Too discouraged to try again

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I have been away for a while. I am trying to ponder almost two years after of graduation on why after failing the NCLEX-RN so many times that I should just give up. After multiple failures and thousands of dollars wasted; what is the point. All anybody can tell me is to try again. I read somewhere that first time pass rate is 85% on NCLEX. To me thats not all that impressive. Given the fact that nursing school drills critical thinking to no end. I mean what does an entry-level nurse knows anyway. You only gain competency with knowledge through experience working as a nurse. I had classmates who slept in class and come to class when they feel like it. And they pass the NCLEX. Wheres the justice? I am so sick of people saying that God helped me pass the NCLEX I am going to puke. I was so paranoid of failing I maintained perfect attendance and got good grades in class and clinical. What good did it do me. It is impossible to know everything about nursing. To me NCLEX is a lottery. I don't care what anybody says that i isnt. Who pays $200.00 every time you sit for the exam and hope and pray that you pass. My odds are probably better in a casino. :crying2:

Hey,

Here is something that may change your mind. I graduated in May of '07. I sat for the NCLEX 3 times and just passes on my 4th time..yes 4 times. I wanted to quit but I knew nursing is my calling. Don't get discouraged..try again..when you are ready to. If you force yourself to do it, you may not get a good outcome. I used Suzanne's plan and passed. At first I was hesitant but hey what did I have to lose that I haven't lost already?? My friend told me about it and she started the plan before me..and when she told me she passed I had a good feeling about it. I recommend her plan to you. It helped me answer questions smarter and faster. Practice makes perfect. Don't compare yourself to everyone else..it only makes you think more negative about yourself. You are not them. So again, whenever you're ready..hit the books again and finish what you started. Be surrounded by positive people and have positive thoughts, avoid the negative.

Hope you change your mind

Good luck

:up:

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Specializes in sortho/medsurg/homehealth/urgentcare.
Hey,

Here is something that may change your mind. I graduated in May of '07. I sat for the NCLEX 3 times and just passes on my 4th time..yes 4 times. I wanted to quit but I knew nursing is my calling. Don't get discouraged..try again..when you are ready to. If you force yourself to do it, you may not get a good outcome. I used Suzanne's plan and passed. At first I was hesitant but hey what did I have to lose that I haven't lost already?? My friend told me about it and she started the plan before me..and when she told me she passed I had a good feeling about it. I recommend her plan to you. It helped me answer questions smarter and faster. Practice makes perfect. Don't compare yourself to everyone else..it only makes you think more negative about yourself. You are not them. So again, whenever you're ready..hit the books again and finish what you started. Be surrounded by positive people and have positive thoughts, avoid the negative.

Hope you change your mind

Good luck

:up:

Thank you for your words on encouragement....

I am so happy to find other people to share my feelings of dispair. I'm not going to give up after failing three times in the past four years.

Thanks..:wink2:

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Yay! Thanks for all these inspiring stories. :loveya:

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I would also like to try suzanne's plan. Please keep me posted how it is working for you. Hang in there......

Dear blsolano,

I am working on the first step of Suzanne's plan, as well, and I like the way Suzanne's suggestions about studying the chapters. As you know, everybody has a learning style, but I have discovered that I learned the most by studying all the chapters one by one until I have studied them all. You will find the way which is most suitable to your learning style...continue pushing for you will see the realization of your dreams. I wish you the best on this fine endeavor you are so determined to see completed, my fellow nursing student. Sincerely, feliz3

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Specializes in sortho/medsurg/homehealth/urgentcare.
Dear blsolano,

I am working on the first step of Suzanne's plan, as well, and I like the way Suzanne's suggestions about studying the chapters. As you know, everybody has a learning style, but I have discovered that I learned the most by studying all the chapters one by one until I have studied them all. You will find the way which is most suitable to your learning style...continue pushing for you will see the realization of your dreams. I wish you the best on this fine endeavor you are so determined to see completed, my fellow nursing student. Sincerely, feliz3

Thank you for your words of encouragement. We will both get through this. I will not give up because this is my calling and have worked too hard. We all have learning styles like you say and sometimes life takes a lot perserverence and determination to complete certain journeys. I wish you the best likewise and please keep me posted. I will be testing in May. I have the book and will be PM to Suzanne's plan soon. Take Care, blsolano

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hi you all,

i am sending this link sent to me from a friend who recently passed the nclex. i downloaded the information straight out of this link. it is helpful for it proves with many examples that passing the nclex is definitely not a lottery but a test designed for the takers to prove they possess specific skills. this link provides examples of how testing specific skills is done by the nclex question designers. i hope you find this information is useful.

best wishes to you all, feliz3

strategies for passing nclex

link to document:

[color=#003399]http://www.scribd.com/doc/7878844/tts4lanting?from_email_04_friend_send=1

hi feliz3,

i checked the strategies and it is very helpful. can you pls post the answers to all the sample questions just to confirm if i got them right? i would really appreciate it. thanks!

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Hi Feliz3,

I checked the strategies and it is very helpful. Can you pls post the answers to all the sample questions just to confirm if I got them right? I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Hi,

I cannot post the answers for I am not working on those questions, yet. I am busy doing Suzanne's plan.

