a row wrong. WHICH i recommend reflecting on at the moment u got that string of questions wrong understand what u were doing at that time when u got those wrong. Anyway.... I guess I wanna say... this is my journey so far, and I can't wait to get back in there and kick butt. because I know this time... it's different... and this time I am passing, and I will overcome this hurdle. If anyone can relate feel free to contact me. I believe in nursing supporting other nurses. Believe, and it will come true. Wish me luck... 18 days till I pass my nclex :)

Thank you Vanessa for you kind words during this difficult time in my life. I think the worst part is when my friends are constantly asking if i passed or not. I made the decision not to tell anyone just yet. I am so embarrassed, and I feel alone in this. I had used NCSBN course and the uworld q bank, and I am wondering what I am doing wrong. I felt really confident, but I guess I really struggles with prioritization, understanding arterial blood gases and infection control. I need some advice and don't know how long I should even wait to go back through this traumatic experience. I feel if I wait too long, I'll forget everything is studied, but if I take it too soon I will end up failing again and loose my provisional licence. Need some help and recommendations on how to pass... what materials did you guys find helpful in terms of prioritization.

I just failed my nclex, I took it yesterday got the results this morning and I failed. I am feeling pretty depressed right now, basically at my lowest point in my life right now. I am stressed out because I am out of money, I budgeted my entire savings to save and last me through until this exam. I was wondering if anyone can offer me some tips. I used the NCBSN course and UWORLD. Please anyone help me....