NCLEX TEST PLAN; Materials Needed

- Kaplan NCLEX Prep Plus (if taking PN – get PN version; if taking RN – get RN version)
Any year from 2016 – 2019 is appropriate
Test plans are relative for 3 years & 2019 is the last year of the test plan before NCSBN revises the plan and
makes changes to test questions; (basically – do not fear changes to your NCLEX from your previous attempt)

Best deal for Kaplan NCLEX Prep Plus RN 2018

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Best deal for Kaplan NCLEX Prep Plus PN 2018 (cheapest I could find)

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- Hargrove: Prioritization, Delegation and Management of Care for NCLEX

Best deal for Hargrove

https://www.valorebooks.com/textbooks/prioritization-delegation-and-management-of-care-for-the-nclexrn-
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- Lipincott: Alternative Type Questions; SATA (optional)

I only did first 30 questions from this book and felt like the first 2 books really gave me all I needed for the exam
I was also feeling rather weary about SATA too and the first 2 books honestly gave me what I need. BUT, if you
want to practice SATA questions, I will post link to purchase book below

Best deal for Lipincott: Alternate Format Questions; SATA

For RN

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/lippincott-nclex-rn-alternate-format-questions_diana-l-
rupert/13363173/?utm_term=1101002864447&mkwid=gmHeRCpH%7cdc&pcrid=11558858497&utm_campaign=Bing+Shopping+%
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For LPN

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/lippincotts-nclex-pn-alternate-format-questions_diana-l-
rupert/9807209/?utm_term=1101002864447&mkwid=gmHeRCpH%7cdc&pcrid=11558858497&utm_campaign=Bing+Shopping+%7c
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- Thin Markers
- 5 packs of 3X5 index cards; 2 packs of large index cards; 4X6
I went through so many, you’ll end up writing everything on notecards that you run out very quickly; save
yourself the grocery store trip for these in the midst of your studies, running out and having to drive to grab
more is such a buzzkill to your NCLEX studies focus; been there, done that, you’ve been warned! LOL
Large 4X6 index cards should be used for more complex content
- Rubber-bands or Sandwich bags (to organize your colored index cards)
- An essential oil of your liking that helps you focus.
 Pick one and stick with this smell from start to finish of your NCLEX preparation.
Every time you study, either have this essential oil around you or on you while you study.
After 1 week, you will start to notice how quickly the essential oil smell will associate with your NCLEX study
preparation.
I used palo santos. It is a very grounding and earthy smell that helps you keep centered. Put oil of your choosing
on when you sit for your exam as well.
If you’d like to try palo santos, I am attaching the link below.
https://www.planttherapy.com/palo-santo-essential-
oil?v=1862&msclkid=dc1913007a031739731e4e3e2a47a652&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_camp
aign=CPCS%20-%20BR%20Shopping%20-
%20Desktop&utm_term=4574999165564676&utm_content=BR%20Desktop

Materials Needed for your NCLEX Preparation Mindset (VERY crucial to have your
mindset in the receiving mode; will touch more on this later)

- On 2 4X6 Notecards, Make yourself a badge. Hang it in your bathroom mirror and on your bedroom
mirror.
Your badge should write, YOUR FIRST & LAST NAME and your credentials. I’ll use mine for example, big red
letters reading, “Faline Salisburg, RN”.
At this point, it is crucial to get yourself really feeling like a nurse. Upon waking and anytime you are in the
bathroom, you will look at this and read it and this will train your brain to start feeling like a nurse, knowing you
will have the credentials, just as they say on your mirrors, in just a short while.
- 4-5 4X6 Notecards, prewritten before diving into your studies & should sit at your study station
every time you sit down to study
Should read  Congratulations! You are a Registered Nurse. You have passed your NCLEX 2019 on (insert your
scheduled test date)
- Make a note card or 2 of positive things to say out loud when feeling un-inspired, un-focused, un-
motivated.
One must know that these are all normal feelings and thoughts. Do not get upset with yourself for having them.
Negative thoughts are normal just as positive thoughts are. BUT….
One must know to STOP these thoughts when becoming aware of them.
How to effectively do this  I would like you to write these phrases down, to be kept at your study station and
say them out loud whenever needed.
From experience, it takes 1 full hour to consistently read these phrases out loud over and over again in order to
notice the energy shift of your thoughts and feelings to allow you to drop negative self-talk and be able to
comfortably start studying without a negative attitude. (I will post phrases to be written on notecard
underneath)
If at any point through your studying, you start to notice yourself getting; angry, sad, upset, all the negative
feelings, I want you to STOP what you are doing, say to yourself, “I am stepping away for a much needed mental
break. This is a healthy and normal thing to do during my preparation.” And then go about whatever it is that
allows you to center yourself (meditation, stretching, yoga, a short walk, eating, etc.) and when ready, get back
to your studies. You will notice a lighter attitude about your studies after taking a much-needed mental break.

