NCLEX

I think I'll sit down and take a minute to aleviate some of the fears about the Nclex.  I want to help some of the Nursing students out who may have an unhealthy level of anxiety built up about the upcoming exam.

What are some of the things you've heard about the Nclex?  Its hard, right?  Well, yes and no. Can Joe Blow the barista at starbucks pass it?  No effing way.  Do 100% of Nursing students pass it the first time? No.  But, is it really hard? No.  Is it impossible?  No, not even close.  So, you have heard, no doubt, from friends or professors or nurses at clinicals that the Nclex is a soul crushing beast that will kill your family and shit on your dreams.  It isn't.  What the Nclex does do is target your weaknesses and focus its attention on that.  I can assure you right now of 4 things... 1. That you have taken harder tests in nursing school.  2. That you will over prepare.  3. That you will walk out terrified that you failed and 4. After you get the results and find out that you passed, you will question why you ever doubted yourself in the first place. 

There was a girl in my class, and I bet there is one just like her in yours.  She over does everything.  Overstudies, kisses way too much ass, presentations to the class are too long and make yours look like shit.  You know, that girl.  She told me that she had gone over 2,000+ Nclex prep questions and still had over 1,000 to go.  I started laughing out loud and she jsut looked at me like I had a horn growing out of my forehead.  She asked me how much I had studied and what I had done to prepare.  I said "I went to Nursing School!"  In reality I had only done one of the study modules given to me by ATI.  It was on delegation and leadership.  You know all to well that we were on the receiving end of delegation our entire time in school, so I thought I could use some brushing up.  I did this the night before the Nclex. 

I doubt I need to say this but I did pass the Nclex.  So did she, as a matter of fact.  Do you know who scored higher?  No you don't, neither do I and neither does any employer in the country.  So she spent her time before the test stressed out and overworking herself for the same result. 

For the record, I finished the Nclex, survey questions and all, in 40 minutes.

So, the lesson here is to do whatever it is that you need to do to maintain a healthy level of anxiety that is necessary to maintain focus.  Just don't over do it, you have over come far worse to reach this point.  We are Nurses, we thrive in stress, and we excel in difficulty. It is in our nature.

@MurseWisdom