WHY do I keep getting Near Passing??

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 28, 2014

The issue may not necessarily the source of the review, but how one approaches the NCLEX itself: understanding the four concepts of becoming a competent, entry-level nurse:

1. Safe, effective care;

2.Health promotion;

3.Physiological Integrity;

4.Psychosocial integrity

Will determine WHAT the question is asking you; the question may be Respiratory related-but is it a Health Promotion or a Safety, or a Physiological or a Psychosocial one? Would you know the difference and choose the BEST answer?

Once one understands the concepts of NCLEX, they can do so successfully.

The NCSBN website has a breakdown of what questions are categorized in the four concepts; also Kaplan gives strategies on those particular concepts; I didn't use the decision tree at all; I used NCSBN for questions and used Saunders NCLEX flash cards which broke down questions specifically to the four concepts.

jrost80RNBSN · Oct 28, 2014

I used Kaplan, the descion tree is worthless. However, I thought the Q-bank questions were very similar to what were on the boards. I tested four times, the first three times I got 265 questions each time and I was near the passing standard in every category. The fourth time, it was like 80 or 90 questions and it shut off. Don't give up!!!

PEDSNURSEPASSION · Oct 28, 2014

So sorry to hear you didn't pass! Have you tried Hurst review? I used Kaplan on my first attempt and found it wasn't the right review for me. I used hurst my second time and passed with 75 questions!

Xaldin4life RN · Oct 28, 2014

Thank you all for the replies. I looked at some of my friends Hurst videos and really helped for the Physio adaptation....but I had questions on Diabetes, Alzehiemer, HIV that Hurst never really delved into. Perhaps I need to look at them again and read thru the Hurst questions? How did you use Hurst to pass??? were your questions similar or did you just know them from experience?

Im amazed how people can pass at just 75 questions!! how could you do that unless you knew every single one of those content questions on nclex.

PEDSNURSEPASSION · Oct 28, 2014

You are right Hurst did not cover every single topic so I understand. I however felt like majority of my NCLEX questions were covered by Hursts! And also made me feel way more confident in answering SATA questions.

I do not feel like I memorized all the hurst content and I could not say all that info "without a doubt or hesitation" but Hurst saved me on exam day! I think part of the exam is knowing content but also knowing how to answer the questions.

I literally prayed to God I would get 75 questions and I believe my faith, family support, and 1 month of studying using Hurst and PDA helped me tremendously!

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 28, 2014

Im amazed how people can pass at just 75 questions!! how could you do that unless you knew every single one of those content questions on nclex.

It's not about content; it's knowing WHAT the question is asking you; nursing school gives pretty much general concepts to the subjects that we need to know as nurses; the NCLEX is very scenario based to those four concepts.

What I can recall about the NCLEX is each question asked what I would do as a NURSE, regardless if it was a Peds, Mental Health, OB, Med-Surg question; those were small peices of information; the actual question let me know if it was a Health Promotion or Safety, or Psychosocial or Physiological question.

Both times-NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN-I passed with 75 questions, although I practiced questions up to the maximum; I also reviewed questions and rationales, especially areas I knew I was weak in; if I didn't understand the rationale, I would study the concept in order to understand it.

Xaldin4life RN · Oct 28, 2014

I cant really say that the questions are simply scenario based. Its not that straightforward. I remember having one unfamiliar herbal drug question, in which the options were nothing like what Ive been studying about..therefore it was hard to choose which one was correct.

You also talking about needing to know what the question is asking me....but how does that help when dealing with a SATA, drag/drop with topics you never heard of, or scenarios in which they look like OB questions, but are actually classified under Basic care and comfort... Thanks.

Red Kryptonite · Oct 28, 2014

Is your school accredited? What is its first time NCLEX pass rate?

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 28, 2014

I cant really say that the questions are simply scenario based. Its not that straightforward. I remember having one unfamiliar herbal drug question, in which the options were nothing like what Ive been studying about..therefore it was hard to choose which one was correct.

Knowing what types of herbal drug are similar to particular medications is a knowledge based questions; you would have to know about those specifics, but that's still a small part of the application process that is needed when taking the NCLEX.

You also talking about needing to know what the question is asking me....but how does that help when dealing with a SATA, drag/drop with topics you never heard of, or scenarios in which they look like OB questions, but are actually classified under Basic care and comfort... Thanks.

It does help because SATA is more of a true/false question; meaning, what aspects of what the question is asking you in terms of understanding the subject at hand and what options apply to the subject itself; same thing with drag and drop.

Most topics are questions that we all heard of, most of what is in the question can be answered, regardless of what is being asked.

For example, I received a MS drug I never heard of; but because I looked at the stem of the medication, and looked at WHAT the question was asking-side effects, And the options, I was able to think through the question and choose the best answer.

It doesn't matter what subject it may be; again, the "what the question is asking you" as I have stated comes down to understanding the key concepts of the question, what key words (ie collect, evaluate, effective, etc) guides one to the best answer.

Basic care and comfort falls underneath physiological integrity; meaning, anything that would be pertaining to the physical body; for example, if you have an OB question about episiotomy care, then understanding the concepts of what to do with an episiotomy, how to assess, intervene, and evaluate the effectiveness of episiotomy care all falls under the physiological integrity model.

You can also find this information on NCSBN website as well; they also have a very comprehensive review; I found their questions to be very similar to the NCLEX, especially when it comes to the seemingly obscure questions that the NCLEX delivers. :yes:

Xaldin4life RN · Oct 28, 2014

Thank you LadyFree, I will look over it.

ChazzW · Nov 15, 2014

xaldin4life - private message me.