We sooo need a sticky....NCLEX test stopped at 75...I failed? I passed?

LydiaNN · Mar 1, 2006

Dang there was nothing to turn off only to tear up but then that would have been a rather dumb thing to do, eh? I was frustrated enough to fantasize about it.
I can remember the test was 750 questions and we had four sections, Meds, Patient Care, OB and Surgery, right?
Then there was the issue of making sure you filled in the correct dot with your #2 pencil because if you got even one out of whack your whole test would be answered wrong. It took extra time to check and keep checking that the those filled in circles were all in the correct order.
Going to the bathroom and having a proctor go with you. I had a cold and they searched each and every one of my kleenex for cheat sheets. Like that would even have been possible. It would have been nice had they let me have a nice warm cup of Mercy Tea ! Being searched when you entered the building. I took mine in March and got my results by mail in late May. My hands were so shaky I could hardly open the envelope. All the paper said was "passed". A week or so later I got a package in the mail regarding how to go about getting my license. I think it was $12.00 ???
Although I would never want to go back to that type of NCLEX because my NCLEX-RN was less tiring on the computer but I can't help thinking that the old way was really a better reflection of what we had learned in school. Thanks all for the trip down memory lane. It was fun.
Now let me fill you in on just how far I had to walk to school and walk home again and both ways were straight uphill, through the snow, and without shoes. Oh pleeaaassee !!!! We oldies like to reminence. Their day is coming years from now. :)

I took mine in July. In Pittsburgh. And no air conditioning. That wasn't so good now, was it? Same format as you, with the sections. The license fee my first year was $20. Of course, my salary was only in the low 20s. How times have changed...

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Mar 1, 2006

I never took the CAT test, being a veteran of the LAST paper and pencil boards.

But I can imagine that, whether you know the rules or not, shutting off at 75 or 265 would un-nerve most people.

And I think it's cool to vent about it. It doesn't bother me to constantly see it because the posters aren't endlessly posting about it, just posting about their ONE experience and alarm with it. That might mean alot of posts, but each is an individual story.

And I don't think that being post #375 in one long thread about it would convey adequately the horror that most feel. And as we all know, most people DO pass, and so that horror is followed by profound relief.

Personally, I think "I passed, I passed!" is always a neat story, more so because of the doubt that preceded it.

~faith,

Timothy.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Mar 2, 2006

I took mine in July. In Pittsburgh. And no air conditioning. That wasn't so good now, was it? Same format as you, with the sections. The license fee my first year was $20. Of course, my salary was only in the low 20s. How times have changed...

My first nursing job paid $3.75/hr. I thought I was rich. Minimum wage was .95/hr. :eek:

TexasPediRN · Mar 2, 2006

My first nursing job paid $3.75/hr. I thought I was rich. Minimum wage was .95/hr.

:eek: !

My first job paid 18.75..hehe..

And I cant imagine a paper and pencil NCLEX- I even have a PDA because I hate flipping though dictionaries to look up terms/drugs!! NO paper and pencil for me...

How long have you been a nurse for?

-Meghan

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Mar 2, 2006

!
My first job paid 18.75..hehe..
And I cant imagine a paper and pencil NCLEX- I even have a PDA because I hate flipping though dictionaries to look up terms/drugs!! NO paper and pencil for me...
How long have you been a nurse for?
-Meghan

30 years. I can't hardly believe it myself !! I don't feel my age....well sometimes.....

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Mar 2, 2006

My first RN job: $13.18/hr. That was along time ago, for me. Boy, I wouldn't do that for that little now.

~faith,

Timothy.

allnurses Guide · Mar 3, 2006

My first RN job: $13.18/hr. That was along time ago, for me. Boy, I wouldn't do that for that little now.
~faith,
Timothy.

One of my first jobs as a waitress - $1.78 hr. :mad:

steph

RN34TX · Mar 3, 2006

Now let me fill you in on just how far I had to walk to school and walk home again and both ways were straight uphill, through the snow, and without shoes. Oh pleeaaassee !!!! We oldies like to reminence. Their day is coming years from now. :)

Mmmmmm-Hmmm!

To quote you....."and your point would be?"

Just as I thought.

Or was that just pure sarcasm and you were merely making fun of my comments?

I can't tell.

You paper and pencil NCLEX story tellin' nurses........... :wink2:

Well.....well....I don't know. Somehow, I'm going to out-do you and paint my journery through nursing to be more tragic than yours.

I just haven't figured out how yet.

But in all seriousness to your original post, I do indeed understand what you are saying. I've had to calm down many people in my life after the NCLEX shut off after 75 or 275 questions.

It doesn't matter the number of questions.

