Study tips, advice, encouragement. Help please!

[scm0890]

So I have failed the NCLEX twice so far. I just finished the online Hurst review and I'm taking the Q Review tests right now. I have been scoring between 65 and 72% and it is really starting to discourage me. I also started reading the LaCharity Book for prioritization, delegation, etc and have been getting about 70-75% on those questions. I just don't know what to do anymore. I am tired of spending money on all these books and programs to help me study and it's making me feel so overwhelmed, I have no idea where to start. I will study one area, then test on it, realize I'm weak in another area, and before you know it I have forgotten what I studied before! It has been 5 months since I last took the NCLEX, and 10 months since I graduated from nursing school. I don't know what to do anymore. I am getting pressured by my family and friends asking me when I am going to take the NCLEX again, but in reality I am afraid to take it because I'm afraid I'm going to spend all that money on an exam that I'm going to fail. I was hoping someone could give me advice on how they study for boards? Like how long do you study for, how do you break it up into sections, etc. Anyone use Hurst review who thinks it worked well for them? How do you study pharm and lab values? I seem to have a hard time in those areas. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[nirj]

Hi There,

Here's my story: it took me 3+ months to finish reading Saunders cover to cover (excluding pharma). Well that explains I was not serious about the test/study, then I thought it was about time i schedule my test, because that would be the only way to get me on track! so scheduled test and then studied like crazy for a month (15 hrs a day), completed Saunders second time, did questions fron kaplan question trainer (1-7) from internet, did questions from NCSBN question bank (online review $50) and completed 50% of PDA, did 200-300 questions from NCLEX 3500!! I did not pay much attention to pharma, just read the most imp drug, classificationm suffix/prefix and most imp/adverse side effect! I had no time to complete all those qustions from the resources I had in 1 month! so took the test after 1 month and thankfully I passed. what I think is you must have a solid content base in order to tackle the questions in the test, If you don't have, reading Saunders twice would certainly help you with that and then practice and practice as much qustions as you can! study hard and your hard work would certainly pay off. Best wishes to you :)

[ricksy]

Saunders! --- CONTENT.... once you know that...you can think critically and pass. Good Luck! You can do it!

[scm0890]

Thank you both! I actually have the saunders book, I am pretty sure it is the newest version but not 100% sure. Does it matter how new it is? Or do I need to have the latest version? Thank you again, I appreciate the advice! :)