I'm so happy to see so many posts about passing the NCLEX!! I also JUST found out (officially!!) that I passed the nclex-rn in 75 (grueling, awful, mind-game-playing) questions!
Like most people I walked out of the test thinking...oh no, I don't even know what happened, what a blur, I FAILED!!! Honestly, this seems to be a natural reaction and pretty much expected! I did the PVT and got the good pop up and could not wait to see my beautiful license next to my name on my BON website.
While I studied I often checked this website but refused to join until I actually passed and became a real, live RN! I would get so freaked out reading some of the stories, but others made me feel better, like "I can do this!" My favorite thing was when people would post tips or relaxation strategies, ANYTHING to help me!
Sooooo, if you have passed, post THREE of the best tips/techniques/study habits/etc you can give to those out there waiting to take their test! Obviously not everything will work for everyone, but I figure this is a good way for people to consolidate some words of wisdom.
My personal advice that worked for me:
1)__ Do as many questions as you can handle in one day, until you get tired and need a REAL break. I would do 250-350 questions a day as the test got closer. People told me NOT to do this, but it is what worked for me! I got to the test and HONESTLY did not remember I was taking the NCLEX until question number 35! This will help you know what to expect on the test.
2)__ Don't change your study habits or test taking strategies right before the test! If you usually study for a nursing test by studying the day before...do it! I went over my notecards, did 100 questions and was done (more for the conditioning aspect of sitting and doing questions). ALSO, however you answer questions while you're practicing is the way you want to answer them on the test - do not suddenly decide to implement test taking strategies that you did not do before!
3)__ Review the procedures that occur BEFORE and DURING the test - this was really helpful! A lot of people told me that they got freaked out when they got to the testing center and had to get their palms read, fingerprints, pictures taken. Go here and watch the video at the bottom: http://www.pearsonvue.com/ppc/
Okay now for everyone elses advice!! (AH IM AN RN!!! STILL SINKING IN!!):redbeathe
I just took mine today and got the good pop up. I wont know til next week (due to the holiday weekend) what my official results are by the BON.
anyways, I went a lil overboard compared to others...
I did about 300-400 questions/day, 5days/week for about 3 weeks. On the weekends I maybe did 100-200 questions. In total I think I did about 6000 questions I started out reading each rationale, but then I ended up reading the rationales on those that I got wrong. I also read a few chapters in my Saunders book and my review course book (I did it though a local company here in New England) before bed at night. I put in well over 100 hours of studying.
I took it easy this past week and only did a few practice tests and then re-read some of my notes.
Anyways, I hope it worked and I will find out for certain next week.
I will be graduating school at the end of this month and was offered a job in the ER so I HAVE to pass NCLEX. My aunt who is a CCRN told me to do 400 NCLEX a day until I take the test. While I'm still in school, I'm only doing 25-50 a day, but once I graduate I will do just like she said and like you have done. 400 a day and I think I will do fine. Glad to hear it worked for you!
I will be graduating school at the end of this month and was offered a job in the ER so I HAVE to pass NCLEX. My aunt who is a CCRN told me to do 400 NCLEX a day until I take the test. While I'm still in school, I'm only doing 25-50 a day, but once I graduate I will do just like she said and like you have done. 400 a day and I think I will do fine. Glad to hear it worked for you!
oh I dont know for certain whether I passed (I suspect I will know Tuesday due to the long weekend) but I did get the good pop up. I am just praying like for others, it too means I passed.
Honestly I thought 400 questions a day was a lot. But I usually broke them up into 100 question chunks and took a break in between. It wasnt that bad. At the end, when I added all the questions I did between Saunders, ATI and NCLEX 4000 I was surprised I did over 6000.
Just took the test yesterday and got the good pop up. I took the Kaplan class and have been doing their questions whenever I had time. I started a job as a graduate nurse a few weeks ago, so I've also been soaking up a lot of things from practical experience and from the classes they have us in. I also used Saunders book for content as well as the Kaplan book whenever I needed to review. I bought the Lacharity Priority, Delegation, and Assignment book as well as the Saunders Alternative format (really helped with SATA questions). I also got Mosby index cards to look through if I was out somewhere. I don't recommend doing over 150 questions a day, as you can get burned out. But you do what's right for you. If your test is next week and you haven't been doing any questions, then maybe you do need to do more. Only you know how prepared you are.
if it will be your first time taking boards then try to relax the day before the test and stay focused during the test try not to get distracted. if it's ur second go at it try doing things differently. when i tested the first time i just did loads and loads of review questions and that was it. the next time around i reviewed all the basic and read all the chapters in exam cram. The point is if this is ur second or third try testing do things differently.
OH AND SAY THIS PRAYER:
O St. Joseph of Cupertino who by your prayer obtained from God to be asked at your examination, the only preposition you knew. Grant that I may like you succeed in the (here mention the name of Examination eg. History paper I ) examination.
In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked.
O St. Joseph of Cupertino pray for me
O Holy Ghost enlighten me
Our Lady of Good Studies pray for me
Sacred Head of Jesus, Seat of divine wisdom, enlighten me.
Remember, when you succeed in the exams then you should thank St. Joseph of Cupertino.
Yeah, I rather do too many and know my stuff than not enough and fail and have to pay all that money again. Work hard the first time and get it done. Good Job!!! I'm sure you passed. Now it's my turn!
