How i get my RN licence

Hello everyone!

I have been a silent follower of this group. I have read posts of success and I have read posts of failures. Both of it have been my inspiration and motivation.

I just passed my NCLEX-RN today. I took it last December 10th at 12:45pm and ended at almost 2pm. I stopped at 75 questions without any expectations that I would stop at that number because I was prepared to take the whole set just as long as I would pass. This was my 2nd attempt and thank God was my last. I myself is an international graduate from the Philippines from batch 2013. I started the journey of chasing the title of USRN in year 2015, got my evaluation a year after only to find out that I am not eligible and that I need to retake my Med Surg. It was hard to look for schools. Until I was placed on a waiting lists in few schools. After almost a year CSUSB have reached back to me, I was one of those lucky ones to be in their summer program. i finished the class and clinicals September of 2017 and did not get my ATT until January of 2018. Took my exam a month after and failed. I took the whole set in a matter of 5 hours and 30mins. I left the center defeated- and I knew I failed. I did the PVT, it was a bad pop up. So it was not a surprise anymore when I received my letter. I faced depression, left me jobless. But I had to pick myself up. I reapplied again and have gotten my ATT last June of this year.

I was all skeptical about myself facing the boards again- I kept moving my date because I was not ready yet. But then I realized that I will never be ready- that I just have to take the risk, have faith in myself and God.

Started studying August, but it was a joke. I started picking up my notes again by late September but I cannot push myself too hard to really study because I was lacking the drive. October came that I wanna take a time off to attend a live review but unfortunately they ran out of sit. So I had no choice but to study what I could. Until November came. I started freaking out because my exam was scheduled November 28th. But then Due to work, I decided to move it for the last time which was December 10. I tried to study every day. And I try to rest my mind as much as I could.

So this was my routine:

I only used Uworld, Nrsng Academy and Rachell Allen notes.

August- September I only used uworld. I studied when I remember to study. I only did 15-30 questions when I did it. And focused on the rationales, wrong or right, and take a note on my notebook to whatever I didn’t know about or that I need to master.

October- November. In October I wrote all my lab values on the mirror of my closet. Just in that way, I always see them everyday and will be retained in my head. I started reading my notes from Rachell Allen. I did it per system. Before I read my notes I did a pre test on uworld on the system that I was about to study. And after I read my notes, I will do a post test- just to gauge if I really learned something. I never moved on from a system until I get the whole deal of it. Until I get why such and such happens. And I focused as well on my weak areas. I also started using Nrsng Academy- it is a big help. I infused it with my notes. While I was watching videos and audios on Nrsng Academy I would follow it by reading my notes from Rachell allen. I tried to study every day as I have work and get out at 10pm. But I just always stick with 15-30 questions per day and focused more on the rationales. I have done 75 questions per day in some days when I know that I have mastered my system already. Because 75 questions is draining and so as well when you read the rationales.

December- i still stick with my routine. Until few days before my exam- that was the only time I started using LaCharity- the same thing- I have done it per system.

A day before my exam- I stopped studying. I told myself that I don’t have to worry. It’s just that its whatever that i could only remember on my exam. I went to church, had fun and all that.

The same night, before I went to bed, I erased all the things I have written on my mirror and said to myself that I would say goodbye to the lab values and i will only see them again on the charts of my patients at the hospital that I am going to be working at. I hid all my notes and my books. I did not worry a thing. And really told my self that it will be my last attempt.

On the day of my exam, woke up early, relax and prepared myself. I wore a scrubsuit, tidied up myself, put some makeup on, ate lite foods and drank good amount of water. Went to church, left all my worries and doubts there. Then went to the center.

I started off early. Before I got checked in I said my prayers, when I got to my chair I said my prayers again, before my official exam started I closed my eyes and said my prayers again. Then In the middle of my exam, I wrote my name on the scratch board with the BSN, USRN title and under it i wrote “this is my 2nd take and last take because I will be an RN when I finish this!” I took the exam with ease and tried to be 100% confident. I never got any ekgs, nor audios. I got 26 Satas, one drug calculation and bunch of prio. No delegations. No cardio, respi, endo topic. I had a bunch of Psych Nursing and Management.

Screen shut off at 75. I got scared. My heart was racing. But it was the feeling that I never felt the first time I took it. It was a feeling where i have said that whatever it is, I am just so glad that it’s over.

And lo and behold, I woke up early this morning with a text saying that I am already an RN.

Don’t lose hope. Don’t compare yourself to others who have passed it already or who have passed it on the first try. Don’t be discouraged to whatever hurdles you may have now.

If I could do it, you can too. Just please do it with your own pace- don’t let anything or anyone put pressure on you.

And above all, trust yourself, trust that you can do it, trust in your abilities, because you wont finished nursing school if you are not well equipped to conquer the NCLEX. And mostly have faith- have faith in what will be, have Faith in Him. Don’t second guess and doubt Him.

I worked hard for my license, i worked hard to get it, but surely I would not able to get it without HIM.

For people who have failed once, twice, thrice or how many times, don’t count it. It will not be written in the certificate of how many times you took it before you passed it and how many numbers you have gotten when you passed it. We all have our own timing. And always remember that a castle takes longer to be built and completed compare to a regular house. Your castle is still being constructed- GOOD!

And for those who are waiting to take it and scared, acknowledge the feeling but don’t dwell in it. Let go of it. Trust in yourself and trust that you can do it. And YES! Trust in Him. His plans are way better than ours.

God bless fellow future RNs!!!!

We all deserve that title and that license.