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TIPS ON TAKING
THE NCLEX EXAM ®
by Beulah Hall
ne of the most important ways to insure make a nursing judgment, or apply critical thinking.
O success on the NCLEX® exam is to prepare
Use resources wisely. Many review books do an excel-
lent job of organizing material, through the use of
boxes, bullets, and chapter highlights that summarize
as carefully and thoroughly as you can. Organizing the information. NCLEX® preparation courses are
based on careful application of the test plan. There are
your material, knowing what to study, and taking often most valuable in highlighting the areas you may
advantage of study tools will all help you achieve be weak in and offering drills so you can improve
these areas. Study groups are an excellent means of
success. Preparing yourself mentally and physically preparation. The study group, which usually consists
of between three and five people, meets regularly to
for the exam, including the use of stress management cover a designated area. Group members prepare
tools, and increasing your self- questions (for which they have stud-
ied the answers) that they then share
confidence, are all factors in a positive with the group. Students then drill
final outcome. This article includes each other, including rationales for
their answers. The group should
tips to help you prepare for the
provide a supportive learning envi-
NCLEX® so you achieve the best ronment, and should help speed
possible results. your learning. If a study group is
not productive, discontinue the
group and either study on your
1 Create a Study Plan
Establish a study plan that
allows you up to several months to
own, or find a new group.
prepare. Calculate your total study
time and then arrange your study
plan by the week, so you can break
3 Beating Stress
and Anxiety
It is to be expected that you will
the material down into reasonable be nervous about the exam. But
sections. As you study, organize the material into constantly comparing yourself to others, convincing
manageable segments of information. If your notes yourself you will do terribly on the exam, or dwelling
are not well-organized, add headings and subheadings on your inadequacies are all forms of self sabotage.
so that the material makes sense, and use highlighter Try positive forms of "self talk" instead. Say to
so they stand out. A whole page of information yourself, "I will pass this test." Consciously replace
without any subtopics will only become blurred in negative thoughts with positive ones. Think of tough
your mind. Your memory works best if content is situations you have survived in the past, and what
logically connected. you did for yourself that helped. Focus on your
achievements. Did you improve on your practice tests?
Be proud of yourself. Did you master an area you
2 Use All Available Study Tools
The NCLEX® questions focus more on your
ability to apply what you know, rather then on raw
thought you never would? Good for you.
Be aware of how your body feels. Often, stress
factual information. So as you study, do not focus sneaks up on us. Relaxation techniques such as deep
only on learning the facts, but test your ability to breathing, are invaluable. Inhale slowly, and count to
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NSNA/Imprint 43
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ten as you slowly exhale. Also, reflects your legal name. If your you have passed the test. If the
try to maintain a regular exercise name has changed since you applied knowledge level is rated low, you
schedule as you are studying, to test, you must bring legal docu- have failed the test. The minimum
whether it be running, walking, mentation that gives your new number of test questions you must
aerobics, swimming, or yoga. name, such as a marriage license, answer before the computer deter-
Exercise is a wonderful tension divorce decree, or court action and mines passing or failing is 75; the
reliever and will help provide you all documents needed for identifica- maximum number of questions that
with the mental and physical energy tion. You must bring one of the may be answered is 265. The ques-
you will need during stressful peri- following types of primary ID: valid tions used in the exam reflect the
ods. Exercise also helps alleviate required compe-
depression and anxiety. Maintaining tencies for new
good eating habits is also key. Try to registered nurses
maintain a balanced diet consisting nationwide. This
of plenty of fruits and vegetables is established
and complex carbohydrates. Avoid through periodic
overloading on unhealthful snacks job analyses and
such as candy and refined sugar, as employer surveys
they will only make you more tired. that estimate the
Try to avoid cramming just days knowledge
Michelle Del Guergio
before the exam, and get a good beginning RNs
night’s sleep, not only the night need to practice
before the exam, but for several safely. A cut-off
days beforehand. point specific to
each applicant is
Important Steps then developed,
4 Before the Test
Once you arrive, you will need
employee ID, school ID, state ID or
passport, all of which must have a
which the computer uses to deter-
mine pass or fail.
to leave your personal belongings photo. You will also need a second- Finishing the exam early (before
outside the testing room. You will ary form of ID such as bank card, the five-hour time period), means
be taking the NCLEX® at a Sylvan your social security card, or credit either that you correctly answered
Testing Center. Your nursing pro- card. You are not permitted to bring the more challenging questions and
gram will provide you with the any study aids to the Center. At the so quickly established competence,
contact information for the Center. Center, your photo will also be or that you consistently performed
In order to make an appointment taken, and a thumbprint will be poorly on even on the easier ques-
at the Center to take the exam, you made. You will be oriented to the tions and so failed the exam. Your
must first register with your State use of the computer before the start computer grades your exam, and
Board of Nursing, which will pro- of testing. During testing, there is the results are transmitted to the
vide you with an Authorization one mandatory break and another organization that controls the
to Test, good for thirty days. optional one. testing process. The report is sent
Information on this document will to your state board of nursing,
be used when you call to make your
Testing Center appointment. You
may tell the Center your preferred
5 How CAT Works
The NCLEX® uses Computer
Adaptive Testing, which means that
and you will are notified by mail
of the results within a month of
taking the exam. ■
date for testing. When you schedule the computer adapts the test to the
the date, write on the Authorization individual’s particular knowledge Beulah Hall, EdD, RN, is associate
form the date and time you have base. The test begins with a question profesor of nursing at MCP
chosen. The exam is five hours, and of moderate difficulty. If you answer Hahnemann University,
you should expect that you will need the question correctly, it poses a Philadelphia, PA.
all that time, in addition to the time question of greater difficulty, contin-
necessary to check in and be uing until you answer incorrectly. Resources
assigned a seat. You will not receive As soon as you answer a question http://PassNclex.mcphu.edu
any confirmation from Sylvan. correctly, increasingly more difficult The web site of the Medical College of
Be sure eat a healthy breakfast questions are asked until you answer Pennsylvania Hahnemann University,
the morning of the exam, and to incorrectly, and the process repeats sponsor of NSNA’s review course.
bring your two forms of identifica- itself. www.ncsbn.org
tion with you — you will need to When the computer determines The web site of the National Council of
keep them with you at all times. The that your answers reflect a certain State Board of Nursing. Includes informa-
day of the test, allow plenty of time level of knowledge in all these areas, tion on all aspects of the National
to get to the test location. Bring testing is finished. If the knowledge Council Licensing Exam.
your Authorization to Test, as it level is sufficiently high in all areas,
NSNA/Imprint 45