Took my Nclex-RN today

[Luckylefty87]

Alright everyone it's a done deal..I faced the beast! here are my thoughts:

I swear I only slept for like 2 hours last night, I woke up super early because the Pearsonvue test center is located a nice long distance from house. The anxiety of this exam was driving me nuts ( trust me to all those future nclex test takers--I know how you feel).

Alright so I get there, pray in my car, walk out, use the bathroom, and enter the center ( I was there about 1 hour earlier). My thoughts on the exam--based on previous posts on this website I was so terrified that the exam was going to be sooooo hard. Some questions were tricky ( and I'm sure I got plenty wrong), but others with the basic nursing knowledge we all should have acquired during school were not easy--but not hard to answer as well. I had 10 SATA, about 5-6 meds, about 4 infection control, and like 5 priority type questions. I had no delegation. I had 2 OB questions and about 5 psychiatric questions ( that threw me off a bit). I had one math question. The computer shut me off at 75 questions. As soon as I was leaving the test center the proctor kept looking at my eyes to see if I was crying or something; but I wasn't...why? because the exam was NOT TO BAD at least in my experience. Driving home I felt anxious--so I stopped to get a nice ice coffee and came home to check PVT ( I got the good pop-up :) but I won't be popping champagne bottles till I receive my results.

Either way I will let allnurses.com know of my results when I get them. This website has really helped me sooooo much when it comes to facing the NCLEX-RN and the support of all the members is amazing! :redbeathe

To all the future nclex test takers: there is a great I meant GREAT!!!! mnemonic that helped me memorize infection control and I found it on this website ( please find it, study it, and know it..It's funny too: My Stupid Chicken Hez TB--Spiderman--and Mrs Wee--If you have no idea what I'm talking about search for the infection control mnemonic on this website and you will find it..again STUDY IT!. and please do not let anyone every scare you into taking this exam--stay away from negativity, think positive, believe in your self because I PROMISE YOU 100% you will feel so much better after taking the exam :) DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU THE EXAM WAS SO HARD AND GOOD LUCK ON PASSING BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! (STAY AWAY FROM NEGATIVITY--AGAIN YOU CAN DO IT!!!!) Prepare yourself for the exam--do not procrastinate if your exam date is near. This is how I prepared:

I graduated May 17th 2010: I started content review with a book we got on campus ( it is so impossible to memorize every little detail about every little thing we learned in nursing school--so do not overwhelm yourselves because that it was I did and after taking the exam today I said to myself "why did I kill myself and try to memorize every little bit of something" the NCLEX RN is not testing you on memory, it's testing you on knowledge. I would review material and then do about 100 - 150 practice questions a day with the NCLEX RN 2010 Davis book, this book has 2000 questions and I finished it. This book was also great for content review ( I even found it much more helpful then the review book we got on campus because the rationales for every question go above and beyond explanations--I would write down important tidbits that I may have forgotten and then quickly review them everyday (this really does help). After I finished the book I had about 1 week lag time before my exam and something inside me told me I needed more practice on questions..so I took my graduation money and purchased the KAPLAN QBANK ONLY ONLINE and let me tell you it was the best money I have ever spent ( now I am not saying you can only pass the nclex rn with kaplan; because so many people also pass there boards without it--but for me Kaplan was just what I needed. *In my honest opinion: I found Kaplan's questions to be much harder then the boards..after I completed my QBANK I knew I was ready and here I am today awaiting the results. One more thing: there are no trick questions on the nclex, read them carefully, take your time, do not rush, relax and breath, read the answers, eliminate the ones you think are wrong ( and if you don't know think about it..still don't know... what is your gut telling you? choose that one ) The exam is very straightforward.

Here's to hoping I passed! and to all the future nclex test takers whether it's your first time or your repeating..GOOD LUCK, STAY POSITIVE, SMILE, AND YOU CAN & WILL DO THIS :cheers:

[noski]

@ Crazitree, i wish u success on the 21st

[Luckylefty87]

Crazitree- Best of luck! You can do this, and you don't need Kaplan to pass the boards..you need you :thankya:

Noski- What I did was review my drugs by classes (ex: my penicillins, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, atypical antipsychotics, etc) and I would write the class, the names of some of the drugs in the class because more often then not they sound the same (ex: ampicillin, penicillin), and I would write down there most common s/e and pt. teaching..I would go over it everyday, it really helps to look at things over and over, it sticks to your memory :)

[cmmny]

Crazitree-- I also take mine on the 21st and am freaking out! Although, I don't think I'll ever feel prepared! I wish us all luck..

[Luckylefty87]

Just got my results today! It's a PASS, I am officially an RN!!! Thank you God :)

:dncgbby::dncgcpd::dancgrp::nmbrn:

[TinyRNgrl]

:yeah::yeah::yeah:CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

I also agree your post was a total inspiration. I take my NCLEX-RN tomorrow. I am nervous (as everyone is) but a positive attitude does wonders. I plan on going in there, just as you did, with that positive attitude.

I never studied with Kaplan. I used Lippincotts and had the NCLEX 3500 on my computer. Honestly girls, and guys, if you can't afford a book, say Kaplan like one girl said, GO TO THE LIBRARY!!!!!!!!!!! I went to my local library because I just wanted to see what they had to get a different set of questions, they have books there. They may be a couple years old but hey, questions are questions. I learn a lot from reading the rationals and always get books or sources with rationals. I also read the NCLEX for dummies book. I recommend that book also. Very good.

GOOD LUCK to all the future test takers! Stay focused, Stay calm, and Stay positive! WE CAN DO THIS

[guest610]

CONGRATS!!!!!!! I knew you had passed it. Now only a couple more hours till I can see my results!

[noski]

So i have 2 wks and some days to my test, i still dont feel like a have a stable reading structure.

Did you study a topic and then answered Q's on that topic alone, like say you study GI and answer only GI questions for that day or do you do the Q's first?

[Luckylefty87]

So i have 2 wks and some days to my test, i still dont feel like a have a stable reading structure.

Did you study a topic and then answered Q's on that topic alone, like say you study GI and answer only GI questions for that day or do you do the Q's first?

Hi Noski,

What I would do was set a time limit (example: I divided my time between material review & answering questions), I spent maybe 2-3 hours a day with just material review and I would review as much as time allotted me ( ex: I reviewed cardac, GI in 2-3 hours) and then I would do questions (and the questions were not always related to the topic I reviewed the same day). How I see it is do a nice light review of material--do not get too tied up in trying to memorize everything, know key points--when you answer a question, and you get it wrong read the rationale--and if you still don't understand why it's wrong, look it up. I always found that answering questions was also like a material overview for me because I would read the rationales and write down key points :)

[nurserach2010]

congrats!!

[mekka]

Congrats. Luckylefty87!! You are so inspiring to nurse test takers. I take my test on the 29th of this month and anxiety is starting to kick in. But I will definately try to stay positive and calm at the same time. :)

I have a question, what is the infection control mnemonic and what is the meaning behing it? I tried looking for it but just didn't find it.

[mekka]

Never mind i found the mneumonic.. Thanks for the info.

[MIC!]

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