Tips for passing the nclex - my story

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Hello everyone!

I am new to this forum, well the account name is for sure but I have been viewing this website since I started nursing school. First of all, this post is intended to help encourage anyone who is about to take the dreaded NCLEX-RN and how to study for it. My journey through nursing school wasn't an easy one and I'm sure it wasn't for you either! If you can get through nursing school, there should be no reason not to pass the NCLEX-RN.

STORY: I graduated from nursing school in late may of 2009. I was so relieved to be walking across that stage with the other 55 students that worked so hard to get here. We began with over 100 students, losing nearly half before graduation time! It was sad to see many of my friends go as I progressed through nursing school, but I knew this is what I wanted! I came into nursing school knowing that I wanted to be in the medical field, but wasn't sure what field. My goal in life is to be able to support a family and have a great job doing so..or so I thought. After my first semester of nursing school is when my thoughts changed. I began to hear nurses complaining about their jobs and how awful nursing really was and how under-payed they really were..but hey, i was already in and I had no intentions to drop out, as I'm not one for failure. Entering into my last semester is where I began to struggle. My life turned upside down when my girlfriend and I decided to break up. I began having troubles being able to concentrate in class and even worse at times, not going to class at all! May sound a little kiddish, but at my age of 24, we weren't in those "puppy love" moments. We were together 4 years. I decided that I needed a huge change in my life, as if nursing wasn't enough, lol. I decided after graduation that I was going to enlist into the United States Army for a life change; now how's that for a change? haha. I woke up one day and went down to the recruiting station, not thinking to plan out my NCLEX first. A few days later I realized that there were no open seats for taking the nclex before I shipped off! OH NO! June 30th, 2009 rolls around and I'm sitting on an airplane getting ready to land down at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for my Army Basic Training..so worried that I would never pass my nclex. I was stuck in dreaded MO for nearly 7 months while completing my BCT and AIT courses. I knew that once I got home I would have problems studying. Boy was that true! All I could think about was what I learned, the velocity of an m16 and m4, the kill radius of a hand grenade, etc etc. I gave it a couple weeks and busted out the old nursing books! I began studying and within 4 months of non-stop studying for my boards, I went and took them...PASSED! I took 76 questions in around an hour. I never knew this day would be here! This is intended to help you out and make you realize that if you want something bad enough, you will get there. After graduating nursing school a little over a year ago, here I am..an official RN! :)

TIPS FOR PASSING (What I did to pass the NCLEX): First of all, if you don't have the extra 300-400 bucks..don't take the KAPLAN or HURST course. My teachers made it sound like we would never pass the NCLEX-RN if we didn't take the course. I am not here to say that these courses are not effective, just here to say that If you know the right materials to study, no reason to have someone tell you! My best advice is to get your hands on the KAPLAN study book! If you know someone who took it and has one, great! The book itself really does help as the material is neatly organized! I'm not sure, but you may be able to purchase it online! Also, the other thing I used was "Silvestri: Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN." This comes with a program that has over 5,000 questions! Or maybe even more! Let me tell you that when I was taking the NCLEX, Saunder's program was to the exact format and covered many questions on the NCLEX-RN! So 2 things! The Kaplan Book and Saunders Program! If you study these 2 things enough, I guarantee you will pass boards! Good luck and thank you for reading this HUGE post! =D

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Thanks for posting your advice.

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Btw, for anyone out there that doesn't know..you do not have to pay for the quick result to find out If you have passed or failed! The best way to find out is to go to your State Board website for the state your taking it in and find out if you have been issued a licensure number. If you have, CONGRATS! Another money saver! :)

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I too am taking my boards a year after grad but for different reasons, had a baby! I also was in the ARMY for eight years and am thinking of getting back in after I pass this test, congrats on passing and serving!!!!

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Thank you so much for your advice.

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