Top 10 Tips to Prepare Yourself on the Day of the NCLEX The National Certification License Examination, or NCLEX, is a standardized exam that each state board of nursing uses to determine if a candidate is prepared to practice nursing. This certification is necessary for those who have recently graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) and looking to put their skills to good use. Since nursing is a highly regulated and structured profession, it is impossible to practice it without holding a certification or license of some sort. The NCLEX is your ticket to practicing nursing anywhere in the nation. It is a rigorous and difficult exam but after successfully passing it, you can then practice nursing and make your career dreams come true. After months and months of preparing, the day of the exam has finally arrived. It is now or never and you need to make all the hard work, sleepless nights, and hours of endless studying count. You do not want to get nervous on the day of the exam. It is paramount to maintain composure hours before the exam. Everybody thinks that the most important thing is the exam itself. However, it’s arguable that the moments leading up the exam are just as important. A bad morning can seriously ruin your chances of scoring well on the exam. Preparation is just as important as execution. We have compiled a list of important tips potential nurses can follow on the day of their exam to guarantee that everything goes just as planned. 1. While it may not be exactly on the exam day, the night before the exam is significant. A bad night of sleep can ruin the following day, so make sure you get a good sleep the night before. Sleep earlier than you normally would. Many recommend getting a proper 8 hours of sleep. Going to bed at 11 PM and waking up at 7 AM is a good way to set things up if this works with your schedule. That way, you still have time in the morning to take care of any last minute issues and make any revision if you need to. While we are not against waking up at 6AM or earlier, waking up too early without ample rest can have negative effects on your mental health, so there may not be a need to wake up before the sun rises. 2. Have everything organized before the morning of the exam. You will save a ton of time and use it to do other things in the morning. Put your keys on the table by the door so that you do not waste time looking for them. Have your outfit for the day already arranged in your closet so that you know exactly what to pick out and wear. Place your shoes by the door so you only need to slip them on when walking out.
3. Have your breakfast semi-prepared the night before. Preparing pancakes the morning of the exam can take a bit of time. Have the batter ready the night before so that you only need to heat up the pan and fry the batter in the morning. 4. Or, have a quick breakfast. If you decide not to have pancakes, French toast, or anything else that takes time, then you can always go for a quick choice of cereal and fruits. Rather than preparing a hearty breakfast the night before, you can simply go for a quick and healthy breakfast. You can never go wrong with fruits and cereal. 5. Take a nice, long shower in the morning. After sleeping for a good 8 hours, you need to kick start your day with a refreshing shower. Massaging your scalp in the shower will get your brain running at top performance. Letting your body be soaked by water will jolt your senses and energize your body and mind for the entire day. 6. Meditate. It works wonders. Inhaling and exhaling slowly while blocking everything out of your mind is a good way to start the exam day, especially an important one like the NCLEX. Thinking happy thoughts and ridding yourself of all negative energies has immense psychological effects that will boost your exam performance. 7. Make sure to have your exam ID in your folder. The details in your exam ID must match those in the Authorization to Test (ATT) email. 8. Wear something that you feel comfortable in. The exam lasts about 6 hours. That is a very long time to be sitting down with short breaks in between sections. Try not to wear something too tight as you will be sitting down for several hours. Test it out the day before and see what suits you best. 9. Studies have shown that on the exam day, the best thing you can do is not revise at all. Many people study even on the day of the exam, but that only adds more stress and anxiety. You have been doing that for a long time already. On this one day, you can take a breather and not look at any of your reading materials. 10. Make sure to arrive at the exam venue ahead of time. Not on time, but at least 20 minutes ahead. Getting accustomed to the environment will do you wonders for your mindset and put you at ease. Taking care of all the formalities before the exam begins means that you can relax for a bit before the exam starts.
Following these tips will surely help you on the day of the National Certification License Examination. If you follow these tips, you will raise your confidence and boost your spirits. Ultimately, you will perform better in the exam and attain a high score. If you’ve already taken the exam to become a nurse, what advice would you offer? Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter