Taking NCLEX-RN sooon!!! Advice please!!!

RunBabyRN · Jun 26, 2014

I would focus more on strategies than content. I found that little of my content review helped, but knowing how to prioritize and delegate made a big difference. For example, consider which patients you would assign to an RN floating from another unit, or which you would discharge if the hospital is filling up. Know which symptoms you would address first for a given disease process. You don't have to know everything about that disease process, but you need to know which of the 4 listed symptoms need to be addressed before the others (in NCLEX-land). They will throw distractors at you, so know what to pay attention to and what you can ignore. I liked Kaplan's review for this, and they have a strategies book that might be helpful. Doing lots of questions is helpful as well, so you can really familiarize yourself with the style and what they look for.

NP2BJ, BSN · Jun 26, 2014

I've been trying to read content and also practice questions on the cd that comes with the Saunders book but I find dome of them to be too obvious and I know the actual exam questions won't be that easy. Also I've been practicing questions by focusing on one body system at a time but I'm afraid I won't have time to review everything if i keep on doing that so should i just mix it up and do several topics at once. I try to answer about 100-150/daily/per body system. I have the Kaplan strategy book and I'll also take a look at it

Sparrow91 · Jun 27, 2014

I was in the exact same boat as you. What I would suggest is to find one resource and stick with it. If you have other sources use them as extra resources when you need more clarity on a topic. In my case what worked well for me was the 3 week prep course offered by the NCSBN. It was pretty cheap and it touched on a lot of core content and was really orginized. It was a great refresher of the material I knew but had not looked at in a while, and touched on some concepts that may not have leaned a lot about in nursing school. I also used the Mosby flip books because they are quick to read, informative, and portable. And I also had Sanders NCLEX book basically as a desk reference for more in-depth reading on certain topics and for things like rhythm strips which were not covered by the NCSBN.

Also find a good question resource that addresses content based on the objectives of the nclex. I personally used prepu nclex 10,000. It uses computer adaptive testing (CAT) (like the nclex) and they offer questions the fall under body system topics (like cardio, respiratory, ect), nursing concepts (like maternity, peds, pysch, ect.) and concept topics addressed on the nclex. I felt that levels 6-8 were about on par with the nclex. I think all together I may have spent about $150 on my resources.

May 2014 · Jun 27, 2014

Go do the Virtual ATI

NP2BJ, BSN · Jun 27, 2014

@Sparrow91 I do have the NCSBN!!lol I guess I have too many resources, I started using it and put it aside. Did you finish all of it and did u do it in the order it was set up?

NP2BJ, BSN · Jun 27, 2014

@May 2014 how many weeks do I need to complete virtual ATI? I only have 3 weeks before my exam

Sparrow91 · Jun 27, 2014

Yes I did, I think the only topic I skiped was Pharmacology because it was a really big topic and I was running out of time, also because I have the Mosby's flip book for Pharm which gave me a lot of the same info. I know it is a lot of info to get through but make sure you click on and take the time to read the extra tables linked into the content. I have found them to have good information, and they did help me with some of the question I had on the exam.

NP2BJ, BSN · Jun 27, 2014

I am VERY weak on Pharm (do u know of any resource I could use to help me with that). Also my exam is July 23rd do you think I have enough time to go over all NCSBN before that ?

NP2BJ, BSN · Jun 27, 2014

@May 2014 how many weeks do I need to complete virtual ATI? I only have 3 weeks before my exam

Sparrow91 · Jun 27, 2014

As far a Pharm goes there is no way that you can know every drug and side effect that may be on the nclex. You really have to focus on the drug classes. The NCSBN does that I believe (like I said I ended up skipping that section) but I used Mosby's Pharmacology Memory note cards...

Mosby's Pharmacology Memory NoteCards: Visual, Mnemonic, and Memory Aids for Nurses, 4e: 9780323289542: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

I liked them because they give you helpful pictures and mnemonics to help you remember them, and they high light the important things you need to know about a drug or drug class.

As for the amount of time to complete it, that would be something only you can really answer. On the outline it says that if you are doing it in 3 weeks that you need to dedicate about 6 hours a day. For me I would say it took about 4 for most topics. The reason I was running out of time was because I had a few job interviews and things going on during those three weeks so on some of the days I did not get to study, and I did not really amp up my studying the following days to make up for it. But all in all I got about 90% of it done within the 3 weeks and would have gotten 100% had a planned a little better.

NP2BJ, BSN · Jun 27, 2014

I'm so determined to pass this exam!!! I'm ready to do whatever it takes!! Think is when I start review content I get overwhelmed and my anxiety takes over!!! It's awful and it's distracting me from keeping up with my study schedule, I'm thinking I might reschedule my exam