Do you think you’ve prepared enough for the NCLEX test?
Well, the answer is not easy when it comes to the NCLEX. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has made the NCLEX exam more difficult than it already is. You’ll need to start choosing the best NCLEX review courses to prepare for it. You might have failed the first time you took the exam and want to redeem yourself. Or you might want to pass the test the very first time you take it. It really doesn’t matter. What matters is you’ve enrolled in the best NCLEX review course.
The main goal of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing is to ensure that the nurses who pass the NCLEX are capable to effectively do their job. Nurses deal with saving and preserving the lives of their patient. For this reason, you can expect the NCLEX test to be very difficult than the exams in college.
While the NCLEX undoubtedly has a very high level of difficulty, it is not impossible to pass it. In fact, you can pass it with flying colors if you have an effective NCLEX study plan.
It doesn’t matter whether you take a classroom NCLEX-PN/RN review program or an online one. Either of these should target three important areas. This will help strengthen important abilities that a test taker should have.
1. Content – this will serve as your primary weapon in attacking the NCLEX-PN test. The scope of content is dependent on the test. It could either be broad or narrow. If you’ve read content for the test, you’re better prepared to take it.
2. Critical Thinking – Critical thinking is crucial for answering questions where knowing the content is of no great help and your understanding and perception of the question itself, will be all that will matter. It will help you to make a calculated correct answer.
3. Test-taking – Most test takers feel test anxiety. What can be done about it? Practice as many questions as possible, give simulated tests such that you learn to battle the anxiety. It is true that you can’t avoid feeling anxious about the NCLEX exam……but you can control the level of anxiety you’re feeling. The best NCLEX review courses offer strategies to keep your test anxiety under control.
Apart from all that we’ve mentioned, you must not forget that : Memorising information is not the key to passing the NCLEX test. The best NCLEX study program will give you the opportunity to exercise your critical thinking.
It should offer NCLEX study questions simulating real scenarios in a medical institution. Consequently, this will help you to answer questions as if you were facing a real medical situation.
In light of what we have mentioned, we will review the HURST REVIEW PROGRAM!
Hurst Review Program claims, to provide “All you need to pass the NCLEX!”
First of all you should know that, Marlene Hurst (MSc Nursing) is the founder of this program. She has been an efficient instructor in various nursing schools. Owing to her rich experience of teaching in various nursing schools and also a nursing practitioner, she developed workshops and trained students for NCLEX and later devised this comprehensive review program.
HURST’s NCLEX PASSING STRATEGY focuses on the right content, which may help you through. The mode of instruction at Hurst’s review programme is known for simplifying the complexity of the nursing content while also giving a chance to understand the practical application of what you learn. Most of the students have reported the lectures to be very engaging and interesting. So, you might not feel bored and grasp the facts really well.
In a nutshell,HURST REVIEW will provide:
- Comprehensive yet targeted study of the nursing content (from an engaging and lively speaker)
- More than 1,000 skill-building NCLEX-style questions with complete answers and rationales behind them
- Learn strategies to answer tricky questions and save your time (develop clinical judgement)
What makes Hurst different?
“If you are from among those people who cannot easily cram or remember heavy nursing books. If you dread those thick books lying on your table, Hurst will help you, cut down all the unnecessay stuff and deliver to you as they claim, ONLY what is necessary!” It is a highly organised NCLEX study program will help you allocate enough time to review all the topics covered in the exam. Saves your TIME.
Hurst mainly offers three different types of programmes:
1. HURST LIVE
It is a classroom program, where you will learn in an engaging and energetic environment. Lectures will be delivered by highly trained personnel. Apart from what you gain in class, it will give a 9 months access to online account from where you can access various resources like:
- Hurst’s powerful Q Review practice platform
- Specialty Area Lectures
- Resource Documents and e-Books (Pharmacology, Infection Control and more)
- The program entitles you to avail, for practice over 1000 NCLEX style questions for practice. They also provide online support and guidance.
- Hurst provides money back guarantee (if you fail) with certain conditions that you will come to know when you register with them. Apart from redeeming your money, a student may also have a choice to enrol for free in a 45 day remedial course where he/she can brush up his knowledge and skills to be prepared to beat the NCLEX again.
2. HURST NOW
Hurst NOW will provide the same review experience as Hurst Live. with the difference that it is self-paced and can be completed as your schedule may allow. Hurst Now® is available online anytime via streaming videos of Hurst’s NCLEX® expert faculty. The benefits that you will avail will remain the same.Lectures will be delivered by highly trained personnel in class will be accessible to you as per your convenience.. This one also allows a 9 months access to an online account from where you can access various resources like:
- Hurst’s powerful Q Review practice platform
- Specialty Area Lectures
- Resource Documents and e-Books (Pharmacology, Infection Control and more)
- Student workbook, that you will get at the time of enrolment, to aid you in study.
