Yes, that’s right, guys! I passed NCLEX, and on my first attempt at that!! I am officially a registered nurse.
I know what you guys are thinking; girl, how did you do it? Well, I will tell you all about the resources I used in this post.
Just to give you guys a little background information, I only had a month and a half to prepare for NCLEX, so I was definitely on a time crunch.
For anyone preparing for the NCLEX at this time, my most significant piece of advice would be this: Do not go into the exam expecting to finish it in 75 questions. Please go into the exam expecting to finish it in 145 questions. I say this because if you go into the exam thinking you will finish in 75 questions and question 76 pops up on your screen, most likely that will hurt your feelings a little bit, and you do NOT want anything to ruin your confidence. You have to think of the NLCEX as a marathon, not a race. If you see question 78 pop up on your screen, that means you are still in the marathon. If you see question 100 pop up on your screen, you are STILL in the marathon. I think many people online glamorize finishing in the minimum amount of questions. In reality, that does not matter; what matters is you passing your NCLEX and becoming a registered nurse. And that’s my little soapbox message on that.
Here is a list of the resources I used to prepare for NCLEX:
1. UWORLD!
I will keep it real with you guys, UWORLD, in my opinion, is a little bit harder than the actual NCLEX. I recommend doing about 50 to 100 UWORLD questions a day. The most important thing to keep in mind is if you are going to use this resource please please please read the rationales for every question, not just the ones you get incorrect! For the questions I got wrong, I would write out the rationales in a notebook. I also recommend taking notes in general as you answer questions. UWORLD will often provide you with mnemonics and other helpful tips in the rationales.
Okay, literally, this man deserves an award! If you have not heard of him, you are very welcome. He’s the GOAT! Mark has lectured on various NCLEX topics, for example, lab values, prioritization, delegation, etc. His lectures can be found on Youtube, as well as Spotify. This is a beneficial resource, and I highly recommend it, especially for auditory learners like myself. When driving to work or school, put Mark on that radio. When getting your nails done, put those air pods in and listen to Mark. Trust me; you will retain information and be studying even when you feel like you are not actively studying.
3. YOUTUBE
There will come a time when you get tired of answering UWORLD questions. When this happens, watch some YouTube videos. There are so many NCLEX review/prep videos on YouTube; it’s crazy. Review, review, review! Focus on topics you know are your weaknesses when selecting videos to watch.
4. QUIZLET
I know you were not expecting to see Quizlet on this list, but yeah, guys, I used Quizlet. You can find NCLEX review decks on Quizlet, and it’s a helpful resource when you are on the go. Download the Quizlet app and go through information whenever you have spare time and cannot do UWORLD questions.
I hope these tips were helpful! Once you pass your NCLEX, tag me on IG: @noiremedicalwomen so I can feature you. Good luck, you got this!!
XOXO,
Nandi R.