I have taken the NCLEX twice and have not passed successfully but I truly believe that the third time’s a charm! (That is a blog for another time!) Through those times of studying for the dready NCLEX exam, I have discovered many resources to use to prepare myself for the big day. Studying does come with a good, healthy mentality, so knowing that you have been taught everything you need to know and learning those test-taking strategies will be a fantastic combination to beat the beast that is NCLEX. Here is the study schedule that I plan to follow for my next attempt at NCLEX & the resources I plan to use.
Day of NCLEX Studying:
0600: Wake up & take a few deep breaths to start the day!
0630-0700: Meditate + do my workout for the day <3
0700-1030: STUDY TIME! Reviewing content from Remar VT & Mark Klemik Audios/Notes (Using the Pomodoro Method)** 30-minute study sessions with a 5-10 minute break per session **
1030-1100: Eat a small snack to refuel!
1100-1200: Review concepts from the morning
1200-1300: LUNCHTIME!
1300-1500: Go through a 50-75 practice question assessment through Archer Q-Bank
1500-1700: Understand and review the questions I got wrong with the rationales
1700-Night: No more studying, relax and be proud of your study session for the day :)
For the resources mentioned, Remar Virtual Trainer is an NCLEX-RN, and PN NCLEX review for individuals that want to refresh their nursing mind with the content learned during nursing school. It is a hefty price to pay that includes a review workbook and a study schedule, and videos to go along. Also included is a “Quick Facts for NCLEX.”guide with (as the title says) quick and straightforward high-yield topics that could be expected on the NCLEX exam.
Another resource that I recommend for test-taking strategies is listening to Mark Klemik. Mark Klemik is an ex-writer for the NCBSN who is responsible for producing the NCLEX questions/exams. His audios provide easy mnemonics and tricks to answer NCLEXstyle questions better. He also has available private tutoring and online video sessions for people to participate in.
Lastly, the Archer Q-Bank is my preference in testing my knowledge and practicing for the big exam. Many people use U-World but as a person who has taken the exam twice now, paying for a U-World subscription is not ideal. Archer Review provides asimilar format from U-World, which is the exact format of the NCLEX using vagueness of questions that can better prepare you for the exam. Subscriptions for the Q-Banks are less than $100, depending on how long you want to practice questions. They also have a content review that you can purchase as a combo at a discounted price!
The most extensive advice I can give anyone who plans to take NCLEX soon: Do NOT overwhelm yourself with too many resources. That was my mistake initially; Now I’ve done my research on the resources that I prefer, and you should do the same! Whatever you use, it’s all about taking your time to read the question and answer choices to see what the question is truly asking. Mastering that will help you kick the NCLEX’ butt!
Happy Studying to you all!
You are made for this! You WILL pass NCLEX! You WILL be an RN!
Written by: Kayla Del Mundo
Instagram: Kayla_delmundo