Phrases to Write on Your Notecards prior to Your NCLEX Preparation (to be kept at study station)
“I have faith in the universe that the universe will always deliver what I need”

“I know that all is positive, no matter the circumstance.”

“I have unlimited power to manifest everything and anything I desire”

When feeling anxious, nervous, sad, angry. STOP and breathe. Say out loud, “I know ALL is well”

“The universe allows me to let go of all my worries, anger, guilt, regret, despair,etc.”
“Universe, I give my worries to you because these thoughts and feelings no longer serve my highest good.”

“I have the power to know the truth about what is possible. I know the universe will deliver when I back off and let go and let the
universe do its work.”

“I know that everything I need is coming”

“My work is to relax and have trust and faith in the universe.”

“I allow life to flow.”

Studying Phrases to Write on Your Notecards prior to Your NCLEX Preparation (to be kept at study station)
“I always make sure I follow my test plan until the end.”

“I know that I love learning and seeing my progress.”

“I am worthy of success.”

“I always know how to get everything done in a timely manner.”

“I am great at preparing for exams.”

“When I approach a challenging question, in any form – I am confident I can figure out the correct answer.”

“I celebrate challenging questions.”

“I ignore distractions.”

“I always focus on my studies.”

“I am relaxed and confident during exams.”

“I enjoy the challenge of a tough exam.”

“I recall information quickly.”

“I thrive under pressure.”

“Taking tests is enjoyable for me.”

“My memory is sharp.”

“I pass practice exams and state exams easily.”

CATEGORIES & COLOR

Cardiac material you may come across in Kaplan book as well as cardiac meds  RED

Psychiatric and psychiatric meds  PURPLE

Maternity/Newborn/Peds and any meds associated with maternal newborn and peds  GREEN

Most other meds  ORANGE

Legal/Management/Collaborative  NAVY

Disorders/Procedures/Operations  YELLOW

Vocabulary words  PINK

-Info like: crutch walking, positions of the NCLEX, traction, diets, words like extravasation, Somogyi effect, chorea; words
and topics of this nature should be highlighted in pink.

Rules for the NCLEX  LIGHT BLUE

 -Info like: A question involving the charge nurse means; he/she only has 1 patient or 0 patients that day and is doing
mostly administrative work, taking care of problem patients; example  angry family members about their loved ones care.

-Info like: If you see question about, “what to do 1st and putting options in order, it will always have “notify charge nurse
or supervisor” as the last thing to do unless it involves notifying the person about a case of suspected child abuse. Just consider
that the supervisor is home asleep and not on duty on your shift now.

NCLEX TEST PLAN

(In order, how you should go about your studies with your materials.)
After preparing your study space and you have all your essential items in the materials needed list, you may begin preparation.

Kaplan book
*****************************Many Kaplan questions are possible questions for NCLEX. Think SAFETY when answering NCLEX
questions. Use only info in answer and don’t add anything to it.****************

Confidence should improve as you progress in your knowledge base with the index cards and study sheets

Practicing questions
MAIN thing – go over each of the questions in each chapter in the colored rectangles, using this method.

1. Read question SLOWLY

2. Picture patient in front of you.You are the RN for this patient. What are you going to do for this patient as far as safety
and well-being?
3. Consider each answer, one at a time, saying/writing maybe or no for each answer option.
4. When you rate all of the answers, go back over the maybes and choose one based on, what is the nclex asking me? And
what is the safest and best thing to do?

NCLEX mostly focuses on hospital based nursing and home care nursing.

