You’ve worked very hard to reach this point in your career journey. It is now time to test your knowledge and skills with a formal test, the NCLEX. This test can create a lot of stress for potential nurses, but if you plan and study efficiently, it doesn’t have to be so grueling.
Here are five study tips from nurses who have taken the test:
1. Get to know the test.
There are plenty of sample tests and practice tests. Take advantage of this fact and work through them. You’ll find it beneficial to know the way questions are formatted, the timing of each section and even the action of taking tests again.
2. Hone your test-taking skills.
You should study to know the answers but the process of test taking is also important. Learn how to efficiently work through the test, prioritize the difficult questions and choose the best answer. You might need to eliminate wrong answers first, keep your cool and know when to move on to the next question. Just as in high school and college, if you can take a test properly, you’ll be ahead of the game. You won’t need to know the answer to every question when you can eliminate wrong answers and then choose between the best options; this can help you feel confident about your final answer.
3. Don’t cram for the test.
By taking time each week to prepare for the test, you’ll be in better shape. You know what you struggle with, so focus on those subjects. Take the extra time to understand the areas that may have been unclear when you originally studied it. Cramming for such an important test is never recommended; you want to retain this knowledge not only for the test but also for your daily work as a great nurse.
4. Practice critical thinking.
A lot of your nursing career will be focused on making the best decision in a timely manner. The questions on this test will require you to choose the best option while under a time constraint.
5. Memorize information.
Make some note cards and quiz yourself on certain areas of your nursing knowledge. Focus on memorizing disease symptoms, normal lab values and drug side effects. These facts will not change, and learning them for your test will help you now as well as later on in your nursing career.
To help you even more with NCLEX tips and insights, we’ve created the Nurse Backpack app. With the app’s help, you’ll connect with others in your field, to learn how to take the test; then you’ll be ready to crush this test. To find out how it works, download our app today!
