i have taken the July 3rd NCLEX and as to my dismay, I failed yet again. I always wanted to be an RN and this examination is the only thing that's holding me back towards achieving my dreams to become an RN. I have taken the online HURST review in my preparation for this exam and as to my surprise, I only utilize few of the info I have learned from the content of the course, and I know the materials by heart. I know for sure that i did not pass as I guessed the whole time i was taking the exam. I had 4 math calculation questions, atleast 3-4 SATA, teaching/management delegation, and few priority, and pharm about a drug i never heard before, same drug over and over again.
I am almost to a point of just giving up but I have read a lot of trends hear that struggled as well and did not give up. For some reason, I am a person that can't seem to pass any of the RN licensure exam and I want to break that mentality. I know and believe that eveything happens for a reason. it's been a year since I graduated from nursing school and i feel like i am running out of time. 2009 wasnt a good year for me and it turned out the 2010 is the same thing. I really need some help as to how I prepare this time around. any words of encouragement are highly appreciated as well. I wanted to be an RN so badly and I wanted to pass this exam. Please Help! anyone?:crying2:
I also would recommend you look at Kaplan, particularly if you feel like you know the content. The NCLEX is not just testing content, it's testing how you think. Kaplan focuses on upper level questions which are the ones you need to answer in order to pass.
Many excellent nurses needed multiple attempts to pass the NCLEX! It's only the end when you decide to stop trying.
rnewell, I sent you a private message. Your situation is very simliar to mine as well as others I have met on this forum, you can do this! I graduated 11 years ago then took the NCLEX for the first time a few months ago and passed in 75 questions!
The NCLEX is not a test of knowledge. It IS test to find if the test taker can make a safe decision for care based upon the information presented in the question. It is not a test of memorized content, but IS a test of how the content learned in nursing classes is applied in nursing situations.
I suggest that you visit the NCSBN website and look at some of the questions there. There is a study program that the council recommends, but I cannot attest to its value. Many of my students have said that Kaplan was helpful because the course stresses test-taking skills. It is important that the test-taker be able to read and understand the stem of the question before proceeding to the four solutions to the problem.
It is important that the test-taker be able to read and understand the stem of the question before proceeding to the four solutions to the problem.
If your reading comprehension is not at a high level then the NCLEX exam is very difficult.
Some people that fail have all the knowledge they need in their heads, but when it comes to a written exam they don't understand what is being asked in the question. This leads to them choosing the wrong answer or spending too much time on a question.
Check out your local college or search online for a reading comprehension improvement class.
It's a rough spot to be in but if you persist you will pass. Here's some (a lot) of words. Read it carefully and make the best out of it.
This is aimed at those who are struggling and have taken the test more than twice but it could be useful for first time takers too. This post reflects my experience with the NCLEX and the changes I did in order to pass. The NCLEX is a passable test and perhaps not even as hard as most people think. I like to point out aspects which are not well explained or easy to miss for some of us. We all hear stories about students who are smart and yet have failed. So, this is a search into what could be the issues some of us are missing, not everyone thinks alike.
The NCLEX has a few important components: knowledge and how you apply knowledge quickly are the two main ones. Another major component is how to take the test. I think that for those who are struggling is very important to re-thinking the test in a brand new way; also to realize that the test does not work as other traditional tests. There are a few points I like to go in detail and it might be helpful to understand them well. It might set you free from the deceptions and traps of the NCLEX which ultimately reflect what nursing practice will look like. If you are trying really hard and still not passing, it’s time to do a whole evaluation and change the way you think about the test, so read on and have fun.
1)TIMING: as they say, timing is everything. This might be one of the most misunderstood components of the NCLEX. The bottom line is: you must walk in the test room and even if you are completely clueless DON’T TAKE MORE THAN ONE MINUTE FOR EACH QUESTION, I cannot stress this point enough. The NCLEX is testing your knowledge but most of all is testing how well and how quick you can think through difficult situations you know little. So if you study a lot and still not passing you MUST improve in this area. All the knowledge you have acquired is useless unless you can answer the questions fast and (hopefully) correctly. You must remember that the NCLEX will not punish you for getting wrong answers; you only need to be at the knowledge level they are looking for. I am not sure about this but I now believe there is an algorithm which measures the time you use for each question crediting or discrediting you. The NCLEX really likes when you go fast. And that makes sense for nursing where emergency situations come up and you know little about and only have a minute or so to make a decision. So when they say “don’t over think”, is more like you don’t have the time to – “over think”. Have you ever noticed how some questions keep coming back? Even though you might have answered them correctly, but because you took too long, they (the NCLEX computer program) is not sure that you really know it well or just guessed. So if the questions keep coming back two things can happen: you get too tired which is not good because your performance go down or, you run out of time which is another problem. They want you to look at the questions, read it carefully, make a decision select the best one, and move on. You must have the ability to answer the questions like you playing ping-pong game and be able to play a long game and not get mentally fatigued. So there is not much to figure out at the moment of the test; you either are there or not. I know it sound a little fuzzy and fluffy but you have nothing to lose at this point; do you? Another timing issue is how long you delay to re take the test. Don’t. You are never ready for it; put that in your mind. If you take too long between the tests you get cold, so use your failure as a practicing match and go take it again while you still hot. So go to PearsonVue website and schedule that test right now and go face the beast! Smile at fear.