KAPLAN BOOK continued…

1-2 chapters/week (this includes all readings and notecards of unfamiliar content) And at the end of the week, after
reading and making your notecards, THEN go to the end of the chapter and take the 25 – 30 question quizzes. Do not add
extra info into the questions or answer options. Take these question sets like a practice exam. After finishing, take your
score and immediately do the rationales after taking the exam and make appropriate notecards in specific related
category color. You want to quickly gauge where you went wrong. It becomes harder to do rationales when you wait to
do them.
Repeat this process until you have reached the end of the chapters.
When all chapters are done, proceed to taking the practice exam at the end of the book. You will want to take this exam
in increments of 20 questions. When reach Kaplan practice test, take test in 20 question increments. Stand up and take a
break after each set of 20 questions and do the rationales for them when returning from break and do the next 20
questions, and so on.
This is totally fine, I took 5-6 breaks during my NCLEX, I blamed it on a lot of water throughout the day prior to sitting for
my exam, but I really needed to just head to the bathroom and meditate to re-center myself every time I felt myself
trying to huff and puff.)
When you get back from your break, do the rationales for the 20 questions you just did. Then proceed to the next 20
questions and repeat the process until the practice exam is finished.
Estimate 10 points lower to equal NCLEX score.
Only need a 57% to pass. Each question should take you about 3 minutes.
GOAL – take 75-85 questions in 4 hours on NCLEX. (I didn’t look at my time on NCLEX, took 93 questions in 5.5 hours,
took breaks when I felt my mind trying to “just get it over with.”)

Kaplan book continued…

From beginning to end, read and underline anything you don’t know. Read each chapter thoroughly, make note cards on any
word mentioned either in the chapters, the questions or any words in any of the 4 – 6 answer options available that you do not
know. (Even if it is not the answer. If the option has something unfamiliar, its possible content for NCLEX. Learn about it!) Do not
go searching 2 to 3 different books for this info. This is a waste of time. Type the content you don’t know into google, followed by,
“for NCLEX.” And proceed to writing an index card about that topic. Sarahregisteredrn.com has great videos if you are really
stumped. This takes a little getting used to. You just want to be familiar with it. You do not have to go over - board on everything.
THIS IS NOT NURSING SCHOOL. Pick out most important info for NCLEX related to that topic on your index card in that specific
color. Specific colors for each category are listed above this NCLEX PLAN.

In the first few chapters – you will feel like you are reading instructions made by your nursing instructors. This part gets
you back in the real feel of learning material, critically thinking and dissecting the questions. Question type examples are
given here in the first couple chapters. Do each of these and read what the authors have to say about dissecting the
questions and the question types. This is really going to give you the foundational feel to jumpstart your NCLEX Prep.
Skipping this will not allow you to feel as confident to start on the client needs chapters after this section. My advice. If
you want to pass. DO THIS SECTION ATTENTIVELY and THOROUGHLY.
Each index card should be highlighted in that specific color for that specific category.
You will notice that the majority of your time is being spent on notecards. This is okay. DOING MORE QUESTIONS WILL
NOT HELP YOU PASS NCLEX. (My last set of questions I did was 2 weeks before the exam.)

STUDYGUIDES
I will be sending over studyguides to your email.

Along with the 1-2 chapters/week in Kaplan, you should be reading and learning 2 studyguides/week.
Print these out, read and highlight, making notecards on information you don’t know in specific color.
After you have finished Kaplan book, learn Peds Hargrove Studyguide last before starting Hargrove book as this
studyguide will help you in answering Peds Hargrove questions.

After Studyguides & Kaplan finished – move onto HARGROVE QUESTION BOOK
Hargrove questions can take 2min/question because there is less tricky wording.
Start with Peds chapter and do all 70 questions (only after doing Peds Hargrove studyguide) – do Peds section in 20
question increments.
Then do comprehensive exam in the back of the book (take this in 20Q increments, do rationales, break, come back and
start on the second set of 20 questions and repeat this process until comprehensive exam is finished.
After you have finished the comprehensive exam and have done all of the rationales for the comp. exam, start at
beginning of Hargrove book and do 15-20 questions in each chapter.
These questions are in disease processes categories, not client needs like that of Kaplan
After you have finished all chapters of Hargrove, compare scores of each chapter.
Any chapter you scored less than 60% in, read the rationales over again in that specific chapter and do another 15-20
questions of that chapter. Example, I scored 55% in respiratory, read all the rationales over again for the first 15-20
questions you did and then start at question 21 and do another set of 15 – 20 questions.

