Step 1: Figure out exactly what the NCLEX - RN exam is.
The first key to creating an effective plan to pass your NCLEX-RN exam is to gain an understanding of what the exam actually is. The NCLEX can easily be compared to the final leg of your registered nursing education “marathon”. You have spent years preparing for this final stretch. You have spent countless hours reading your “Potter and Perry” nursing foundations texts and created hundreds of med cards based off your favorite Mosby Drug Reference Guide. It’s time to put it all together. You have done all the work and graduated from your nursing school! There is no way you can afford to cramp up in this final mile.
The NCLEX is one of the most stressful standardized exams around. While the ACT, SAT, GRE, or GMAT are extremely important exams that heavily influence one’s chances of admission to college or graduate school, they are one of many factors that are considered in the admissions process. The NCLEX is different. It functions as a true gatekeeper. If you don’t pass, there are no other factors that can help you move forward with your career as a nurse. Being a nurse requires passing the NCLEX. Failure means you must take a deep breath, return to your studies, and try again at some point soon. This is, of course, a stressful proposition that all future nurses would like to avoid.
If you’re gearing up for your NCLEX-RN, you’re probably buried in cumbersome books, coffee-stained notebooks and disorganized thought. A great way to test where you are and where you should focus your study efforts is by using practice questions.