2)YOUR KNOWLEDGE: this is also one of the most misunderstood aspects of the NCLEX. Most people think they are being tested on their knowledge and the subjects you’ve learned in school. This is partly true but you must understand that knowledge here plays a different role. All you have to have is “NCLEX type knowledge” and that you can get by using the so many books available out there. After you have acquired this NCLEX knowledge, then it becomes all about how you use it, apply and retrieve it. The NCLEX is not looking at your knowledge level per se; they are looking among other things on HOW YOU PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL, HOW YOU DECIDE ON THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT, HOW YOU IMPROVISE, and HOW MUCH TIME YOU TAKE TO ANSWER. In the other hand if you knowledge base is weak, you’ll be stuck at the lower level questions which will not pass you and will lead you away from going up to the passing questions (assessment & implementation). Here’s an example of NCLEX type knowledge: when they ask about chest tube, they usually want to know a, b, or c (about chest tubes) and usually it does not stray too far from a certain number of options: know these options by heart. These are the building blocks NCLEX is made of and you must have a significant collection of those in order to pass. The more you have these building blocks in your mind the better because it will help you to answer fast and correctly without thinking too much or using too much energy.
3)STUDY TIME: don’t drive yourself crazy. I would practice 60 questions per day in one hour. Buy a timer and keep the pace, don’t ever take more than one hour (to answer 60 questions). If you are getting above 65% in one hour you looking good but try to get higher. One day per week go all the way to 265 (ouch!) because most likely this is what your test will be like! So in essence studying for the NCLEX means you are building up endurance with that kind of knowledge rather than becoming a nursing genius. Have fun with it, if you drive yourself to pain you will also learn pain so when you get to the test that’s what you will remember.
4)THE TEST: it’s important to know about this test and its components. One fact I think is interesting is that the NCLEX will test everyone differently. The NCLEX has two ways to make a decision about you: (1) you will pass or fail with an “X” number of questions, so if you are really good you can pass as little as 75 questions and if you are doing really badly you will fail with 75 questions. (2) but at a certain point the computer makes a decision, it can’t figure you out, you have missed a bunch of questions but you’ve also hit some important ones, so it decides that you need to be tested with all the questions, so you are going all the way to 265 baby (ouch again). However you must remember, if you are not consistent and begin to do poorly because you are tired you can fail too and not go all the way, or go all the way and fail (dang!). So you must stay in the game and perform consistently all the way to the end. If you are struggling forget about the magical “oh a passed with 75 questions”, be prepared to go all the way to 265 and most importantly be consistent throughout the entire range and that’s why is so important to train yourself to endure long periods of time answering these type questions. The NCLEX will reward your consistency and you will be credited for that. Remember, the NCLEX is not about getting questions right or building up points like in regular tests, the NCLEX is testing how you perform under stressful situations and in certain ways your ability to improvise.
5)TAKING THE TEST: you must understand what is critical thinking. Some people are there already, but if you are not for whatever reason you should begin to pay close attention to “what is to critically think”. You must focus on that question in a way you never did before, you must zero in that question only and not stray one bit from it. I developed this way of thinking in which I would imagine myself there, at the bed side with a real situation at hand and then think “what would I do here…for real?” What is safe to do? When you take the test you must be confident in your intuition. Another way to interpret when people say: “don’t over-think” is that your mind goes into this overdrive mode where decisions are made quickly and without thinking but they are the correct ones. It’s like playing a video game where you only have a split second to make decisions but as the rhythm speeds up your mind speeds up and you actually make better decisions than if you think it over. This is the kind of mind set you have to have when you take this test. In my opinion this is exactly what they are trying to test: your ability to quickly decide emergency situations. How many of those did you get right?
