{"id":5805,"date":"2022-11-14T19:34:48","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T19:34:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/?p=5805"},"modified":"2024-09-06T18:53:15","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T18:53:15","slug":"nclex-tips-to-help-you-pass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/healthcare-education\/nclex-tips-to-help-you-pass\/","title":{"rendered":"First or Fifth Attempt: NCLEX Tips to Help You Pass"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether your career goal is to become a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN), part of the process requires you to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to get your state nursing license. This prestigious exam determines if a nursing school graduate has the skills and knowledge to practice professional nursing, and the pressure to pass may seem intense. If you\u2019re attempting the nurse licensure exam for the first time or you\u2019ve previously failed and are trying again, this guide provides several helpful NCLEX tips from those who\u2019ve been there and those who now teach others to pass and earn their coveted credentials.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is the NCLEX?<\/b><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>NCLEX<\/span><\/a> is the premier nurse licensure exam developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to test the competency of graduate nurses in the United States and Canada. The NCSBN developed the NCLEX-RN for prospective registered nurses and the NCLEX-PN for prospective licensed practical or vocational nurses. It constantly evaluates exam materials to keep up with rapidly evolving healthcare technologies and techniques. The NCLEX utilizes computerized adaptive testing technology to ensure valid and reliable results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before taking the NCLEX, you must obtain an Authorization to Test (ATT) by applying to your local nursing regulatory body (NRB). Your NRB is the State Board of Nursing or a similar authority where you <\/span>apply for nurse licensure in your state<\/span><\/a>. Once you receive your ATT, you must register with Pearson VUE, the testing agency that administers the exam on behalf of the NCSBN. You should start this process way before your target exam date, as it can take quite a bit of time to complete. The NCLEX fee is $200 for every exam attempt.<\/span><\/p>\n

NCLEX Tips from Recent Grads<\/b><\/h3>\n

Nicolas Sanchez is a recent graduate of the <\/span>University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Nursing<\/span><\/a>. He joined <\/span>HCA Healthcare<\/span><\/a> as an emergency room nurse in June 2022 after passing the NCLEX and earning his RN licensure in Nevada. His top advice is to practice, practice, practice test questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStudying the material doesn\u2019t do you any good if you don\u2019t know how to properly answer NCLEX-style questions. Aim for 50 questions,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cDon\u2019t cram all your studying the week before. You\u2019ve been studying all through nursing school, so you know much more than you think. As a rule of thumb, start getting really serious a month before you think you want to take the exam and only study a few hours a day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

McKayla Schulke has been an LPN for about a year and a half though her nursing career began in 2018 when she decided to quit her retail job and accept a <\/span>certified nursing assistant position<\/span><\/a>. Her original plan was to become a dietician, but that changed when she realized how much she loved being in the nursing field. Her passion led her to start her health and wellness website, <\/span>Soul Simple By Kayla<\/span><\/a>, which talks about all things related to healthcare and simple living.<\/span><\/p>\n

Schulke advised first-time test takers to only take the exam when they\u2019re ready and not because they feel obligated to do so by friends, family members or a potential employer. She said if you\u2019re not feeling confident about your abilities, you\u2019re more likely to fail the test and have to repeat it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t study the day before your test,\u201d added Sanchez. \u201cTake the day to relax and mentally prepare for the exam. You\u2019ve been working hard to get to this point, so treat yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Educator Tips for the First NCLEX Attempt<\/b><\/h3>\n

Dr. Stephanie Au, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, DNP, is a family nurse practitioner who\u2019s worked in the pediatric ICU but has experience in many specialties, including plastic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and family medicine. She\u2019s been the Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing\u00a0at the <\/span>University of California, Irvine, Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing<\/span><\/a> since July 2018, and before that taught in the nursing BSN and MSN pre-licensure program at UCLA.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTaking the NCLEX is obviously stressful,\u201d Dr. Au said. \u201cWhile there isn\u2019t anything that will completely remove stress from this experience, having a systematic approach to working through questions allows the student to feel confident in their knowledge and skills and helps control their anxiety so they can think clearly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI teach my students something I call the \u2018Strategic Questions Approach.\u2019 This is a strategy for answering test questions, regardless of whether they\u2019re multiple-choice, select all that apply, matching or otherwise. The method consists of four steps:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1:<\/strong> Rephrase the question in your own words. There are really only two reasons a question will be answered incorrectly. Either there\u2019s a knowledge gap or the question was misread. Rephrasing the question in your own words helps you analyze the question correctly and identify what the question is really asking.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 2:<\/strong> Identify whether each answer option provided is either correct or incorrect individually.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 3:<\/strong> Provide an in-depth rationale as to\u00a0<\/span>why\u00a0<\/span><\/i>each option is incorrect or correct using your knowledge from pathophysiology, clinical courses, pharmacology and the nursing process.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 4:<\/strong> Choose the answer for which you have a rationale. Rather than getting caught in an endless blackhole of self-doubt, trust your gut, trust your instincts and trust your education.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Catherine Prato-Lefkowitz, Ph.D., MBA, MSN, RN, CNE<\/span>,\u00a0began her career as a psychiatric nurse in the mental and correctional healthcare systems. While she continues to work at the bedside a few days each month to keep her skills current, she has expanded her nursing career to the classroom. She has taught nursing students on-site and online at Walden University, National University, Touro University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Until recently, Dr. Prato-Lefkowitz was the Director of Nursing Education for the Nevada State Board of Nursing. <\/span>She\u2019s\u00a0spent\u00a0the past\u00a0three years\u00a0developing<\/span>\u00a0<\/b>NurseMuse, a study tool\u00a0designed to provide a new way of learning and creating care plans for nursing students\u00a0during\u00a0clinicals<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>Dr. Prato-Lefkowitz is\u00a0also\u00a0releasing\u00a0a series of books providing insights into what it means to enter the nursing workforce and related fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following list features Dr. Prato-Lefkowitz\u2019s tips for first-time test-takers, with some pointers matching Dr. Au\u2019s:<\/span><\/p>\n