Taking my boards in 3 weeks!!! Support Needed

oguesswhat · Jul 4, 2009

I do about 50 questions a day too...give or take depending on the day. Just keep on studying and go over something if you don't know it. Do you reed each rational? Even if you got it right? They give you extra information in them usually. Good luck. I take mine Monday...I am VERY nervous!

E.R. Rookie · Jul 5, 2009

I did Kaplan online but I did 150-200 questions a day. I liked the tutor mode because if I got it wrong I could read why.

KaliNurse · Jul 5, 2009

Hi E.R. Rookie,

Here's some words of wisdom.....Do as many questions as you can PRIOR to taking your boards. It is probably best to do your practice questions in the on-line format. That is a good way to get used to the way the questions are posed on the actual NCLEX.

Focus on categories and classifications as opposed to content. There is simply NO WAY you can go over all of your nursing content! However, you can review things by classification and categorization. For example, know your cardiac drugs by categories.....beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors....etc. Know your psych drugs by classification.....MAOI's, Anti-Depressants, Anti-Psychotics....etc....

Also keep this in mind.....The state boards are an indication of how SAFE you are to practice.....It is not necessarily how SMART you are to practice. Many people think because they got 75 questions, they are really smart nurses. This may be true in some cases. However, a minimum of 75 questions proves that the state board of nursing has deemed you "safe to practice" at the minimal required amount of questions.

Hope this helps!

Kittyfeet · Jul 6, 2009

I feel the same as you! I take mine in less than 2 weeks, I'm so scared! All my friends have told me there is really no way to study for what is on the test... just take practice questions and practice strategy. I have been doing the Saunder's questions and they have really helped me. Good luck!

thenurse2b08 · Jul 6, 2009

I am doing Kaplan now, and my goal is 200 questions daily. I plan on knowing my drugs, labs, procedures, infection control mostly, room assignments and strategy.

Hope this works. I don't wanna sound dumb but it takes me forever to do and review 50 questions. :crying2:

Thank you for all the replies.

sweetpeace · Jul 6, 2009

Oguesswhat, my thoughts are with you today! Good luck and looking forward to hearing how it went! I take mine the 29th (yikes), I'm doing ATI, NCLEX 3000, NCLEX 3500 and something else online that I found a link to on this forum. I aim for a few hundred a day, plus read drug books, my textbooks and whatever else. I'm basically in isolation taking care of my 95 year old grandma until I take my boards. I planned it this way so I could study and not be bothered with anything else. Hopefully it will pay off.

To everyone else on this board I thank you for this fellowship, it gives me a break from studying etc and lets me know I'm not alone... I am grateful for that. I wish everyone the best of luck my heart and prayers go out to all!:typing:luvnltr:!!

oguesswhat · Jul 6, 2009

Well I got 75 questions and took it in an hour. I think I passed. I did the trick and it popped up saying I couldn't re register so I am happy! I have to wait till Wed for the real quick results of course :)

sweetpeace · Jul 7, 2009

Yay! I'm glad you've got a good feeling about it! How many weeks did you study, and how many hours a day? Also, how were your grades in school? I'm wondering, cause I did pretty good in school, I do well on some test reviews (ATI) but some of the questions are sooo hard. It seems I do on cardiac and respiratory, but haven't been doing as well with Peds and maternity newborn...hmm just curious from input from anybody who has taken it! Thanks

oguesswhat · Jul 7, 2009

Well the good feeling is more from the trick so hopefully it is true. I studied after I graduated May 9th. I took off a week and half for my vacation and then due to health reasons I took off another week. So that puts me at under 6 weeks. I studied between 4-5 days a week. Timing was anywhere from 45 mins to a few hours a day (I have very little patience and I get bored sitting and studying) Basically I did about 2000 questions total. Plus read rationals and looked up a few things in Saunders. I however wouldn't really suggest it. I am one of those people who doesn't really need to study but still gets good grades anyways. I got mostly B's and 2 A's in nursing school. However it was cause I didn't want to stress myself with getting an A. Though I was very close for 2 other courses too. I studied for what I needed to but never read extra and stay up all night studying. I got 9 SATA. a handfull of peds, 2-4 psy, 2 ob, lots of meds and infection stuff.

thenurse2b08 · Jul 22, 2009

Well, was pretty much the same as you, oguesswhat. I was lazy and barely studied in school, but always pulled through. Now, I am worrying because I know I need this. I gotta pass. Taking mine on the 31st. I don't know what to do. I am doing the Kap-lan only now. I just reviewed Endocrine and Pharm. All I can say is ohmy!!!

I am still studying and I will update as days go. I wish good luck to all of you and Congrats to those who passed.

thenurse2b08 · Jul 25, 2009

So, today I took a quiz on Kaplan and I had 27 questions. 23 were SATA. I only answered 5 out of 27 correct

Worst is I was missing only 1 or 2 answers here and there. :madface:

My confidence is very low now. I am going to do the QT 4 and see how it gooes. I had 56, 52 and 46 on the previous ones. I looked up some meds though :uhoh21:

Now, I really want to reschedule, but I won't take it til the 14th of next month :down:

God knows why :mad:

7 days to go now guys.