6)GUESSING: there is nothing wrong with guessing. You and everybody will guess about 10-20% of the test. The test is designed that way, otherwise you would know what to study for the test as you did in your nursing classes. So learn how to guess right, and in order to do it right you must be completely random and not go on a hunch. It is an irresistible impulse to guess following a hunch, that you know something about the answer which makes you feel safe. The problem with that is that you might fall in the trap set up the writers. So first eliminate as many as wrong answers you can than guess RANDOMLY. One safe way to do that is to always pick the first one bellow the last question you have eliminated, if you have not eliminated any of them pick up C or any other but randomly.
7)PLAY TETRIS: and here’s why, Tetris is one of the first video games made for computers and in my opinion it simulates several of the brain functions required in for the NCLEX. It will help you with the brain stamina you need to endure all the 265 questions without lowering your performance. You have to make quick decisions in shorter and shorter amounts of time. It forces your brain to critically think faster and faster as the geometrical shapes fall down and you have to figure out where they fit. I was amazed to find out how much I improved as I started to play. If you don’t believe this is helpful, just play for fun and it will your mind from the study.
8)PRAY FOR ST. JUDE THE PATRON OF THE IMPOSSIBLE CAUSES AND THE BEST LUCK TO YOU.
thanks for that advice marcos9999. is there as well any other way that you studies precisely for the exam. It did took me long to answer each questions as I am being puzzled which one to chose as some seems appropriate answers. it took me 2 hours for that 75 questions and I didn't really think that i have to answer them as quick as I could. thanks for that. hoping you could give me more tricks as to how to prepare myself. reight when I found out that i failed, I registered through pearsonvue again. I know I can be an RN, i just need to pass this stinking NCLEX exam.
I've always heard that it is pretty rare to fail with only 75 questions but maybe that isn't so. A friend of mine just took it and failed it too. She took a class (I'm not sure which one) that was supposed to guarantee a pass. So much for that.
Here in NC you can only take the NCLEX three times. Hopefully, the third time will be a charm for you!
thanks for that advice marcos9999. is there as well any other way that you studies precisely for the exam. It did took me long to answer each questions as I am being puzzled which one to chose as some seems appropriate answers. it took me 2 hours for that 75 questions and I didn't really think that i have to answer them as quick as I could. thanks for that. hoping you could give me more tricks as to how to prepare myself. reight when I found out that i failed, I registered through pearsonvue again. I know I can be an RN, i just need to pass this stinking NCLEX exam.
Read my post carefully. There are tons of tips in there. As I said in the post, practice 60 questions in 60 min. everyday and one day a week practice all 265 in 6 hours until you are consistently scoring 65% or over.
Read my post carefully. There are tons of tips in there. As I said in the post, practice 60 questions in 60 min. everyday and one day a week practice all 265 in 6 hours until you are consistently scoring 65% or over.
I read your post but my eyeballs hurt when I read off a computer so, do you have a recommendation for an NCLEX study guide?
do anyone of you knows a site where in I can practice lotsa nclex questions? the kaplan review and qbank are expensive. I've already spend much for the Hurst review and they don't even respond to my cry for help both via phone and email. maybe because I live here in Canada? we may not know. anyhow, please anyone? i am starting to study now and i don't want to waste a single time as I wanted to pass the EXAm so bad.
I believe that everything that i'm going through right now and for the past year, every single thing of this happens for a reason. I alwasy believe that HE is giving me this much trials in my life right now because HE has a better, much bigger plan for me! I am still keeping a positive view on things!
Is English your first language? I am just wondering if the problems you are having is more of a language problem than a content/critical thinking difficulty. If it is not, or even if it is, perhaps you could pursue a class or tutor that can help you with your fluency and comprehension from a language perspective. I am not sure what they have where you live, but here we have centers called Sylvan and some others. It is possible that your nursing school could point you in a similar direction.
Looking over the threads here, I wonder if language is as much of a problem for those who don't pass NCLEX right away, or maybe even more of a problem, than the actual exam content.
Good luck, and keep stopping in to share your journey, we'll try to help you along the way. God bless!
english isn't my first language. honestly, I don't know what my weakness really is. I guess maybe the English or maybe I needed some more studying on nursing content. would you be able to suggest anything else that I could do differently this time? I have taken the HURST course and It helped me alot with studying content it's just that stupid computer (excuse my french) asked me questions that were not covered in the course.
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I also would recommend you look at Kaplan, particularly if you feel like you know the content. The NCLEX is not just testing content, it's testing how you think. Kaplan focuses on upper level questions which are the ones you need to answer in order to pass.
Many excellent nurses needed multiple attempts to pass the NCLEX! It's only the end when you decide to stop trying.
rnewell, I sent you a private message. Your situation is very simliar to mine as well as others I have met on this forum, you can do this! I graduated 11 years ago then took the NCLEX for the first time a few months ago and passed in 75 questions!