They ALL end up convinced that they failed and that life is now over.

Oh the drama.

But I was just as bad after both the LPN and RN NCLEX.

I'll admit it.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Mar 4, 2006

And when I was a kid, I walked to school uphill both ways, in two feet of snow and my parents couldn't afford decent shoes for me so my feet froze every day..........you kids today are spoiled and don't know anything......

These were your words not mine, I was merely responding to your silly senario.....not sarcasm, yes making fun of it....

Somehow, I'm going to out-do you and paint my journery through nursing to be more tragic than yours.
I just haven't figured out how yet.

When did I ever say my journey through nursing was a tragedy? Please don't feel the need to out do me. I have been blessed to be with patients at the time of their passing. I have been blessed to save lives out in public, I have held a dying child....and cried for weeks, almost quit nursing. (not that it's really any of your business) These experiences are not to be taken lightly and I don't appreciate you perceiving my career for what you think it is. I don't know what crawled up your butt but you need to get over it and let it go. I will not converse with you again. You are evidently just looking for an argument.

RN34TX · Mar 4, 2006

These were your words not mine, I was merely responding to your silly senario.....not sarcasm, yes making fun of it....
When did I ever say my journey through nursing was a tragedy? Please don't feel the need to out do me. I have been blessed to be with patients at the time of their passing. I have been blessed to save lives out in public,ng at the fact that you I have held a dying child....and cried for weeks, almost quit nursing. (not that it's really any of your business) These experiences are not to be taken lightly and I don't appreciate you perceiving my career for what you think it is. I don't know what crawled up your butt but you need to get over it and let it go. I will not converse with you again. You are evidently just looking for an argument.

That was meant to be light hearted and I was agreeing with you.

I was laughing at the fact that you were making fun of me, I found it very humorous as well.

I guess I'll take your advice and "get over it" before I get my head bit off again.

I wasn't offended by anything you posted, but apparantly, you're very offended by my posts.

I won't post anything else directly toward you again to avoid any future problems.

But I'd like you to re-read your posts and keep in mind just who exactly is angry and defensive about this because it's not me, so I'm puzzled as to why you'd write such angry posts, yet tell me that I need to get over it and let it go.

And the "what crawled up your butt" comment was very trashy.

I hope you don't talk like that at work.

It bothers me whenever I hear nurses at work talking like the guests on Jerry Springer.

So much for our professionalism and image.

I'm out.

AmyD_RN · Mar 4, 2006

RN 34 tx, I read your post and re read your post and I took it lighthearted!!!! I though you were just being cute an funny. It is hard sometimes to sound like you through type, that is the curse of the internet......I knew how you were sounding!!! LOL must have same sense of humor??? LOL

sad but true we all have to put in "just kiddings" ..."dont take this the wrong ways".....LOL's and such.

dont let this get you down!!!

AmyD

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Mar 4, 2006

That was meant to be light hearted and I was agreeing with you.
I was laughing at the fact that you were making fun of me, I found it very humorous as well.

was that just pure sarcasm and you were merely making fun of my comments?

Didn't sound to me like you were too amused?

But I'd like you to re-read your posts and keep in mind just who exactly is angry and defensive about this because it's not me, so I'm puzzled as to why you'd write such angry posts, yet tell me that I need to get over it and let it go.

You paper and pencil NCLEX story tellin' nurses......Somehow, I'm going to out do you and paint my journey through nursing to be more tragic than yours

So what's funny about dying patients or holding a dying child? Never sounded like something to be poked fun at. I can assure you that the people involved didn't laugh nor did they feel like they were going through a journey of tragedy with me.

I do talk like this when the occasion fits but hey...Jerry won't be looking for me anytime soon... I've never had sex with anyone but my dh and we were both virgins when we got married. Would you enjoy making fun of this? Go ahead, rolls right off my big shoulders. If you are always prim and proper at work, good for you, doesn't always work for me.

I hear all about how it was two days long and paper and pencil. I hear all about how you didn't get the results for many months and everyone's future was riding on their test result but they didn't have no fancy computers back then to spit out results in a matter of days. I hear all about how you had to travel for many miles to a select few cities that offered the exam only once every 6 months or so and there were no fancy testing centers close to home like today.

Excuse us oldies if we like to reminisce. These stories are fact not fiction. Yes, some of our lives depended on passing, it's no different today.

As far as I was concern we oldies have been enjoying comparing our ancient NCLEX's and starting salaries and here you come again. Telling me you're not angry. You are....and so have I been. I don't believe you took any of this light heartedly nor do I think you are trying to be funny.

Dear Moderator please close this thread per my request. I will start a new one for us oldies where we can reminisce w/o discrimination. Peace