My NCLEX Story

As the school year draws to an end, many college students look forward to graduation. Finally, classes are over, no more projects, no more clinicals, no more tests--well, unless you are a nursing major. In that case graduation is only one step on the path to being a nurse. The final step still looms: the NCLEX.

One of my nursing friends
demonstrating the proper way to study

The day I graduated from college was an exciting day, but I didn't feel the sense of finality because I knew that dreaded NCLEX was still ahead. I had turned in my application and all the needed paperwork to my state. My school would send my final transcript to the nursing board, the board would send me my att (authorization to test), and I could finally schedule the NCLEX. So I went off to my summer job at a camp and waited for that att. And I waited, and waited. I continued to study through the Kaplan material and take practice tests, but I wanted to spread it out and leave the long practice tests for the week or two before I took the NCLEX. As June passed and I still hasn't heard from the board I began to get nervous. More and more of my classmates had taken and passed the  NCLEX. I started calling and emailing the board of nursing for my state, and wasn't getting through to anyone. Finally, I reached someone who told me that they had received my application, but they were still waiting for my transcript. What?! My school told me they had sent it the week after graduation, so now it was lost. But, before they could send another one, the board of nursing called me back and said they had it, all was good to go! By this time it was nearly August and I was about to leave summer camp and move to a new state. So, I scheduled my NCLEX for a few weeks after my move and began to study more intensively. 

My school had used Kaplan to prepare us for the NCLEX, and while in school I started using the NCLEX RN mastery app as well. I continued using both of those resources, spreading out my Kaplan practice tests as their schedule recommended. I studied and studied to the point that I was so ready to be done.

A few weeks before the NCLEX I started panicking. My practice tests were not going well; it felt like nothing was sticking and the things I knew in nursing school felt like they were starting to fade from my memory. I talked to a friend who has taken the NCLEX earlier that summer. She encouraged me to keep going, pace myself, and reminded me that it would be over one day!

And that day came. The day before I drove to the testing center so I would know where I was going. I took some time off studying that last afternoon and relaxed. The morning of my NCLEX I gathered my thoughts, took a deep breath, and walked in. I was instructed to fill out a form and place my things (including bracelets) in a lock box. The proctor gave me earplugs and explained the test instructions.

Taking the NCLEX was kind of surreal. I distinctly remember sitting at the computer answering question after question. As time passed, I realized that I had hit the 75 question mark and was still going. That was a little disappointing, but a huge part of my testing prep had included mental encouragement. I kept telling myself "you're still in this, you can pass, the test will end." The questions continued, by the dozens. I reached 200 questions, and suddenly knew that I would be taking the entire 235 questions. And that I did. The last question I answered was fairly simple. And I walked out of the testing center convinced I had failed. I was so tired of studying. I felt like a failure. I called my mom, crying, and then went home and took a very long nap. When I woke up, I was much calmer, and ready to start studying again, if in fact I had failed. I took the weekend off and went apple picking with some friends. We barely mentioned school or nursing, we just hung out and had a great time outside.

I had paid the fee to get my unofficial results within a few days, so on that day I was ready to see my results. I happened to be at a friend's house for lunch and didn't get a chance to check the website until later in the afternoon. I went to my room, closed the door, and logged on. Another deep breath. 

I clicked on the results page and ... I had passed!!!! My immediate reaction was relief...I was done studying for the NCLEX! I ran out of my room and told my roommate who was so excited for me 

With the NCLEX behind me, I could focus on job interviews, and begin my career as an RN!