How to Pass NCLEX-RN Exam
You’ll be taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN® exam) soon, right? So, you’ve been devouring every NCLEX-RN test-taking resource you could possibly find on the internet. Far different from the nursing exams you took in school, the NCLEX-RN will test your critical thinking skills as well as your knowledge of all the primary nursing concepts you learned in school to certify that you are capable of beginning a career in nursing.
Whether you’re a first-time test taker or retaking the test after 45 days of the waiting period, the preparation and test-taking tips and strategies in this resource will offer marked improvement in your exam score.
Before getting to that, however, note that here at Thenursesbrain.com, we provide both sponsored and on-site NCLEX-RN books and digital files to help test takers brush their skills and knowledge. That said, let’s jump into the article.
Invest In Resources
Enrolling in a classroom review course or buying some practice exam workbooks is an investment that will help increase your odds of acing the NCLEX-RN exam. These resources provide excellent guides on how to properly prepare for the exam and offer insights into question styles.
While working through these practice questions, don’t forget to take notes of concepts you’ll need to revisit in your subsequent study sessions. Here at the nursesbrain.com, our many NCLEX-RN practice tests are designed to support your preparation efforts.
Know Your Learning Style
If you’re an auditory learner, download some podcasts covering NCLEX exam preparations. YouTube videos can be a great alternative too. For visual learners, it might be perfect to work with symbols and pictures, flashcards, graphs, and charts while studying for the exam.
Regardless of your learning style, use mnemonic devices to learn difficult concepts. These devices help you to connect different ideas better than the use of the relatively ineffective approach of rereading and rewriting notes that many students are familiar with.
On your exam day while sitting in front of the computer screen, here are some tips on how to increase your chances of passing the test.
Read Questions Carefully
While reading any stem type of questions, paraphrase in your mind what the particular question really asks you to do. Are there any keywords in the question? Can you find any relevant information in the stem question to help inform your choice of the answer?
After considering these and similar thought-provoking questions, take a step further by asking yourself any or all of these two important questions. Is there any other option similar to my choice? Is this option I’m choosing the most complete answer?
Pro Tip: Taking exam prep tests will help familiarize you with exam content and formatting structure.
Identify Keywords
Stem or option questions having keywords such as all, always, never, every, only, no, must, except, and none should be handled with care.
Let’s say a stem question reads All of the following are responsibilities of the National Kidney Foundation except…, should be the option that fits into the roles of the organization. From the choices given, the right answer would be the option that doesn’t fit into the role of the organization. This can only be so if you consider the two keywords all and except in the question.
But in case two or more answers seem correct to you, it could mean you’ve missed something while reading the question. You may have to read the question again.
Make Educated Guesses
You’ll no doubt come across questions you are not familiar with. Such questions shouldn’t be skipped or poorly answered. Instead, make an informed decision by applying any of the tips below.
- Try to express in your own words two answers you’re considering. Settle for the option that answers best the question being asked.
- Eliminate clearly incorrect options, including paraphrased duplicate answers.
- Rule out answers that clearly don’t respond to the question asked.
Final Words
Although it may be hard to pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse exam, proper preparation and employing the right test-taking skills will help boost your scores.
If you’re looking for professional help, we invite you to check out our collection of NCLEX-RN practice tests that many students have found extremely useful.
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