question about kaplan and general NCLEX-RN

[blondie1887]

I am taking NCLEX-RN July 9th. I have already attended the Kaplan live review and have been following the schedule of question trainers. I did 1-5 and my scores were all over the place, mainly in the 60s but some in the 50's. I'm thinking of saving 6 and 7 for closer to NCLEX even though it says to do them the second week because they are most similar to NCLEX from what I hear. It seems that most people save these. I've also watched the LOD. I've heard some people read the book through and through, but that kind of seems like it would take too long. Anyways, I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how to study medications and whether or not to split up content week by week. My advisor told me to do questions from other sources and different topics each week, like maternity one week, mobility another. Also, I was wondering if you can do badly on one part of nclex and pass, like if I get most of the management questions wrong, can I still pass? or do you have to pass in every subject? Phew, also I could use some relaxation techniques, because I have crazy anxiety since nursing school and I am a little worried about psyching myself out. Any tips?

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

You have to pass each section in order to be considered passing the exam. I was never a fan of doing sections. The NCLEX will fire questions at you and you may have one psych, 4 maternity, 2 pharm related, then another maternity...etc.

The test is random and does not test you section by section (as in having you do all maternity questions at once, then the next area).

[blondie1887]

You have to pass each section in order to be considered passing the exam. I was never a fan of doing sections. The NCLEX will fire questions at you and you may have one psych, 4 maternity, 2 pharm related, then another maternity...etc.

The test is random and does not test you section by section (as in having you do all maternity questions at once, then the next area).

How did you study? Yea, I didn't like that idea either but she said that way you know you covered all sections I guess. I've been doing kaplan and I like the variety better.

[CatrachaRn]

I studied medications by categories. It was difficult for me at first because my pharmacology professor was new at teaching and I was in his First class teaching ever. After graduation, I made this my priority. It was not easy, but finally I got it. I learned at least 4 popular medications on that category, Side effects, Contraindications, and what it does to your body. I used Saunders they also have a vast number of questions on pharmacology. Hope this helps.

Wish you the best.

[RunBabyRN]

I'm in the same place you are (about to take QTrainer 5 in a few minutes!), and I'm reading the content review guide cover to cover and making note cards of some of it as I go. I'm about 2/3 through reading it and about 1/3 of the way with my notecards (I have several tabs for what I need to study and for what needs cards). For the meds, I went over dig toxicity, lithium, BP meds, tamoxifen, and some of the other very common meds and categories, but it's unrealistic to know EVERY med and EVERY class and EVERY side effect. Plus, from what I'm hearing from classmates who have taken their exam (I'm still waiting for my ATT), the meds on the exam were ones with which they weren't familiar, and they found that much of what they studied wasn't even what they saw on the exam. I'm still forging ahead with my cover-to-cover plan and QBank and such, as it IS good review, but I've decided I CANNOT stress that much on meds.

Since I haven't taken my exam yet, I can't verify how effective this strategy is, but it's worked well for me historically. :) This way, I'm exposed to everything, but spending the majority of my time only on what I really need to review.

[Nienna Celebrindal]

Yes you can do badly on one part and pass. Remember what they teach in Kaplan, you need 30 questions in a row above the pass line. And the NCLEX no longer targets your weak areas. If you know you are weak in an area, review it. But don't kill yourself reviewing it. Do the kaplan questions or any questions you want really as long as you are doing questions, review the wrong answers, review why you got it wrong (was it content or that you misread it?), if its content review what you missed and move on to the next one.