Waited a total of 3 working/business days to see my result (excluding friday-sunday). I took my exam on the 19th of February @ 0730 and was done by 10:15 with 75 questions.
The first 2 questions were easy...but the 3rd one was out of this world and so were the rest. I had lots and lots of prioritization. At least 11 medications (I made a tally and wrote it on the board). At least 4 SATAs. Just a lot of patient teaching and nursing knowledge skills, no math.
The exam for me was so difficult. I was able to narrow it down to 2 best answers... But chosing the "bestest" answer was tough. I left the examination room feeling so down and just "depressed". I secluded myself from the outside world. I didn't wanna talk to anybody but to my family. And the following day, I started reading my Saunders to study again. I didn't feel bad studying because for me, I'm gaining more knowledge and... I wasn't doing anything anyways and that'll just keep myself busy. That's what I did.
I didn't use the Kaplan's decision tree. But I just read the question and the answer and picked the one thing that I think would complete the sentence or something that really pertained to the stem of the question. In other words, I picked an answer that made sense... an answer that will assist the patient.
Qtrainers scores with Kaplans are as follows:
1 53.33%
2 58.67%
3 61%
4 58.67%
5 62.67%
6 64.15%
One more important note... I was going to change my exam date... good thing I didn't. I've read the kaplan book at least 4 times... even the day before my exam I was reading it!!! PLEASE DO NOT DO ANY MORE READINGS THE DAY BEFORE YOUR EXAM...I got so overwhelmed, can you imagine I even forgot the Signs and Symptoms of dehydration.
I went to church 2 times (saturday and sunday) prior to taking the exam and prayed and prayed......
How did I Prepare for the exam:
1. I graduated in Dec. 17. I didn't start studying until January 5..my first day with Kaplan. I got 62% on my diagnostic exam with Kaplan. I watched all the videos, read Kaplan Book 4 times and answered all Qbank questions and all Qtrainers. I was using Saunders' CD to answer questions. But I preferred.... Onto the next book
2. Incredibly Nursing Made Easy Questions and Answers with rationales. (I didn't not simply answer it. I studied it fervently). For me, the rationales on this book was more straight forward.
3. I would say I was at least answering 300-400 questions throughout the day on top of reading the Kaplan book.
4. So from January 5 until February 18. I was studying "religiously". I didn't have time for my family nor had time to indulge myself with anything.
I was up by 0700 having breakfast and by 08:00 I was answering Qbanks questions (kaplan) and when I'm done with the 50 questions, I would start reading the Kaplan book, for 2 hours, then started using Incredibly made easy for 2 hours, then Saunders for 2 hours, then read kaplan book again for 2 hours. (minus lunch and dinner and to complete my adls..you guys do the math. And by 20:30 I am in bed BUT with my laptop and answering Saunders CD again till about 22:30. That was pretty much how my life was and that's how I budgeted my time.
Luckily, I have a very supportive wife...and soooooo soooo thankful that she supported me and my 2 year-old son!
