Passing the NCLEX

No matter where you are in the United States, you will sit the same NCLEX exam as every other nursing student in the U.S.

Every year hundreds of thousands take this exam throughout the year, some pass it the first time around, and others have to retake it several times to make it. What makes the difference? Is there a secret to passing the NCLEX exam?

The simple answer is YES, there is a secret. It's not such a big mystery, it's actually very basic but very powerful.

The secret to passing the NCLEX is PREPARATION.

Now I'm sure you've read and heard this before, but you wonder what exactly does preparation mean? Does it mean reading numerous NCLEX review books, does it mean attending review classes, does it mean doing hundreds of practice questions, does it mean...?

Yes. It means all the above and more, and my goal is to help you start preparing and cross this seemingly insurmountable hurdle to pass this exam, and get your license to practice!

So visit this lens often for useful resources and links, study tips, and keys to understanding and answering questions. You will also find the best in NCLEX prep materials from Ebay and Amazon.

I am writing this from my own personal experience. I sat and passed the NCLEX the very first time around, with only 75 questions, and I have spent time talking to people who passed and people who failed, and will be condensing all the information I have gathered to help you beat the NCLEX and emerge successful.

1. Start preparing early - this is key!! You should start preparing from the minute you start Nursing 1


2. Know your norms like the back of your hand. Know what normal vital signs, and lab values are.


3. Try to understand, not memorize. If you memorize you will forget, but if you understand you can always piece the parts together and figure out the answer.


4. Always remember the nursing process - Assess first, then diagnosis, then planning, then implementation, then evaluation. In NCLEX questions, you will usually need to do the assessment first if it's not part of the question. If it is, then the answer is an implementation.


5. Always always remember, given the choice, that physical needs always trump psychosocial needs.


6. Pain, unless it's chest pain, is always psychosocial.


Stay tuned for more tips, and remember, you can pass this exam!

This lens is in no way affiliated to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. , and all views represented herein do not in any way represent official information from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. . You may not hold the author of this page, or the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. liable for any consequences that may arise from using the information on this page.

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