What I did to pass the NCLEX

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Specializes in ICU, Heart/Lung transplant.

I graduated July 31st & took Kaplan a few days later. I took the 2 week Kaplan course & studied while waiting on my auth to test letter which took almost a month to come. I did all my qbank questions & question trainers for Kaplan. The class part of Kaplan helped me alot because they go into dept about what to look out for on the NCLEX. I also studied a review book by Mary Ann Hogan. I only did about 200 questions a day & read over different diseases & lab values. I took the test this Mon. & found out today that I passed.

On the NCLEX I had tons of meds, especially about type 2 diabetic meds for some strange reason. 1 OB & 1 Peds, alot of who would you see first & about 8 SATA about what would you teach a patient about a certain procedure. I didn't have any math thank goodness!

Most of the questions I used the decision tree that I learned from Kaplan & could narrow it down to 2 choices then from there I just guessed. I will say that I over studied on diseases & lab values.

Good Luck to everyone who is going throught the process of trying to finish the grueling process of nursing school & studying for the NCLEX.:wink2:

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Specializes in Psych, Skilled Nursing.

congratulations :)

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I would like to say congratulations to you. Thank you for sharing how you prepared for the nclex. I feel like I am all over the place trying to study. I have a lot of books. Could you give me advice on how to review? Should I stick with exam cram,linda lacharity,or kaplan? I feel that it is very hard to read saunders. It is just intimidating.

Congrats RN!!:yeah:

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Specializes in SN, LTC, REHAB, HH.
I graduated July 31st & took Kaplan a few days later. I took the 2 week Kaplan course & studied while waiting on my auth to test letter which took almost a month to come. I did all my qbank questions & question trainers for Kaplan. The class part of Kaplan helped me alot because they go into dept about what to look out for on the NCLEX. I also studied a review book by Mary Ann Hogan. I only did about 200 questions a day & read over different diseases & lab values. I took the test this Mon. & found out today that I passed.

On the NCLEX I had tons of meds, especially about type 2 diabetic meds for some strange reason. 1 OB & 1 Peds, alot of who would you see first & about 8 SATA about what would you teach a patient about a certain procedure. I didn't have any math thank goodness!

Most of the questions I used the decision tree that I learned from Kaplan & could narrow it down to 2 choices then from there I just guessed. I will say that I over studied on diseases & lab values.

Good Luck to everyone who is going throught the process of trying to finish the grueling process of nursing school & studying for the NCLEX.:wink2:

That is wonderful news. i love to read success stories gives me hope. my cousin did the kaplen course for RN a few years ago and she said it was worth it. btw, what NCLEX did you take? i've got about six months to go before i graduate from PN school.

:ancong!:

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:yeah:CONGRADULATIONS on job well done!!! :yeah: I am also preparing to take NCLEX in mid-Oct thanks for sharing how you studied. :)

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Specializes in L & D, Med-Surge, Dialysis.

You deserve to be :nurse: :ancong!:

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~my story~

i took my nclex-rn exam for the 1st time last sept. 1 and i just found out from the quick result from pearsonvue that i passed!!! i'm soo soooooo happy today!! :redbeathe

anyway... i want to share what i did in preparation for my exam!! :D

5 months before the exam - i started passive study plan around i took the kaplan review course for international nurses. i watched all the video course online attended all the classroom session. answered all the question trainer and reviewed most of the rationale. and answered qbank only arounf 70% of it... trust me.. my percentage was not that good, overall was like only 58 or 59% correct answers. i have this big notebook to note the items i got wrong and made a brief discussion on it.

2 months prior to the exam - i went trough all the chapters in the course book but roughly on the medications; saunders comprehensive and my lemone burke medsurg as reference.

1 months prior to the exam - i keep on testing and testing on the saunders and mosby's nclex-rn software and review most of the rationale.

2 weeks prior to the exam - i was slacking!! lol i felt lazy around this time, just reviewing some of my note.

2 days before - we went to church and prayed lots. then i keep on listening cheerful songs while reviewing my lab values.. :chuckle

the night before the exam - i meditated and prayed for guidance on test day.

day of the exam - i took a very cold shower (i've watched a featured episode in natgeo once, that having cold drinks or cold showers can rush up your catecholamines that could benefit your mental function...lol) that morning and had a complete meal. i was overwhelmed of the feeling that this is 'the day' but not nervous and jittery compared to my college days. i wasn't confident of my answers, but i wasn't that anxious during the exam (except when my heart almost jumped one time when the computer asked if i should take a break :chuckle). i got almost 30% sata questions one after the other!!! i forgot some of the important concepts but i prayed it over and just moved on from one q to another. during the near end of my exam, it was a lil bit difficult. the funny thing was, at my last q which was about meds, the choices were all cardiac drugs.... i couldn't eliminate anything, i was desperate and just answered with 'ini mini miny mo' and the computer stopped at 133!! i was like "of all times!! why did it stopped at my silly-unsure answer!?!?! why!?!?!" :smackingf i told myself if it came bad, i can always take another shot.. don't loose hope!!

after that i just went trough my usual day.. no biggie, no crying, no worries.. thanks all to my mom for supporting.. pass or fail.. i'm still her daughter.. lol!!

the lesson of the story?!?!

just relax and have faith!! you did your best to prepare for the exam!! so...

paint a smile in your face!! :D pass or fail...smile, it's not the end of the world..

~ i wish you all the best,

aubrey r.n

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Aubrey, RN, thanks for sharing what you did! I pray I'll be in the same boat as you. Again, :clphnds::dancgrp: :clphnds:

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