Would an NCLEX RN study guide be useful for nursing school?

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I start nursing school in the fall and I heard that having an NCLEX RN study guide helps. My school is especially known for having all their tests in NCLEX format and many students fail the first several tests because the questions are so difficult. I have heard many good reviews about the Kaplan book. Would you recommend getting the book right away? Or would it not really be worth it as long as I study hard during school?

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

The answer is yes and no, but mostly no.

Yes, an NCLEX review book will give you practice reading, understanding and answering NCLEX style questions. The format of questions on nursing tests is usually one of the most difficult adjustments for nursing students. But I don't think an NCLEX review book will be as much help as you might think.

NCLEX questions will cover material that a graduating, entry level nurse should know. The content is going to be extremely unfamiliar to you, and the sheer amount of material will make it very difficult for you to answer the questions. For that reason, reading and answering NCLEX questions will not be helpful. If you don't know the underlying information, it makes the format of the question almost useless. Kaplan products are expensive and not designed for an entry level student.

Instead on an NCLEX review, I would find a review book that focuses on critical thinking and test taking strategies. This will help you with the basics of taking a test and the most important thing that you need for nursing school- critical thinking.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Kaplan does have test taking strategies. I have taught the review course several times and find their material beneficial. When I was a student I was in a study group. Each of us bought different review books and shared with one another.

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Specializes in N/A.

Best review book for a current nursing student in my opinion Saunder's Comprehensive NCLEX review book for RN. The content is pretty on point with my lecture notes. I also use Lippincott's Q&A review book and Med Surg Sucess Q&A review book. I am in my 2nd semester of an ADN program and I feel these books have helped me.

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Best review book for a current nursing student in my opinion Saunder's Comprehensive NCLEX review book for RN. The content is pretty on point with my lecture notes. I also use Lippincott's Q&A review book and Med Surg Sucess Q&A review book. I am in my 2nd semester of an ADN program and I feel these books have helped me.

I second that with the Saunder's. I haven't used the Lippincott's, but the Saunder's has been a wonderful study guide...The CD-rom has been really useful for me; I am constantly doing self-testing with it, and mostly it is exactly like my lecture notes. It's not extremely expensive--I would definitely recommend it.

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Ive been using Davis, Im currently in Trinitas 231 (OB/PEDS) one more class to go. It helps alot!!

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Specializes in trauma and neuro.
I second that with the Saunder's. I haven't used the Lippincott's, but the Saunder's has been a wonderful study guide...The CD-rom has been really useful for me; I am constantly doing self-testing with it, and mostly it is exactly like my lecture notes. It's not extremely expensive--I would definitely recommend it.

And a third. The saunders book helped me in my fundamentals course. It is divided into sections which makes it really easy to use for any class. The CD that comes with it is even better.

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Saunders and Davis' are my favorites. I don't even do test questions from my book, I only use them and I do just fine.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

depends. our teachers write our tests like nclex style so it helps alot. but even if they dont write them nclex style at your school, they are very good resources for clarifing info you learned in class, instead of sifting through 1000 pages of information :)

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My girlfriend just finished nursing school and she handed me her NCLEX RN study guide and said "they gave this to me the third semester and I wish I'd had it from the start..." I start my nursing program in January after 6 mos of human sciences (Watts School of Nursing). I would say yes.

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Specializes in OB.

Something that has helped me through out nursing school was not NCLEX guides, but a book series called "Davis's SUCCESS series" which include books such as Fundamentals Success, Meternal and Newborn Success, and also Med-Surg Success.

Some of the questions on my exams were even diverted from these books. Of course wording was changed, but since I had previously encountered the same type of questions in the books, I was able to figure out the correct answer easier.

There are errors in the books of course like there are in any text, but doing the questions over and over again and reading rationals for all answers, right and wrong, helped me to do well in nursing school so far, and I just passed me NCLEX-PN and received a license number.

There are many tools out there, but you just need to find what will help you.

Good Luck in school and try not to get discouraged. (I know easier said than done) :jester:

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Do you all think ts important to buy the latest edition for any of these study guides you mention or go cheap and get an older version on eBay?

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