REVIEW MATERIALS

Trust me I have so many review materials I could have my own library. The first NCLEX-RN review book that I got was the SAUNDERS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW BOOK I had this since I was in 3rd Year in College. I never used it while in school but upon reading this book while reviewing if you have time and I mean a lot of time prior to taking the exam this is a good book since its very detailed. Personally I find it very overwhelming and I am just not much of a patient reader especially if time is not on your side.

Also if you go to ALL NURSES website one of the moderators there offer like a review guide using this book. She has a 6 week program and attack in using this book as your reviewer in preparation for the exam. I think its pretty good especially if you do have no idea where to begin.

Next I also have the SAUNDERS QUESTION & ANSWER book. If you want to practice answering similar NCLEX-RN question then this is a good book since its packed with questions I think around 3,000 of them. Its a nice book since the answer is already on the right side so you do not need to scroll back and forth to look for answers. And personally I am the type of person who wants to see the answer after I take a question so this worked for me. I got a tip from a nurse in Las Vegas when I was there on how she reviewed for the NCEX-RN exam so might as well share it with you guys. So what she did was she reviewed each and every question in the book and analyzed each rationale for the answers. Its like hitting two birds in one stone since you get to be familiarized with the format of the NCLEX-RN question and at the same time improve her analyzing skills.

On a personal note this is a good review book if you feel you have good theoretical foundations since there is no point rationalizing the answers if you are clueless about the basis of the answer.

Then I also have the DAVIS’ NCLEX-RN SUCCESS book which was pretty much my favorite. It was the simplest of the 3 books that I have and I personally had the opportunity to meet the editor of the book Ms. Sally Lagerquist. The book was made in such a way that the topics were not overwhelming and the books had appendices which served as good guides. I got the opportunity to talk with her personally and she explained how the book works to me. They had appendices for diagnostic procedures so you can just look it up there and find the pages where it comes up as well as if you are a 2nd time test taker when you receive you Grade Sheet where you got low scores you can use Appendix C as guide to focus on those low areas and then find all the pages where that area content is found.

I got 2 minor books the SAUNDERS and KAPLAN NCLEX-RN Strategies for Success. If I had known before I should have just gotten one or the other since they have similar content. Basically, what these books talk about are strategies for the exam. They discuss certain topics as sample questions but basically its all about how to attack or dissect questions. Its a good read either before starting your review or a way to end your review. Its a must read before taking the NCLEX-RN exam since it gives you an idea how questions are during the test so you won’t get shocked when you take the exam.

Aside from all of this each books have review CD’s which have questions in which you can answer as practice exams.

I also took the NCSBN Learning Extension Online Review. Its a lot cheaper as compared to most online review. I find the questions similar to that of the actual exam but the lecture part of the review is too bulleted for me. Also if you can discipline yourself with just focusing your time on reviewing rather than surfing the net then this is a good review.

When I was there in the US I also took a 4 Day Course with Sally Lagerquist and it was very helpful on my part since like what I said with my previous entry it helped me to understand the American way of learning and thinking, their way in attacking questions and their point of view.

LENGTH OF STUDY

This will vary from person to person and will depend on your intensity. Its a matter of motivation and perseverance for success. It took me 2- 3 months to prepare for the exam giving myself at least 8 hours a day to review.

WAITING FOR THE RESULTS

I had my results 2 weeks after I took the exam. This will vary from person to person and the state in which you are applying. Also the mailing address you placed might be a factor too. I used a US based address so it is possible that receipt of results were faster as compared to having it mailed here in the Philippines. Depending on the state that you choose they might offer QUICK RESULTS wherein you get to know the results after 2 days.

To end this lengthy post I would just like to say that the NCLEX-RN experience will vary from person to person and you might think that the more review materials you have the better but the more important thing is you make the best out of the review materials that you have at hand. The outcome of the exam will depend on YOU not your materials. Trust me I had my fair share of mistakes when it comes to reviewing and just be honest with yourself and think if the approach you have with your review is working for you.

It was nice to be able to share this with everyone and keep those posts coming. God bless everyone!

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