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How did you pass the NCLEX?
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Posted 6 months ago How did you pass the NCLEX? Share your tips here, or submit your response to info@nursinglink.com. Your responses will be featured in an upcoming NursingLink article! |
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| Posted 6 months ago The first thing I did was relax the day after graduation. From then until the night before I took the NCLEX, I reread any topic I was not 100% sure about. I had also taken a review class after graduation of how to read the questions and get past the test jitters. This review class also reminded the student to NOT read into the question which I have a BIG problem not doing. Read the question for the text and the topic it is referring to. The first thing I got when I sat down for to take the test were questions referring to a disease that had not been highly covered in courses but is an increasing problem in our population. When I was at the minimum questions to pass (or fail), the computer cut off on me and really put me into a tail-spin until I finally got the results I had lost many nights sleep for. Passed the first time. Good luck to all who have not taken a NCLEX Exam yet. Go into the test with confidence and things will be good for you. Incidentally, my first nursing course was 34 years ago. After changing my major to Business, I spent 4 years in the USMC, raised my two kids and went back to complete my LPN license. Hoping to obtain the Nursing Home Administrator License in my home state. Also completed my Bachelor's in Healthcare Mgmt just before the LPN program. Sue Camargo |
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| Posted 4 months ago After graduation I took a break for about 2 days and then one of my classmates and I went to the library every day and just answered questions. We only reviewed topics if we just did not understand the rationals. We made sure that for each question we answered we knew not only the rational behind the right answer but the wrong answers as well. We also used multiple review souces such as Kaplan, Saunders, Mosby, etc. I also took the first available test while it was still fresh. |
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| Posted 4 months ago These are some good tips. I will remember these when I go to take my NCLEX! Thanks A good man loves other. A better man loves God. A great man loves God and lives well among others! I miss you daddy!
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| Posted 3 months ago Prepare yourself all throughout school. Go back and review your A&P. Anything you are shaky on, now is the time to drill on it. Study all major diseases affecting people today--DIABETES, HEART FAILURE, COPD, and the rest... As my teacher told me, "Know your normals and ABI-normals" ,know your growth and development norms for pediatrics, developmental theories from Psych. Basically, NCLEX wants to see if you are going to be a SAFE nurse. Safety FIRST!!! Don't rely on the NCLEX test map. It's totally diffrent for each person. Don't worry if you see something unusual--some of the questions are practice questions and won't count against you. Know your ABCs--Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. I can't tell you what was on my NCLEX because I promised them I would not and anyway I would get sued and jailtime. Don't study/ review the day of your exam. Don't rush to the testing center. Eat something! Pee before you go in to take the test. Don't spend too much time on one question like I did. Take your breaks. Don't second guess yourself. And don't freak out like I did. It's not everyday that you have to take a test that cost $200. Talk about PRESSURE!!!! Break a leg! |
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| Posted 3 months ago 1. Before school, hit www.flashcardexchange.com and look up the flashcards for the chapter(s) you need. You can make flashcards if you have time, but odds are, even if the book is different, the basics will already be there for you. Print the cards and keep them in your purse for doctor's offices, waiting rooms, waiting for fast food, stirring the stew, drinking a beer. If you have five minutes, flip through the cards. 2. After graduation, keep up a commitment to study for the NCLEX. Your degree ain't worth much without the license to back it up. It ain't over, yet. Study for an hour every single day. One hour. 3. 100 NCLEX style questions daily. My favorite resources were: Saunders Comprehensive Guide to NCLEX, Kaplan NCLEX, ExamCram NCLEX. I did 100 questions from the book in the morning, then 100 questions off the CD's at night. 4. The day of the test, arrive early, dress in layers. Have some retail therapy and a good meal ahead of time. Plan for spending six hours taking the test. 5. Breathe. |
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| Posted 3 months ago I studied 4-5 days/ week for entire summer after graduation. But all I did was take NCLEX practice exams, about 20-30 questions a day. After every 10 questions, I would check the answers. Then the ones I got wrong (usually 7/10 were wrong at first) I would study that info to find out why wrong. Eventually my test taking skills got better, and I started getting less wrong. I found every quiz book I could get my hands on. When I took the NCLEX, it was nothing like what I was expecting. It was very difficult. And it took me 4 hours with the total possible # of questions. But, luckily, I passed. |
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| Posted 3 months ago First of all calm down. Second its not that difficult and third dont overstudy for it. For my LPN eexam I did approx 10K questions ;way way way overboard. Then realize that 85% of first time test takers pass it. If you took any ATI test and got in the high 60's or into the 70's you are golden. For my RN comp ATI I wound up with a 78.7 which equates to a 98% probability of passing. I only did 200 maternity questions for the RN NCLEX and like my LPN test I knew I passed when I walked out. Here's the key: DO NOT SPEND MORE THAN 3 MINUTES PER QUESTION. Read the question twice rule out two answers right off the bat and if you dont know the correct answer from there...................make an educated guess. Do not read anything into the questions. Most of my RN test questions were crap that there is no way you could study for. As with my friends we all had lots of infection control questions and really ridiculous stuff that makes you wonder who put this thing together. Very few of the questions had any basis in scientific answers. By that I mean they didnt give you a list of labs or symptoms and expect you to make some type of diagnosis or judgement call that was medically based. I had one question with a lab value and 1 question about medication.I remember a bunch of questions because they were so stupid but obviously I cant actually state what they were here (but I wish I could) dont worry you will be fine.......... |
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| Posted about 1 month ago I was fortunate enough to be able to take the entire summer off following my recent graduation in May 2009. I sat for the NCLEX in JULY & passed it no problem. However, I studied like a crazy woman & thought for sure that I would end up failing anyway, but my test cut off @ 75 questions! (which I heard that meant you either passed no problems or failed miserably) I studied Saunders Comprehensive Review Edition 4. I wasn't able to read all of the chapters but I used the practice questions that we're on the CD. This really helped. I think this book is the reason I passed. |
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| Posted 26 days ago I suggest learn how to appropiately take test, learn how to answer case scenario based question. When I bridged over from LVN To RN I thought those test where speaking Greek and i don't speak Greek. I quickly learned thru medspub how to take scenario based questions a online service offered thru my nursing program. Most of the Nclex question are case scenario based at least they were five years ago.Don't forget the basics APIE=Assessment , plan,intervention and evaluation.Knowing your plan of care for any patient ped's thru geri's/hospital or home based will always lead you to the right answer. |
