Time spent studying for NCLEX r/t pass or fail?

cspink · Aug 25, 2009

Hello! and congrats on graduating! Well my advice to you would be to schedule your test now, so that you can "plan/prepare" a study schedule based on your test day. If you wait to schedule when you feel your ready..you WILL never schedule it because with this kind of test there is SO much to know that you will never feel you are ready..so take the leap and schedule now...just give yourself about a month and half..

Once i received my ATT, i scheduled the test in 3 weeks, I actually studied for 2 and half weeks straight (life happens so give yourself extra days that you can slack off on) i studied for 4-5 hours each day and some days i would stay up all night! (not by choice, my newborn would not let me sleep!) however, i did feel that the extra overnighters helped! I had 75 questions, passed. Good luck!

s0medayrN · Aug 25, 2009

Hello!

The first time i took my exam i failed! I studied for about one month but that time i have so may things going on in my personal life.I didn't get a chance to focus because i was very busy during the day looking for houses to move in.

I graduated last March of this year and i took my first enclex-rn exam last july 2nd and i flunk it big time. But i predicted it already that i would fail but i didnt move my schedule at all.

I waited 4 my ATT and when i got it I schedule my exam On August 24 i studied about one month i spend 6 hours day studying. I did 300 questions a day with rationale that was my goal. I dont do it straight though I take a break f i will get a headache and i watch tv in between. I wake up early in the morning around 4am and read some content using Saunders(4am-6am) then go back to sleep. I woke up around 11am and start my day doing review questions again until 12 midnight. That was a routine for me for almost one month until the day i started working. I did answer I think almost 7,000 questions. :crying2: ..I was very tired most of the time but I push myself because I needed to pass the exam badly.

I took my exam yesterday and Im still waiting for the result. I did the Pearson vue trick and i got the famous pop up:redbeathe..I'm crossing my fingers and im really scared right now.I jsut dont want to be disappointed for the second time.

I'm using the following; Saunders 4th edition, Lacharity, NCLEX3500, ENclex RN made it easy, Dalhauser, and I subscribe NCSBN(learningextension.com) I only did the post test and thier qjuestions banks because it was overwhelming for me.

Just do the best you can and answer questions with rationale, even u got it right read it. ALso, i made notes everytime i answer questions. One day b4 taking the exam i went thru my notes.

Hope this will help u and Most of all I prayed and prayed. Even during the exam before i click the next button i close my eyes and prayed. I didn't know how many questions i had and i don't even know how long i was there. The lady that did my finger print told me though for how long i was inside.

God Bless to you....and to all that's fixing to take the exam. :saint:

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Aug 25, 2009

I graduated from nursing school on July 22, 2009. A week later I got married. I did not study for that whole week of my wedding which was from July 22-Aug 1. From Aug. 8-13th I was on my honey moon ( did not study at all). From Aug. 13- 19 ( 6 days) I studied for about 1-2 hours a day if that... excluding weekends. I recieved my ATT on Aug. 20th and took my boards on Aug.22 and found out of Aug 24 that I passed. I really didn't have time to study but when I did I did nclex questions, and I did go to two remedial classes for the HESI exam. I also used the breakdown of my hesi to focus on my areas of weakness. Some people need months to prepare some people only need weeks. I will say that you may have a better chance at passing if you take your boards sooner. Our director of nursing told us to take our boards with in 60 days of graduationing while the info. is still fresh. Good luck.

kitte22 · Aug 25, 2009

I graduated June 25th, took my Nclex-PN August 13th, studied every day for a few hours and found out August 15th that I passed. You will never trully feel ready to take the test. I agree with everyone else i would schedule your test now, give yourself plenty of time to study, and then that way you can schedule your study times. Study hard on things you feel weak on, take a lot of practice tests. I got 85 questions on my test and it really doesnt tell you at all if you passed or not. Study lab values, isolation precautions, prioritization, theres no way to know all of the medications so study clues to what classification the medications are like -olol, etc. Its normal to walk out of the test and feel you didnt pass. Remain confident, confidence is huge! Pray a lot, tell yourself you can do it, take your time on the test, dont rush. If you get stuck on a question close your eyes, breath, and stay confident. I would highly recommend the pearson vue trick it worked for me. Good luck to you!

