Tips from an NCLEX repeat taker who finally passed!

Published May 21, 2015

6 Posts

Hello!

First i apologize for this might be long but i think its important to write down because i once was inspired by a post i read when i was in a tough position with NCLEX. I graduated in May of 2014 and had a HORRIBLE school experience, teachers were never the same, some even would just give you the answers to questions on tests, they would let us have take home tests and other students were just awful. I was bullied at 30 years old and hated coming to class, until the school saw what was happening and lawyers were about to be called in. I graduated top of my class and kept my head high although on the inside it was tough. After graduation it was more about who is going to take the test first and how many questions did they take and of course did they pass?

So i thought well i need to get this over with! Decided to take the test 2 days before my wedding (stupid i know). I studied with flashcards, a Remar review ( that i don't recommend) and saunders book. First time i took it it took me to 265 and i failed. i was crushed.

I didn't want to take it again. I felt like i was a failure and how i could i fail i did so well in school! i slipped into a really bad depression that i had to climb out of before i could try again.

I tried again about 7 months later, didn't really study to be honest i thought my first instinct was best. Thought doing questions here and there was an ok way to do things. NO ITS NOT! found out the morning of my test there was a death in the family and that sent me spiraling. You can't cancel so i had to test and of course i failed in 75 questions.

Now in my state you can only take the NCLEX 3 times, that's it no more. So when i called to get a new ATT she warned me this was my last chance.

As luck would have it i got a call from where i precepted when i was in school, they had a job opening and remembered me and said they have never hired a new grad but they wanted me on board. I told them i hadn't passed my boards yet and they said well pass it this time and start orientation now (all the paperwork, re learning the computers pretty much nothing hands on with patients) and then when you pass you'll be good to go.

So now i have the added pressure of having to pass or that's it for me in my state and i have a job waiting for me (hey student loans are no joke i'm drowning in them).

SO I GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS. I borrowed money from my parents and did the online Kaplan program, i also bought the delegation, priority book and i made sure i knew my lab values. I studied for 4 hours a day sometimes more and always looked up what i didn't understand. Now was Kaplan dead on with the test material, i'm not gonna lie for me it wasn't. There was a lot on my test that i still went "What in Sam Hell is this??" but i think what Kaplan did for me was to help me answer questions by knowing how to answer. This question can't be right because it has a Why in it, this one can't be right because it puts psycho before physi, etc... so for me it was worth the money there. RUUUNNNNN to get the priority and delegation book. In all 3 tests i took i can tell you i had lots and lots of these. Its a good book, the case studies i didn't do but the book helps tremendously.

Finally, everyone says don't look at material the night before blah blah blah. Well that's not me, that's not my personality so i studied my booty off til it was test time! i took a later test time of 2pm and i ate breakfast and lunch while going over questions. But hey that's just me.

SO yes i passed on my third attempt, got that awesome job and got an interview for another job tomorrow (hey did i mention i have LOTS of loans to pay back?), you gotta attack this hard, study and study some more! I cried for so long when i found out i passed. My family actually checked it for me because i was so nervous and scared. There was a lot of jumping, screaming and tears. my kids had to clue if we were happy or sad.

DON'T GIVE UP, i am the perfect example of how awful the NCLEX experience can be. I have bad attention span and this test i made sure i took breaks whenever i wanted, whenever my mind started drifting to other things i took a break. I went and got water, i did some jumping jacks and i got back on track. I also will say DO NOT DO THE PEARSON TRICK. i did it the first two times after my test and it was hell to know you had failed right away! just don't! bask in the glow that you did it and wait the 48 hours for quick results if your state does it. Also don't keep checking your BON, mine still hasn't posted and even though Pearson says i passed my license still isn't posted. I know some people have said it posts right away well for some it doesn't so don't get discouraged if you don't see your name up there, in some states in can take a while.

I wish all of you luck and prayers