Skip to main content
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals
Menu

Mobile Main navigation

  • About
    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics
    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online
    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Irwindale
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • Online
      • BSN Online Option
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admissions & Financial Aid
    • Admissions
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Mobile Secondary Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Mobile Utility Navigation

  • Current Students
  • Prospective Students
  • Transfers
  • Military
  • Alumni
  • Partners
  • Employers

Top Utility Navigation

  • Student Portal
  • Information For
    • Current Students
    • Prospective Students
    • Transfers
    • Military
    • Alumni
    • Partners
    • Employers
  • Chat
  • 877.751.5783
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals

Main Header navigation

  • About

    About

    Chamberlain University has a 130-year history preparing extraordinary nursing graduates and healthcare professionals. 

    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics

    Academics

    Whether you're an aspiring nurse looking to launch a rewarding career, a nursing professional looking to advance your career, or a professional looking to impact public health, Chamberlain offers the degree programs, options and resources to help you succeed.

    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online

    On Campus & Online

    Interested in becoming a nurse?
    Earn your BSN at one of 23 campuses located across the country, in just 3 years

    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Irwindale
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • Online
      • BSN Online Option Clinical in WI
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admissions & Financial Aid

    Admissions & Financial Aid

    Chamberlain is committed to providing quality and accessible nursing education. Our team is with you every step of the way, providing the information you need to make the decisions that best serve you.

    • Admissions
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Secondary Header Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Featured

Chamberlain University Irwindale Campus
Chamberlain University Opens New Campus…
Kenya Beard
What is Social Mission? Find Out from…
COVID-19 VIRUS Vaccine Clinic (Chicago)
Vaccine Hesitancy and Medical…

Tags

Browse articles by category
Alumni
Campus News
Careers
Health Professions
Nursing Today
Tips for Students

Share

Blog Social Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • Home / Blog / Home / You vs. the NCLEX: 4 Strategies for Success
Home

You vs. the NCLEX: 4 Strategies for Success

February 20, 2015 by Danielle Logacho

You’ve mastered medical calculations, made it through med-surg and conquered your capstone course. Now there’s just one more thing between you and a career as a registered nurse – the NCLEX- RN®.

For a few pointers on preparing for the licensing exam, we spoke with Stacey Kinney, MSN, RN, CNE, Academic Success Specialist at Chamberlain College of Nursing. She suggested students look at the NCLEX as a challenge that requires a dedicated strategy.

“Think about preparing for the NCLEX-RN the same way you would prepare for a race, game or other athletic competition,” she said. Here are a few of her tips for success on the licensing exam.

  1. Start preparing early.

If you’re training for a marathon, you can’t expect to go from couch potato to 26.2 miles in just a week. Instead, you need to slowly build your endurance over a period of months.

The same holds true for NCLEX preparation, said Kinney. Start early. Set realistic goals for yourself. Figure out what your weaknesses are and build a study plan to address them.

While you’re building your strength, keep an eye on the clock. Work at it until you can answer NCLEX-RN-style questions in one minute or less.

Most importantly, Kinney advised, make sure you have both short-term goals and long-term goals, and reward yourself for your accomplishments along the way.

  1. Know what you’re up against.

Before a big game or match, athletes from many different sports study their opponents and even the venue so they  know what’s coming.

Kinney recommends that you take the same approach here – get to know anything and everything you can about the exam and testing environment so you can go into the NCLEX-RN with confidence.

Here are just a few examples:

  • Where is the testing center located? How long does it take to get there? Where do you park? Do a dry run so that you’re ready to go on test day.
  • Understand the ID requirements and procedures so that you won’t get flustered right before the exam. Know, for example, that test administrators won’t just ask for your driver’s license – they’ll also do a palm vein scan when you arrive and before and after you take a break.
  • Learn what you can and can’t do. For example, the following items cannot be brought into the testing room with you: purses, watches, coats, scarves, drinks, or even lip balm. You won’t be given any scratch paper. Instead, test proctors will hand you a whiteboard with a marker.

More information about the NCLEX-RN and testing environment can be found on the NCSBN website.

  1. Practice under the same conditions that you’ll be facing on the big day.

If you play basketball, you wouldn’t practice shooting at a basket that’s under regulation height. If you’re training for a marathon with a hilly course, you won’t want to train just on flat terrain.

So when you’re preparing for the NCLEX, you should also be sure to mimic exam conditions, said Kinney. That’s when getting to know all the rules and regulations (tip #2) comes in handy.

Here are a few examples of ways you can practice:

  • Get yourself a whiteboard, and get used to working out your answers on it. Don’t let yourself get in the habit of erasing your notes, however, because you won’t be allowed to do so during the exam.
  • Practice NCLEX-RN-style questions in all of the different formats that might come your way – multiple response, ordered response, fill-in-the-blank and more. Use books if you want, but make sure you also practice some questions on the computer, since that’s how you’ll be taking the exam.
  • No matter how much it helps you concentrate, don’t practice while chewing gum and listening to music – after all, both gum and headphones are prohibited.
  1. Stay healthy.

Training too hard in any sport can result in injuries, which can affect your performance. The same holds true with preparing for the NCLEX. Balance your study time with other activities. Eat right, get enough sleep and stay positive – you can do this!

What other strategies would you recommend for preparing for the NCLEX? Leave your comments in the space below.

By Danielle Logacho

More from Home

View all >
girl holding resume
5 Tips for Writing a Nursing Resume
Read more
how long is rn to bsn?
How Long is RN to BSN?
Read more
Group of Chamberlain University Nursing Students
Professional Organizations for Family Nurse Practitioners
Read more
travel nurse poses in front of new york city skyline
Chamberlain Grad is Travel Nursing on the Front Lines of…
Read more
Show more >

Request More Information

To receive the Chamberlain University Program Guide, including associated career paths, please select a program of study.

Footer Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Secondary Footer Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals

Chamberlain University
500 W. Monroe St, Suite 28
Chicago, IL 60661

Footer Menu Mobile Column 1

  • Current Students
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Alumni
  • Partners
  • Transfers
  • Military

Footer Menu Column 1

  • Campus Locations
  • Online Programs
  • Alumni
  • Military
  • Leadership

Footer Menu Column 2

  • Student Portal
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Accreditation
  • Parent Organization
  • California Disclosures

Footer Menu Column 3

  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us
  • Accessibility
  • † Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post graduate APRN certificate program at Chamberlain University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, (https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE). For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation. See accreditation and state authorization information or view a full list of program approvals by state.

    To report unresolved complaints to the Illinois Board of Higher Education visit their webpage at http://complaints.ibhe.org/ or by mail to 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333, Springfield, IL 62701-1377. View Chamberlain's complaint process.

    Chamberlain University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com
    ©2021 Chamberlain University LLC. All rights reserved.