So how long did you study before taking the NCLEX?

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Just wondering how long it took everyone to feel they were ready to take the NCLEX. I have till the 15th of June when my first child is due to study and afterwards I would like to take the NCLEX quick while the info is still in my brain. However Im using the Saunders book which is 1200 pages and it seems like im going to be studing forever!

I can relate to those who say they feel absolutely clueless. I feel like nursing school didn't teach me anything *shivers*

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Specializes in med/surg.

I took the NCLEX 3 weeks after my final. Studied the last 1.5 weeks. I passed the first time with 75Q's. Good luck.

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Specializes in NICU.

I graduated on Dec. 19th, took a break, and on January 1st started my studying. I studied for about 3 weeks straight until taking the NCLEX. I'm talking, from the moment I woke up, to the moment I got tired and went to sleep. I passed on the first time, too! The reason why I studied like this is because I was aware of what it was going to take for me to pass.

All of us have different ways we studied, and different lengths of time. Some think studying didn't help them, others (like me) studied until their brain was scrambled eggs. So, you have to look at your OWN knowledge of nursing skills, disease, medications, and other nursing knowledge and see if you need to study hardcore, or just study casually until it's time to take the NCLEX.

Don't take our word for the way we studied to be the way you are going to study, adapt the way YOU need to.

Good luck to all those take the NCLEX! :)

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I'm pregnant also but not due till Sep. I graduated may 23rd, received my ATT on Tues, June 1 which was quicker than I thought it was going to come so I got anxious and wanted to schedule quick so I only had the chance to study the rest of tues and a little on wed and took the test thurs june 3rd at 8am and found out today through quick results that I'm now a RN. Go for it I wanted to get it over and done with because I figured if I didn't learn it while I was in school then why the heck would I try to do loads and loads of questions when there can be anything on the test but you know yourself so if you think that you need to review some basics then take your time, you'd rather be prepared then go in and not pass. I'm a risk taker but I knew it wasn't going to be a problem for me to just go and take the test. Good luck!!!

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congrats!! i am taking mine june 8! anything i should brush up on before?

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Thank you! I recommend focusing more on some strategies for answering questions. In school we were required to get a book called strategies for success which gave strategies for tackling each type of question. Also I would use one maybe two at the most nclex books to review some questions. I wouldn't take too much time looking at each and every disorder because the test is so broad that it's impossible to do in a short period of time. I was getting anxious but then just trusted that if I held up through school, the info I retained in school would get me through the nclex so I took it quick and I was glad when I passed. Hope I was of some help. Good Luck!!!

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Specializes in NICU.
Not to frighten anyone, but I studied 4 hours for the NCLEX and passed with 78 questions.......I took it about 10 days after graduation. I got my ATT and took it 4 days later. I really don't think studying would have made me any more prepared....

That's about how much I studied too. I took it about four months after graduation, because it took that long to get my ATT. It took me about 45 minutes. Shut off after question 75. I felt like the questions were exactly like the ones I had been answering in nursing school for 4 semesters, so I guess my program prepared me well.

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I studied for may be 2 days and took the test. I had been done with school for about 1.5 weeks. Studying for months wouldn't have helped me, esp since I studied all through nursing school so I actually moved up my test date. I walked in feeling confident and I kept telling myself that I was NOT doing more than 75 questions. 55 minutes and 75 questions later I was done!

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how did you answer questions on meds you had no idea about?

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Unfortunately, when meds were presented there wasn't any background info given. So it wasn't like you could guess. One medication looked like another med I knew, so I answered it as if it was the med I knew. Basically, if it wanted an adverse reaction, I would pick the answer that would probably be the most serious or kill the patient. I had a ton of SATA!

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The meds that were given were not familiar to me, so I took my best guess.

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I am taking my nclex this saturday, and I've been studying for three weeks, did the kaplan review book and took the test in there and the one on the disk, and now I'm just finishing saunders review book, and I am SO nervous, I'm afraid that I'm not retaining the information that I'm studying, and I feel like every practice test I take that none of the meds are anything I've ever heard of- is it a waste of time to review the kaplan drug cards??

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