Thanks, feliz3

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dear blsolano,

i did this for i am convinced that passing the nclex is matter of learning specific skills on answering questions. i hope this is helpful to you and to anyone else who reads it. feliz3

"perseverance is a great element of success. if you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody" henry wadsworth longfellow

nclex traps

when you read the question ask yourself can i identify the topic of this question?

note: nclex hides the topic of a question

example:

a nurse is evaluating the effects of medical therapy for a client with pulmonary edema. the nurse

determines that the interventions that were most effective if the client exhibited which of the following?

u=urine output rr= respiratory rate bp=blood pressure p=pulse

a) bp= 96/56 mmhg; p=110 beats/min; rr=28 breaths/min; u=20 ml/hr

b) bp=88/50 mmhg; p= 116 beats/min; rr=26 breaths/min; u=25 ml/hr

c) bp=108/62 mmhg; p=98 beats/min; rr=24 breaths/min; u= 40 ml/hr

d) bp= 116/70 mmhg; p= 88 beats/min; rr= 20 breaths/min; u= 50 ml/hr

this question has been copied from another thread in which the person was inquiring why the answer she chose was not correct, and from eight responses no one could tell the person who posted this example the rationale for the correct answer. first thing: identify the topic which is client's needs- physiological integrity. the nclex makers want to know if you know how to apply the fifth nursing process which is evaluation within the context of physiological integrity. you need to evaluate if the set of vitals you took after giving medication therapy are withing normal limits. eliminate first the wrong answers. answers #a and # b are wrong (below normal limits)...just by looking at the blood pressures, you know those answers are wrong. you are just left with two choices which is better than having to choose between fours answers. do you see the advantages of elliminating wrong answers, first? :D

the next step is to eliminate the last wrong answer, let's look at answer # c...everything is within normal limits except the respiratory rate (normal for an adult rr=12-20 bpm). since you have to eliminate # c, then the right answer must be # d, which is indeed, all those numbers are within normal limits, by the way, normal urinary output is at least 30 ml/hr. that is a good example of how cleverly the nclex makers could hide the topic. they wanted to know if the test taker knows how to apply the nursing process of evaluation by throwing a question about evaluating a set of vitals.

identify the topic of the question:

  • if you have no idea what is the question asking: read the answer choices for clues to identify the topic

in some questions validation is required in order to answer the question corectly...meaning the question may ask you to assess or evaluate as opposed to implement (do some action, for example, call the doctor, start cpr, reposition the patient or give oxygen to the patient, etc.) remember the intent of the question will be hidden to you.

  • read the stem question for determining whether you should assess or implement and within that context eliminate the answers which do not fit to with what you must do, that will lead you to the right response.

if all the anwers fit in to implementation, then move on to use maslow hierarchy of human needs

--physical needs take priority over other needs--

pain is not a physical need--it is considered psychosocial, so it goes higher up on maslow scheme

if all answers fit in to the physical needs apply abc (air/blood/circulation) scheme

  • do not automatically select respiratory answers--remember to thow out wrong answers first

if all answers are psychosocial do not choose the answer that "sounds right": determine the outcome of each answer, throw out first the answers with negative outcome. ask yourself "is this answer choice has a desired outcome?"

examples of undesirable answers you are looking for to throw out first:

a) pass the buck

b) judgmental

c) bad nursing

d) off topic

e) take the buck

f) encourage dependency

g) asking why

h) do not persuade

i) leave patient alone

j) non therapeutic

k) gives false reassurance

l) blame

m) do nothing answers

n) answers which by pass the nursing process such as implementing a particular tx before assessing the situation

o) by pass proper delegation qualifications

p) by pass priority of care

q) do not involve the patient in their own healing process

r) do not listen to the patient in a respectful manner

s) violate patient's rights

t) do not show cooperation with the health team

u) answers that contain absolute worlds such as only, always--watch for those

v) answers that are comparatively similar

if manslow and abc does not apply: evaluate ask yourself why, as i did in the example above, the answers presented are wrong by comparing them against the normal values, throw out first wrong ones for that will lead you to the one you are looking for: the right answer. best wishes to all of you who are taking the nclex in february. feliz3

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Maybe you should consider an alternative format like an oral version of the NCLEX.

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Don't give up!!!! I am almost two years out of school as well and failed my first (and only) time to take it. Was so upset after failing, so I know how you feel. But I am taking it again in April. We can't give up...we spent too much time and money in school. We worked hard and did well in school, therefore we can pass this test!!!!!!!

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Note: NCLEX HIDES the TOPIC of a question

Remember the intent of the question will be hidden to you.

Very helpful explanations! It really bugs me, though, that NCLEX "hides" the topic/intention of questions. Why not just ask it straight out, such as "Which set of VS are within normal range?", instead of tossing in distractions (pulmonary edema, effective interventions, etc)? I don't agree with some who argue that that style question tests "critical thinking" as applied to nursing, though it may test critical thinking as applied to test question interpretation.

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Specializes in sortho/medsurg/homehealth/urgentcare.

Thank you for the information. I have taken KAPLAN and needed this refresher. Have you used the CD with questions that come with the book for KAPLAN course?

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