StudyScheduleforNCLEX

23MONTHSBEFORETHEEXAM
1. BeginorganizingtextbooksandlecturenotesintoyourNCLEXstuff.
2. BeginmakingnotesaboutyourinsecureareasbasedonthefirstRNPredictorexam.
3. Plantoreviewyourweakestareafirstandlast.
4. Beginlearningtheformatandcontentoftheexam.
5. TakepracticeteststhatapproximateNCLEXliketheATIRNComprehensiveAssessment.
6. Assessyourstrengthsandweaknessesbasedonthattest.
7. Takepracticeteststhatarespecifictoyourareaofweakness.
8. Establishastudyschedulethatincludesadequatetimetoprepare,andflexibility.Your
schedulewilldependonyourperformanceonthefirstRNpredictor,howmuchtime
yourwillhave,yourclinicalexperience,andhowconfidentyourfeelaboutNCLEX.
9. Ageneralstudyscheduleis23daysperweekfor12hours.Adapttoyourpreferences
andtimeframefortakingNCLEX.
10. DecidewhetherornotyouwillwanttojoinastudygroupforNCLEXbasedonyour
learningstyleandareasofstrength/weakness.Youshouldplantoreviewanyareasof
weaknessbeforeparticipatinginastudygroup(donottotallyrelyonagroupforyour
review!)
11. DecideonstrategiestoreduceanxietybeforeNCLEX(practiceexamsonthecomputer
liketheATItestsareonestrategy).
46WEEKSBEFOREEXAM
1. Beginreviewingareasofweaknessfirstsothatyouwillhavetimetoreviewthemagain
beforeNCLEX.
2. Developandorganizeyourownnotesineachsubjectforafinalreviewjustbeforethe
exam.
3. Duringthelast34weeks,takeatleastonecomprehensivetesteachweektohelpyou
becomefamiliarwiththetypeofquestionstobeasked.
4. Afterseveralweeksofstudying,takeyouroriginalATIRNComprehensiveAssessment
onlinetoseehowwellyouaredoingnow.Ithelpstogetpositivereinforcementona
gaininknowledge!
5. BesuretopracticeATItestsforallcontentareas.
6. Balancestudyingwithtimeforsleeping,eating,exercising,socializing,andworkingdo
NOTbecomeastudyhermit!
7. Afteryourtestingsiteisconfirmed,decideifyouwillstayinahoteltodrivetothesite.
Makereservationsearlyifneeded.

ONEWEEKBEFOREEXAM

1. Beginyourfinalreviewofmaterial.
2. RetaketheATIRNComprehensiveAssessmentonlineorotherATItestsforthelast
timetoevaluateyourperformance.
3. Recitethekeyideastoyourselfandyoureadtherationaleforanswers.
4. Makesureyouhavememorizedalllabvalues,essentialformulas,calculation
equations,andimmunizationschedules.
5. Rest,eatwell,exerciseanddoNOTdwellonthetestduringnonstudytimes.
6. Makesurethatyouhaveallthedocumentsthatyouneedforadmissiontothe
exam.Ifyouhavequestions,calltheNCBoardofNursinginRaleighortheBoardof
Nursinginthestatewhereyouareseekinglicensure.

THEDAYBEFORETHEEXAM

1. Ifyoulivemorethanonehourfromthetestsite,planonstayinginahotelnearthe
sitepreferablywithinwalkingdistance.
2. Checkoutthesite;makesureyouknowhowtogetthere.Plantoarriveonehour
early.
3. Dosomethingthatyouenjoyduringthedaybeforetheexam;havearelaxingdinner
thenrelaxagainbywatchingTV,amovie,goingforawalk,oranythingthatis
pleasantandwillkeepyourmindoffoftheexam.
4. Ifyouarewithnursingschoolfriends,TRYtorefrainfromtalkingaboutthetest.
5. Ifyoufeeltheneedtoreviewnotes,dosoonceandthenputthemawayby6pm
thenightbeforethetest.
6. Getenoughsleepyouneetobebothmentallyandphysicallyalertforthenext
day.
7. Doublecheckthatyouhavetherightdocuments.

THEDAYOFTHEEXAM

1. Allowtimetohaveagoodmeal;avoidtoomuchcaffeine.Bringasnackwithyoufor
breaksorbeforethetest.Somesiteswillgiveyoualockerforyourpersonalitems.
2. Wearcomfortableclothes;layersthatcanbechangeddependingonthe
temperatureofthetestingsite.Bepreparedforextremelycoolorwarmtesting
centers.
3. Makecertainthatyouhavetherightdocumentsforadmissiontotheexam.
4. ArriveatthesiteONTIME(earlierthanyouwouldordinarily!).
ACTUALADMINISTRATIONOFEXAM

1. Closeyoureyes.Asyousitinyourexamseat,tenseallyourmuscles.Reallytryto
scrunchupasmanymusclesasyoucan.
2. Afteryouhavetensedallyourmuscles,takeadeepbreath(throughyournose)and
holditforacountoffivekeepingyourmusclestensed.
3. Afterreachingthecountoffive,simultaneouslyexhalerapidlythroughyourlipsand
quicklyletgoofyourmuscletightnessbysayingnowrelax.
4. Witheyesclosed,goaslimpinthechairasyoupossiblycan.
5. Nowwithmusclesrelaxed,takeaseconddeepbreaththroughyournose.Holdthis
breathforacoupleofseconds.Thenexhaleslowly.
6. Asyouexhale,repeatthewordcalmtoyourself.Youwillprobablyrepeatcalm
seventotentimeswhileslowlyexhaling.
7. Repeatthesestepsonceortwicetoachievegreaterrelaxation.Eachtimetakes
about30seconds.
8. Practicewiththis(oranother)stressreductiontechniqueasyouprepareforNCLEXif
youthinkitwillhelpyou.

ASYOUBEGINTHEEXAM

1. Oncetoldtobegintheexam,jotdownformulasonextrapaperPROVIDEDbythe
testcenter.
2. Developanassertiveyetrealisticattitude.Bedeterminedthatyouwilldoyourbest,
butalsoacceptthelimitsofwhatyouknowatthemoment.Useeverythingthatyou
knowtohelpyoudowell,butdontblameyourselfforwhatyoudontknow.
3. Remembertheguidelinesformultiplechoicetests.
4. Payattentiononlytothetestitself,nottothemonitors,theroom,whatyoushould
havedonetoprepare,toyourfriends,toyourcomputers,toyourspouse,etc
Justthinkaboutthetestquestioninfrontofyou!!
5. Dontletlapsesofmemoryproduceanxietyorfearlapsesarenormal,sotakea
deepbreathtogaincontrolandbecomecalmagain.Tryyellingstoptoyourself
(notoutloud).JustsayICANDOTHIS,ICANDOTHIS.
6. DoNOTletthenumberofthequestioninfluenceyourfeelingsofconfidenceabout
yourself!!
7. Atalltimes,remainconfidentinyourselfandyouwillsucceed!!!YOUCANDOIT!!!