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Aug 25, 2009

I graduated June 25th, took my Nclex-PN August 13th, studied every day for a few hours and found out August 15th that I passed. You will never trully feel ready to take the test. I agree with everyone else i would schedule your test now, give yourself plenty of time to study, and then that way you can schedule your study times. Study hard on things you feel weak on, take a lot of practice tests. I got 85 questions on my test and it really doesnt tell you at all if you passed or not. Study lab values, isolation precautions, prioritization, theres no way to know all of the medications so study clues to what classification the medications are like -olol, etc. Its normal to walk out of the test and feel you didnt pass. Remain confident, confidence is huge! Pray a lot, tell yourself you can do it, take your time on the test, dont rush. If you get stuck on a question close your eyes, breath, and stay confident. I would highly recommend the pearson vue trick it worked for me. Good luck to you!

very, very, very great advice !!!!! :up:

Mariposa2009, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2009

I studied for a solid 2 wks and passed. Now, when I say SOLID I mean I never left the house except to go to church on Sundays. Grant it, after graduation I did a few test questions here and there, but I really started to buckle down 2wks prior. I also agree that you should schedule your test NOW. This will help you develop a study plan and give you time to prepare. If you wait until you feel "ready," you might slack off a little bit. I know that I hardly looked at a book before scheduling my test date. Having a test date, will help you stay focused and use your time wisely.

blessednurse87 · Aug 26, 2009

I totally agree. I'm going to apply for my sit pass this Thursday, so I not knowing when my test date is going to be gives me NO pressure at all. For me to be affective in my studying I have to be under pressure or for some reason the information will not stick. I have been doing 50-100 questions for 5 days a week(I work part-time as a PCT), but I haven't been studying too hard. I plan to study hardcore within the 2-3 weeks leading up to my test date. )

NCLEXEATER · Aug 26, 2009

post rom kay

schedule strategy

a. spend 1/3 of your time reviewing content you don't understand

b. spend 2/3 of your time answering test question

c. used most comfortable nclex review book for content.

d. begin with the area that is most difficult for you or area that are least familiar

e. use a good nursing reference manual or internet to find information

f. define the disease in terms of pathophysiological process and understand the disease process.

g. identify the early and late symptoms of disease

h. identify most important or life threatening complication associated with the disease.

i. define the medical treatment.

j. identify nursing intervention associate with early and late symptom of disease process

k. identify what to teach patient and family to prevent in other to adapt to disease process.

l. list the area you need to review.

m. answering question in a test mode will improve your test taking skills

n. each time you answer question, check the number of question you answered correctly that will motivate you to read and study more next time.

o. keep track of your score to see how you're improving in all area of your content.

p. if you answer less than 65% correctly, this is a warning signal!! spend lots of time reviewing content and stop doing question on the weakest area

q. if you answer 65-75% correctly your performance is improving and success is certain. continue working with the content until your score is above 75%

r. every wrong answer, identify why you answered it wrongly.

s. practice 75- 85 question to known how you'll be prepared for nclex exam and see how many you answered correctly

t. do understand the question first, formulate your answer of hand and compare with the option given to see how close your answer!!

u. anticipate test question will increase in difficulty when you get the first question right!!

v. do not panic if someone finishes before you!!

w. do not cram!!

x. remember that you have learned a great amount of nursing knowledge and the exam is only designed to determine whether you're able to practice safely @ entry level

y. keep a positive attitude and pray!!

z. wish you best of luck

lweatherby · Aug 27, 2009

I graduated August 6th and took the test August 24th. I did a few questions from exam cram cd here and there. I read the Kaplan book, but strategies did not work for me so I dropped that quickly. I got the saunders review, but I didn't like the abbreviated version of things and the questions were too easy. So........ three days before the test, (yes three days) I got my med surg books from school and looked over all of the body systems refreshing myself with the associated pathophysiology. I looked hard at endocrine because it is easy to get those confused. I didn't do anything with meds except refresh myself on the classes by suffix....lols, prils, statins, vir, etc. That's it.

The good news.... I got 75 questions and passed. I'm glad I didn't focus on meds because they were so off the wall I would have never picked the right ones to study. None of the common endings we know and love. I did the right thing by going over content and not focusing on strategy or whatever.

The bad news........ I thought FOR SURE I had failed and for two days wished that I had studied more.... for like a year or something, I was blaming myself for not taking the NCLEX seriously enough, for not taking an expensive review class.... etc. So, if I had studied more and failed I would have at least known that I had given it my all!

Bottom line...... know your content. If you know what patient needs to be attended to first, and what to do first in certain situations you will do fine. Oh... also know infection control. If you know the disease process you will know who your priority is. :nurse: