Decoding the NCLEX: Grasping its Complexity and Preparing for Success
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that nearly everyone gets nervous about taking a test from time to time, but when that test determines an individual’s eligibility for career and their future, the stress levels are even higher. Taking an NCLEX exam is without a doubt one of the most important moments in a nurse’s life.
When combining those factors with the unsettlingly low NCLEX pass rates, people have reason to be nervous. As such, preparation for this exam is not just wise, it is essential.
So, for anyone who is preparing to take an NCLEX— and may yet be a bit nervous about it— here are some study tips to grasp the complexity and prepare for success.
What to Expect When Testing
The NCLEX is a computer generated, pass-fail exam that ranges from 75-265 questions. Being that the tests are adaptive, that means no two tests are alike. Unique from most exams are a set of 15 “pre-test” questions which do not affect the final test score.
Testers have 6 hours to finish. That time includes an introduction and basic tutorial on how the test will proceed. Refreshingly, there are built-in breaks that are optional, but encouraged. Taken on a computer, one test will be shown at a time and cannot skip ahead without answering the immediate question.
One of the most disconcerting parts to expect is that this test will automatically stop when the test taker has either passed or failed.
Studying
While this may seem like an obvious statement (which it is), taking the time to consider how and when to study over the preceding months (ideally) will help ease the tension and nerves the day of the test. Being proactive about figuring out which days and times are ideal to fit in some study time between other responsibilities is a sound idea.
Creating a methodology of what subject matter and sections may be included on the test— spending extra time on the sections that may not have been a strong suit— is important. There are plenty of resources and practice tests available online which will not only mimic the material to be expected but the basic format of the test is highly recommended.
Study Groups
Study groups, while popular and helpful, are kind of a double-edged sword. Not everyone has the right demeanor or discipline to maintain the level of focus that should be maintained during serious study time. Therefore, understanding what type of personalities mesh best in a group situation will help immensely in deciding if studying in a group will be helpful or more of a social gathering for support.
On the other hand, if the right group of people can be rounded up, the amount of shared knowledge is a wonderful way to support each other and explain information that may be harder to grasp through the reviewing of notes or re-reading course books. Either way, study groups should be done in tangent with solo study time.
Practicing
As was mentioned before, there are plenty of resources out there today which are helpful in this situation. Books, websites, community study groups, and even blogs are all findable. Simply googling NCLEX review courses will generate a great selection of results and is one of the fastest ways to become an RN.
From there, taking the time to prepare oneself for what types of questions will be presented on the exam creates confidence. NCLEX are not just about comprehensive recalling of information, instead many questions are about demonstrating and applying skills and concepts learned in school to hypothetical situations laid out in question formats.
This is also key: some questions have more than one correct answer, but the test taker must choose the best in order for it to be counted as correct. Spend plenty of time going back over questions that guesses were made on and especially the ones that drew a blank.
Take Breaks
If there is anything that spending this long in school thus far may have taught anyone is that human beings are not machines, and everyone has limits. Acknowledging and respecting those limits will actually support rather than what some think, hindering an individual’s ability to do well. It also does dividends to seek professional help to discuss your troubles. Utilize counseling or therapy can help such a massive exam feel less daunting.
Listening to what the body is saying about when to take a break, when to get up and go do something else like exercise or eat, and even going out to have some fun just to decompress every couple days is important. The brain and the body need time to digest and rest so that it can store information for recall later. This should be maintained not just during study times but when the test is being taken as well. Pushing through a test just because of nerves will be more likely to do damage to a score rather than help it. Breaks are built in for a reason. Use them.