- It entitles you to avail, for practice over 1000 NCLEX style questions for practice. They also provide online support and guidance.
- This program is also covered by money back guarantee (if you fail) with certain conditions that you will come to know when you register with them. Apart from redeeming your money, a student may also have a choice to enrol for free in a 45 day remedial course where he/she can brush up his knowledge and skills to be prepared to beat the NCLEX again.
3. HURST N STREAM
This one will allow you to attend LIVE lectures while being at home. It will give you the feel of the class, access to all queries that are put up by students in the class, and a fascination real lecture delivery at the comfort of your home. You will have to invest five hours daily to learn and understand the CONTENT well, via the live lectures.
- Other facilities that you will avail, will be the same as they offer in other programs:
- Round the clock online account access which will help you to focus on Specialty Area Lectures, access the Question Review practice platform and avail Resource Documents and e-Books (Pharmacology, Infection Control and more). You can also participate in quizzes which will you boost confidence.
- 1000+ practice questions immediately available with registration
- NurseCoach online guidance and technical support
- It is also covered by money back guarantee (if you fail) with certain conditions that you will come to know when you register with them. Apart from redeeming your money, a student may also have a choice to enrol for free in a 45 day remedial course where he/she can brush up his knowledge and skills to be prepared to beat the NCLEX again.
The flip side of HURST!
Most of the students who have benefited from HURST NCLEX review are those who were weak in their content, and needed a better approach to study as well as understand the entire syllabus, since this is the first step towards success. Needless to say, that the story does not end here. Despite being sound in content, why do people still fail the NCLEX exam?
Coming back to our very prime concern that, has NCLEX been designed to test ONLY your nursing knowledge? and the answer is a big NO!
You should know, how to apply that knowledge. NCLEX demands a trained mind that has deevloped cricical thinking sklls, and has sound clinical decision making power is also necessary. NCLEX makes you face quite a variety of questions, each demanding a differnt approach and way of thinking. So, it might happen that you may lack in this aspect when it comes to the HURST review program.
Though students have praised them for their organised content, at the same time there are others who have found it repetitive and also their teaching strategy not effective enough to control anxiety.
Money is also a concern, since Hurst is not affordable for many many students and it is genuine for them finding it to be expensive! Hurst Live and Hurst N stream cost 399$ each, while enrolling in Hurst Now will charge you for 325$ and that is quite a bit of money!
Bottomline: Hurst is not for you if you have been a good performer in your nursing school, and have good knowledge of your syllabus!
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you’re looking for an NCLEX review program that not only provides you with updated and sound content, but helps you build the ability to think confidently, train you to analyse questions by making you acquainted with case studies, practical scenarios and simulation tests; we recommend Brilliant Nurse, which offer a variety of courses for RN as well as PN aspirants. Check out the links below:
Extended (3 month access) NCLEX-PNÆ Test Prep Track
Extended (3 month access) NCLEX-RNÆ Test Prep Track
Why do we recommend Brilliant Nurse NCLEX review program?
If you have analysed the NCLEX questions then you must be knowing…..What lies at the heart of the problem!
It is true that you’ll learn a lot in nursing school…..But you are bound to learn much more in an NCLEX review course! There’s a fine line separating the two. In nursing school, you’ll acquire theoretical knowledge and gain nursing practical experience.
In NCLEX review courses, you’ll get to test just how much knowledge you acquired in nursing school.
Be it NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, you actually need an overall approach for passing the NCLEX that not only focuses on content, but application too. The review course should make you aware of the different types of questions and train you to handle them. Each question is unlocked with a different strategy and that’s what Brilliant Nurse will help you master, along with not neglecting the other aspects of NCLEX exam.
In a sentence, we can say that Brilliant Nurse Review is a comprehensive, fully fortified and affordable approach, where you have to add in only one thing and that is your hard work !
Prime Features:
1. UPDATED AND SOUND CONTENT:
They provide, content based on the updated syllabus keeping view of the present requirements. The content is organised nad delivered in an innovative way. They also cover a wide array of topics, to keep you adept and updated with the most needed information on various facets of nursing that you have no chance to regret later. ‘No need to keep hunting in journals, magazines and websites to keep yourself updated on latest changes and developments…’ With minimal time wastage you will get all relevant information at one place.
