The NCLEX is not just any old test. It is a slightly modified version of the Nurse Practitioner Examination (NP), which can only be taken by those who have at least one year experience as a professional nurse. The NCEA is an extended version of the NPE, and the NP, in turn, is a modified version of the ACGME’s standards.
Basically, there are two types of schools that offer medical studies. Most courses are designed for nurses with less than three years experience. Schools that are accredited by a national organization that oversees the registration of all qualified medical practitioners across the country.
Unfortunately, they do not register you for the NCLEX because you need three years to take the exam and because there are many different versions of the NCLEX. If you take the one in your home state, the only thing that changes is the area code, but if you take it elsewhere, you could get a more comprehensive test.
People worry that if they choose to take the exam online, then they could get less feedback than if they take the actual exam. You need to understand that you are given a self paced test and that the answers will all be provided right there on the screen and your failure rate will also be displayed.
What you do need to do is identify what you need to study for and work on in terms of learning medical terminology and body movements. Of course, you will be doing a lot of clinical and interactive exercises and it helps to be familiar with the types of questions that will appear on the NCLEX.
It is a good idea to ask around for advice on what tests to take and on where to take them. You may need to make yourself part of a study group before you even sit for the actual exam so that you can discuss and brainstorm on the topics you need to be familiar with.
When I first looked into taking the NCLEX, I was worried that the Prince2 Exam would be a lot harder than the actual NPE. What I didn’t know was that the “Prince” part of the name stands for Practitioner; this is an extension of the phrase “practicing nurse”. The “2” is because of the abbreviation of the number of years that you need to practice in order to pass the exam.
Taking a class with other students who are taking the same exam together can be very helpful, and joining a study group is even better. If you are taking the test online, then you might want to join a message board where other people have taken the test in the past.
By talking to them and discussing the information they shared, you will be able to identify areas that you are weak on and you can begin to work on those areas immediately. Hopefully, the tips and tricks you find online will help you pass the test much quicker.
We sometimes hear horror stories about people who couldn’t even take nursing exams, but I always tell them that if they had studied more when they were a student, they could have passed the Prince2 Exam. Studying is something that we need to do every day of our lives, but it is much more important to do when taking the exams that get us ready for nursing school.
However, many people will never take the Prince2 Exam because they think that it is too difficult or they are afraid of failing. With some practice and a good study guide, you should be able to succeed!
