Yea or Nay on NCLEX review course

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 27, 2007

I didn't take one.

How did you do on HESI?

How have you done on your tests?

Do you have the Saunders Review book? If so, how have you done on that?

I say Nay on the review course...

mattsmom64 · Oct 27, 2007

I am considering taking an NCLEX review course once finishing NS in December (yay!!). However, I've gotten quite a range of opinions on whether to take a review course or not. Some say to take one - it helped. However, others have said it was a waste of time and money and that I'd be better off spending that time studying.
What do you guys think? Did you or did you not take a review course before sitting for the NCLEX? How did you come to that decision? If you did, how did you decide which one?

Hi Deanna,

I'm 99% sure that I'm going to take the Kaplan course. I have heard both yea and nay about taking a course, but I still want that little extra piece of "insurance".....I don't trust myself to study on my own...I'm getting burnt out, plus with the holidays right around the corner, I can guarantee you that I won't pick up a book to study unless I absolutely have to....Kaplan has a class scheduled the 7th of January which works perfectly for me. I really like their question trainers and Q bank. I also like the fact that they have a money back guarantee...If you don't pass you get your money back plus an additional 3 months of access to the online stuff.....

btw...have you started applying to anywhere yet?

ttyl,

Mary

Calzonan RN · Oct 28, 2007

Hey guys!!! Remember when we were all waiting for our admittance? OM gosh it seems like yesterday, but then it seems like forever ago.

Some hospitals will pay for you to take an NCLEX class. I know St. Joes has an NCLEX Kaplan class they offer new grads for free, PLUS they pay you while you're in the class!!!

We have two weeks left of school and then our preceptorships!! haven't found out where I'm going yet, they like to keep that a secret until the very end...:selfbonk: :banghead:

We have a big test tomorrow and then our final in two weeks, yipeeee :lol2:

I've already started applying (and had an interview) because I want to work in L&D and that can be hard to get. I'm getting excited/nervous about being done and finally starting to work. It seems like I've been a student for ages (actually, I have, 3.5 years is a long time!!). Where are you guys going to try and work? What areas?

Keli

2 weeks and counting....:balloons: :yeah:

mattsmom64 · Oct 28, 2007

Hey guys!!! Remember when we were all waiting for our admittance? OM gosh it seems like yesterday, but then it seems like forever ago.
Some hospitals will pay for you to take an NCLEX class. I know St. Joes has an NCLEX Kaplan class they offer new grads for free, PLUS they pay you while you're in the class!!!
We have two weeks left of school and then our preceptorships!! haven't found out where I'm going yet, they like to keep that a secret until the very end...:selfbonk:
We have a big test tomorrow and then our final in two weeks, yipeeee
I've already started applying (and had an interview) because I want to work in L&D and that can be hard to get. I'm getting excited/nervous about being done and finally starting to work. It seems like I've been a student for ages (actually, I have, 3.5 years is a long time!!). Where are you guys going to try and work? What areas?
Keli
2 weeks and counting....:balloons:

Hi Keli,

Good luck on your test tomorrow! I have one next friday and then my final the following week. We should find out about preceptorship on tuesday. Apparently the schools are having a hard time getting hospitals willing to take us.......As for work, I'm going to stay where I'm at. I want to have at least a year of M/S experience before branching out. If they have more Oncology opportunities on my floor then I'll most likely stay there.....Any luck with jobs yet?

ttyl,

Mary

boomerfriend · Oct 29, 2007

I'm leaning more and more toward not taking a review course. I went to the Kaplan practice NCLEX this weekend....of course got the sales pitch from the guy. Same one that the gal gave us from Kaplan who came to PC on Wednesday. Of course, they give a 100% money back guarantee but fail to tell you that they have a 85% success rate in passing the first time. It's probably a good class but I don't think it's for me. I agree with you, Mary, that it will be forced study time and that's a good thing. However, the things they teach I don't think will be that helpful for me. I need review time on the basics (A&P, patho, medication categories, etc.). Besides that, it's $399 and I don't have an employer to pay for it....it's all me!

As for job applications, I've gone to the job fairs at Chandler and Mercy Gilbert, applied for several jobs at Desert and Phoenix Children's. Have an interview with PC on Thursday (yippee!). We'll see how that pans out.

Our last test is Thursday and then the final on the 14th. We have gotten the same word as you that the hospitals are not too eager to take us and they're having trouble finding slots for our preceptorships. Won't find out about that until the 15th.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2007

We had to take the ERI Review Course (was offered through the school). I didn't find it all that helpful and didn't use any of the review materials from it when I studied.

I studied on my own, only using Saunders. Then a week or so before the test I started doing the online Mosby CATs just so I could get a feel for how the CAT worked.

boomerfriend · Oct 29, 2007

I didn't take one.
How did you do on HESI?
How have you done on your tests?
Do you have the Saunders Review book? If so, how have you done on that?
I say Nay on the review course...

To answer your questions....I did pretty well on the HESI at the end of block 2. Won't take the HESI again until 11/7. Hopefully will get the results pretty quickly. I don't have the Saunders book but I'm confident my study buddy does. She's gotten several from nurse friends at work. I have Davis as well as several Reviews and Rationales books. Up until this block, I've done pretty well on my tests. This semester I've hovered around an 80%. Scary. I feel pretty confident on the content in the classes but don't seem to do as well on the tests as I think I should. Weird.

boomerfriend · Oct 29, 2007

...... Then a week or so before the test I started doing the online Mosby CATs just so I could get a feel for how the CAT worked.

So what's the CATs?

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2007

So what's the CATs?

Computer Adaptive Test

Which is what the NCLEX is. In which when you answer a question right, it gives you a harder one, if you get a question wrong, it gives you an easier one, and so on.

boomerfriend · Oct 29, 2007

Computer Adaptive Test
Which is what the NCLEX is. In which when you answer a question right, it gives you a harder one, if you get a question wrong, it gives you an easier one, and so on.

Gosh, that sounds great! Do you purchase the book and it gives you access online to the test or is it something different? I would really like a practice test that is similar to the NCLEX where it guides you through harder/easier questions based on your answers.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2007

Gosh, that sounds great! Do you purchase the book and it gives you access online to the test or is it something different? I would really like a practice test that is similar to the NCLEX where it guides you through harder/easier questions based on your answers.

http://www3.us.elsevierhealth.com/CAT/

It's all online. It's been a couple of years since I did it, so I can't remember all the specifics, but you pay a flat rate and it gives you access to the tests for about 30 days or so.

After the tests it'll give a percentage saying how likely you are to pass the NCLEX. Some people didn't like it because you get some duplicate questions if you take the tests repeatedly. But I just went through a bunch of tests before I even looked at the answers.