You can study smartly using the most popular and recommended nursing books, but in the most simplified way. This programme is also used by private institutions and centres that want to help their students or colleagues to be well prepared to take up tests of standardisation for nursing.
The content has also been made innovative by converting it into a video lectures format. The videos not only deliver relevant content but also explain how to study and apply the information being provided.
2. DEVELOP BOTH CRITICAL AND CLINICAL THINKING:
NCLEX, comprises of a wide array of questions. It tests your all round abilities. There is no single approach to answering such a variety of questions. This program does not provide you any pre set algorithm or set of rules that you need to follow, to solve questions and reach the right conclusion, instead it prepares your thniking and develops in you the confidence to handle any new and question yourself.’
They focus on providing you questions based on practical situations, various case studies, situation based discussions, making you learn how a clinical situation unfolds, and collaborative learning that will make you ready to handle questions yourself. This course does not impose on you a set of rules, rather leaves you free to think being guided by your previously learnt knowledeg and practice, not leaving you confused and boggled in the midst of the test.
3. ACCESS TO CONTENT VIA MOBILE:
To save your time, and help you study as week as take tests while commuting, tehy provide tis facility too.
4. STUDENT SUPPORT:
This class includes round the clock student support in addition to opportunities for regular interaction with teachers. The faculty is supportive and accessible. They help you break down questions that you find tough. They have also allotted weekly 75-minute sessions of student and teacher interaction during which students can request advice and information to help them prepare for the NCLEX exam.
5. PRACTICE:
All programs provide passing guarantee, over 2000 practice questions, and track your progress, and keep you updated about it, ensuring you try to fill in the gaps.
6. AFFORDABLE:
NCLEX is difficult, but that does not mean you need to empty your wallet completely. They have a monthly plan (at $75) per month, the best part being you can cancel anytime! The 3 months program costs 175$ and the 6 months program is for 275$ only.
Brilliant Nurse provides an NCLEX crash course for a price as low as you would like to give, (which means ALMOST FREE) that will address all your queries , as to how to get started and much more than that. It will simplify things for you, boost your confidence and help to build courage to take up the right approach for the exam. So, if you trust them take the complete test prep plan and pass with flying colours!
Brilliant Nurse takes care to sort out and break every question such that you may first understand the type of the question and its demand, then you can answer it correctly.
‘ A glimpse of how, every type of question (in NCLEX) needs to be answered with a different approach.’
- Multiple choice questions: have only one correct answer
- Multiple response questions: Have more than one correct answer (probably more than one)
- Hot spot items: require you to answer such that you select the right location of a specific item! W.r.t a diagram or figure you need to choose the right form of wave, or injection site etc
- Fill in the blanks: mostly those which require calculation
- Chart/exhibit items: showing tabular or graphical data asking you to comprehend it and take decision
- Drag and drop/ Ordered response item: Asks to place given info in the right sequence or order
- Graphic option item: Needed to choose the right graphic item
- Audio items: need to listen to sounds like breathing sounds, heart sounds etc to interpret and take decision
- Video items: need to answer acc to any procedure shown in the video or the information provided
- Analysis Level items: require you to analyse various symptoms/ data to take the right nursing decision
- Application level items: test the soundness of your nursing content, test the application of what you’ve learnt
- Synthesis level: Require to take bits of information to take a decision
- Evaluation level: Can ask you to determine the effectiveness of nursing care
- Creation level: demand you to find a novel approach to address a problem, based on your intellect and perception
- Cognitive level of test items: need clinical reasoning to be used and applied
Before, deciding on which course to take, you need to remember that knowing your nursing content and learning the clinical skills in a nursing school is not enough to pass the NCLEX exam. What you need more, is to be good at critical thinking! Knowledge at both ends, practical as well as theoretical, and its sound application will lead you to cracking the NCLEX in the fisrt attempt.
Briliant Nurse is one such program that will guide you with the right study material, assitance, needed practice and APPROACH to handle questions to crack the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams.
Bottomline: Brilliant Nurse Course not only provides the right content but will train you, upgrade your abilities and unlock the potential to be at your best!
Editor’s Note:- We recommend BrilliantNurse’s 6 months All access test prep tracks with daily assignments courses for preparation of NCLEX-PN® and NCLEX-RN®. Click the below links for further information, or for all their courses and options for 30 days and 3 months crash courses, check out this link.
Ultra-extended (6 month access) NCLEX-RN® Test Prep Track + Learning Path – with Daily Assignments and Ultra-extended (6 month access) NCLEX-PN® Test Prep Track + Learning Path – with Daily Assignments
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