Review of NCSBN NCLEX review

The NCLEX is the licensure test developed for those who have chosen a career in nursing. The tests for getting a license to be a registered nurse or a practical nurse are separately known as the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN.The NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination)is developed and owned by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and is administered in partnership with Pearson VUE.

While preparing for the exam, it is important to remember that knowing fundamentals is vital to the passing NCLEX successfully. It is also important to remember that although the NCLEX test is designed to evaluate the applicant’s proficiency with nursing procedures and knowledge they learned at the nursing school; the NCLEX questions are often detached from the real life. Therefore, nursing education alone is insufficient for passing the exam. For example, while in real life the nurse has to care for several patients at the same time, a lot of test questions are written on a “1 nurse – 1 patient” model. This is precisely why preparing for the NCLEX exam is hard even for the best of nursing students. That also explains why nursing students require focused preparation to pass the NCLEX test.

It is necessary to choose an NCLEX Review that has an unbiased approach focussing equally on each aspect of the exam.

We will review the NCSBN NCLEX Review Course.

Yes, you’ve heard it right this review course is provided from the makers of the NCLEX test itself!  The NCSBN makers provide their review course as a pathway to practising questions for the NCLEX exam. Not only questions they provide content too. The fact that this review course is from the NCSBN, is enough to attract the attention of students, but overlooking the minor details would not be a wise thing to do. 

Features:

• It provides a comprehensive content review.
• It comprises of 8 lessons corresponding to the content area of the NCLEX and question and answers (Q&A) section. They provide over 2000 pages of organised content.    
• Each lesson starts with a pre test. The content in each lesson is divided into several sections and at the end of each section there is a summary which helps in revising what you’ve learnt. Then at the end of the lesson there is a post test. They’ve laid out the content well such that it gets ingrained in your mind and that too with ease.
• Content is updated and incorporates changes as soon as they are made.
• NCLEX style questions! This is the reason why you might think of taking up this review course. They provide 1,300 practice questions, and of course the questions will reflect the style and pattern of the real exam and you may get a good practice. The Q&A section, provides the right answers and reason why that answer was correct.
• Aid in developing a skill to handle the CAT (Computerised Adaptive Test)
• Develop clinical reasoning and judgement through practise.
• “Ask an Instructor”: This feature allows students to ask the nursing instructors when ever you’re not able to compreehnd something or need assisatnce to understand rationales behind questions in a better manner.
• Mobile-friendly review.
• No live classes offered. All of NCSBN’s courses are offered online and with flexible shchedules such that you can take up the one that suits your pace.  
• They offer various options of courses both for RN and PN such that you have a variety to choose from. But all plans are organised in a manner that it help you in time management.
• Various subscription options: 3 weeks requiring 27 hours per week, 5 weeks requiring 16 hours per week, 8 weeks requiring 10 hours per week and 15 weeks requiring 5 to 6 hours per week. On an average you need a total of 85 hours to complete the review.
• Very cost effective: 3 weeks – $50,  5 weeks – $70, 8 weeks – $100, 15 weeks – $160.
• They do not provide enay passing guarantee.

This review is of course a cost effective one. It isn’t extremely popular among students but catches the eye of many for the reason that it has been made by the nursing professionals who are involved in actual making of the NCLEX test. The good part includes NCLEX style questions and as the ‘ask the instructor’ option. When coming to the content part, it has been found to be very extensive. If you can’t handle too much of lengthy lessons then this might create a problem for you.

The flip side:

1. One very important thing that we’ve found is that it is not very user friendly when it comes to the factor of being ‘easy’ or not! It’s content unlike the other review providers has not been known for excluding unnecessary details and lengthy stuff. Though the content is well updated but you should opt for this review course knowing that it will require a lot of effort from your part, while many review providers ease the content memorisation and understanding task for their students.
2. Another thing where it lacks is that they do provide right answers and reasons for why it was the right choice, but do not provide any reason for others not being the correct option. Knowing this sometimes, is very important for a good NCLEX preparation and many review providers take care of this.
3. They only provide 1300 practice questions which is less in comparison to the number of questions offered by other review providers.

Bottomline: The NCSBN NCLEX Review has mixed reviews. Some students have found it to be useful but, on the other hand it wasn’t of any gain to some despite being provided from the exam setters. It may help you if you’re a real hard working student, and do not need much of assistance since it is not a very simplified or innovative review. You can better go in for others who will also provide you with NCLEX style questions fro practice and various other facilities that are crucial for your success.

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you’re looking for an affordable 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.

It is COMPLETE in every sense and touches all important aspects of the exam. Check out the given links: Extended (3 month access) NCLEX-PNÆ Test Prep Track and Extended (3 month access) NCLEX-RNÆ Test Prep Track

Why do we recommend Brilliant Nurse NCLEX review program?

 

Be it NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, you actually need an ALL ROUND 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.  ‘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.

2. DEVELOP BOTH CRITICAL AND CLINICAL THINKING: 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, they provide this 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!

 

Do not be afraid that this program will provide NCLEX style questions or not. Have a look how they categorise questions and will teach you how to deal with each one differently.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.

• 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
• Bottomline: Brilliant Nurse Course not only provides the right content but makes you understand  with unique strategies to answer ALL types of questions. It will help you understand how to approach them, and practicing a variety of them again and again will make you ready for the exam.  This will train you, upgrade your abilities and unlock the potential to be at your best!

 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.

 

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