Then, Go back to Kaplan book and start from beginning, going over all questions
you got wrong and understand why you got them wrong and why the answer is
correct.
Finally, Go back to Hargrove and go over all questions you got wrong and
understand why you got them wrong and why the answer is correct.
You do not need to do extra questions after doing this last piece in your preparation. At this point, you should understand that if
you take your time, you are going to pass NCLEX with this plan. Do NOT worry about the time on your testing screen. Even if you
are at question 30 and you are at 2.5 hours, so be it. Just focus on what the question is asking. I had a lot of incorrect statement
questions, (what statement shows the patient needs more information?) this type of stuff, PAY ATTENTION TO WORDING. What
happens is students see they have a 6 hour lot of time and they panic. So, they then start to rush, missing little words that can
change the whole direction of the question and because you missed the tone of the question, although you thought you knew
that answer, your next question just got easier. You don’t want that. You want to be confident throughout your whole entire test.
So long as you always keep, I should be at around 75 questions in 4 hours in your mind while testing, you will remember time is
not going to need to be a worry for you. NCLEX is made for you to pass in 75 questions. Another thing to keep in mind during your
NCLEX exam, is that no matter what, if you come across a question you are unfamiliar with (which with this plan, I didn’t come
across that one bit) but in the event that you do, just always say, okay what is the safest and best thing I could do for my patient
right now. Another thing I did was I said a story for each question on the exam. Example, instead of The nurse just took report,
who should she/he see first, I turned it into, okay, I just walked into work, just received report, what patient is a concern to me?
Which one do I need to see first? Make every question into a story like that and you will have a whole new attitude for answering
the questions. It no longer becomes the nurse, but it becomes about you and what you would do for that patient. I also used a
good 10 dry erase boards and 2 markers during my exam. I wrote on every one of them, “All is well.” “All is positive.” This helped
me keep positive during the exam. Another reason I went through so many is because as I had mentioned earlier, you should be
saying, no and maybe to all of your options. You should be thinking true or false for each option, individually, for each SATA
question and writing 1. 2. 3. 4. On your whiteboard with no, maybe next to each or if its an SATA question, writing true or false.
Have caution for negative options in these questions as well. These are very easy to mess up but only because students rush. So
long as you MAKE SURE YOU SLOWWWWWW DOWN AND READ WHAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING, you will pass NCLEX.

Overall, this plan really depends on you and your outside of studies personal life obligations.

Ideally, this plan should take approximately 8-10 weeks. The amount of preparation is also dependent on how much content you
need to write out on notecards as well. For me, this plan took 8-10 weeks and it was HIGHLY effective.

What makes it take 8-10 weeks?

 Kaplan book; I believe 14 chapters, 14th being the practice exam. 2 chapters/week + 2 studyguides/week – approximately
5 weeks this should take you; 1st couple chapters are appropriate for 1 weeks time frame prior to getting to the client
needs chapters.
 Hargrove should take about 2 weeks to do.
 Go over missed questions in Kaplan and in Hargrove to discern from a pattern of type of questions getting wrong or if the
issue is content. – VERY BENEFICIAL.
 In your last 3 weeks before your exam – you should be factoring in mastery of your notecards, placing them in a
mastered box.
 When getting closer to test date, start going over 2 color notecards/week. 1 color in the AM, 2nd color in the PM. In 1
week – you will have mastered these 2 colored stacks of notecards in your long-term memory. Place these in your
MASTERED BOX.
 Each day – separate out cards you have mastered.
 Should master all in 3 weeks - This is if you put reviewing your notecards on hold during your preparation and just spent
time making them and not reviewing them throughout your prep. This is what I did. Reviewing notecards as I was still
actively making them was a multi tasking factor I couldn’t get a handle on. So, the mastery of the cards was my last
preparation piece.

Most important thing to do – go over index cards, study sheets and Kaplan test questions you got wrong.

All you need to pass – master these 2 books, go over index cards, go over study sheets

Go through Kaplan questions you got wrong, over and over again and understand why you got the question wrong and why the
answer given, is the correct answer. Go over all study sheets in detail, SLOWLY, Underlining in correct color. Pay attention to
incorrect statements.

VERY rarely does an RN need to take VS or draw labs in situations portrayed in NCLEX.

Pts in NCLEX almost always need RN to do something for them due to situation presented.
EXAMPLES

- Patient turning blue and wheezing needs you to help him do something (helping him do pursed lip breathing, NOT listen
to breath sounds.)
- Diabetic patient who’s diaphoretic and confused – Needs milk which contains simple sugar, protein, carbs; does NOT
need his urine checked for ketones or glucose.) ……………………….see the pattern here!?

SOME NCLEX RULES TIDBITS OF INFO

Monitor Bp – rarely correct nclex option. Nclex wants to know what YOU WILL DO for patient as an RN.

When patient is in distress – don’t assess; DO SOMETHING (meaning – taking bp, checking labs – rarely right answer on NCLEX.)

May be helpful to draw pictures for each answer. If still in the game at 100 or so Q on NCLEX – GO MORE SLOWLY. NOT FASTER.

Study sheets – VERY important to study and understand.

Key to success – study sheets, notecards, going over all question concepts, unfamiliar words in Kaplan, going
over rationales and wrong questions in Hargrove.