I took (and passed) my boards on June 25th, approx 5 weeks after finishing school. My best advice is this:
1) questions questions questions. I thnk I did maybe 300/day on average for a total of roughly 2000 prior to the boards. These questions were from RN3500, Lippincott and Kaplan
2) DO NOT STUDY THE DAY BEFORE! You know what you know and now it is about relaxing and being confident.
3)Make sure to review your fundamentals (safety, positioning, infection control) NCLEX is focusing a lot on this as well as delegation/prioritization/management.
While you're taking the test, DO NOT FREAK OUT ABOUT THE NUMBER of questions you've answered. NO ONE ever has a good read on how its going and be prepared to go the distance. You've taken test dozens of times and this is just one more (easier said than done). Remember to breathe! :-)
As difficult as it is to believe, the best advice I can give is don't think you won't pass. I think anyone who has completed their degree and studied a good amount will pass ok. NOBODY was more hyped and nervous than me, and I passed. You can, too! (and I KNOW what your saying "Easy for him to say, NOW!!!")
There's really no strategy that can be considered the best since every person has different ways of coping with the NCLEX exam...here's a couple I did to make me pass with only 75 questions and I took mine here in NY in Islandia
1. Kaplan Strategies for NCLEX-RN exam - its a must have book if you want to have an idea on how the NCLEX exam is given and how to answer most questions...also there's 180 questions in the book and 180 questions also in the CD that you can use to sharpen your critical thinking.
2. Answer questions within your comfort zone - other people can answer up to 300 a day but I answer only up to about a 100 sometimes less than that if I really can't concentrate...the point is you're sharpening your critical thinking by answering the questions...so you don't have to force yourself into a grueling review. Take note: as long as you're getting the information being given to you by the study content then you're good.
3. Analyze books that are of good use to you - some people will recommend books that they use to you but some books offer information that can be useful for others but confusing for you...if you have a friend who has already passed the NCLEX exam or is bound to take the exam try to borrow his/her books and just skim through the content to see if you can understand it fully well and it is tailored to your study form. I thought the Kaplan course book was good for me since its highly recommended but Lippincott sufficed for me.
4. Review courses are helpful but its up to you to know if you really need it or not - I personally think that having 3 comprehensive books for the NCLEX-RN exam is as the same as going to a review course. The only advantage of going to a review course is there is someone to help you with reviewing and give personal guidance as you study. If you can fork up a couple of hundred dollars to go to a review course then good for you but there are also cheap online review courses that you can take and is the same or better than review courses who offer classroom reviews such as the NCSBN learning extension review
5. Infection control - this part will be mostly asked and test your knowledge since its not only the patient your protecting but also yourself and the others around you so putting a couple of hours more on this subject can help. There is a mnemonic I use to know if the diseases are airborne, droplet, contact, or universal precaution necessary. I'll post it here when I find the booklet but for those who have the same mnemonic I strongly advice that you memorize the mnemonics, personally it was the one that saved me.
6. Its ok to take a break but not to the point of procrastinating - sure sometimes you feel a bit off and you can't concentrate, its ok to take a break but don't do things that may take your mind off your review too much. If you're an active person then exercise a bit or play your favorite sport for a while. It keeps your heart pumping and gives off more oxygen for your brain to function well(whew straight out from a book!). If you have a hobby then do it for a couple of minutes or an hour then get back to your study. I play video games but make sure that I play video games that keep my mind thinking fast(its a personal thing so I don't recommend you do this but if it works for you then hey no harm in trying right?)
7. Don't forget to pray - sometimes divine intervention is the most powerful orificenal a person can have. It may not be always ready for you to use but that's what praying is for, asking help to carry you through a tough time. But don't rely on the almighty too much, of course he will be there to help but you're the one taking the test, he's only there to supervise. :)
8. Think positive thoughts - here is a critical advice I can give to anybody as it is also the best advice that my friends gave me. It doesn't hurt nor does it cost anything to dream, so dream that after your exam you will become a nurse. Try writing your name on a piece of paper and putting the two letters you've put your whole life into to achieve, RN. then try doing this almost everyday and for sure you'll get even more positive than you were the day before. And also, my personal thing...I pretend that I already have a license number(well my license number back in the Philippines) and write it below my name then I sign it as if I was charting.
Hopefully you pass with one take and don't worry 'cause for all the takers in the coming days and years will always be in my prayers. Good Luck and God Bless. Be sure to tell us you guys passed :):yeah:
I took the test on Jun. 25 and learned I passed via QuickResults on Jun. 27.
My advice: It's probably too late, but for all the students taking the test in the winter or next summer: Don't let companies like Kaplan frighten you into shelling out hundreds of extra dollars on review courses. It isn't necessary. I purchased a comprehensive review book by Saunders (NCLEX Review-RN) that came with a CD loaded with over 4,000 questions. It was all I needed. I shelled out over $30 on a box of 300 medication review cards that I never really got around to studying.
After I graduated on May 13, I decided that I wanted to take a break and didn't schedule my test until near the end of May and didn't begin studying until around 2 weeks before my exam. I took 75 questions on a Friday morning, spent an agonizing 48 hours wringing my hands and pacing before I saw my online results Sunday morning and shed a few tears of relief.
:redbeathe
:yeah:
dumb
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:Dhope it helps you!