The PVT worked and just saw my license posted on BON. First, I’ll give a little background. I never did well on HESI’s. I failed my first attempt at 145qs with the previous NCLEX. All I used for my first attempt was questions using Uworld, Hurst, and Archer. To be fair I never reviewed content and thought I could just review through rationales. When I walked out of the testing center, I was hoping I would pass but didn’t. I wasn’t upset that I failed, but more upset that I did not take it seriously. The NCLEX was nothing like my school exams.

What I did the second time: I saw the r/NCLEX community tab sticky about videos to watch. I believe it was a Word document. The simple nursing videos was the foundation to my success. I watched videos 2-4 hours a day and questions 4 hours a days. I used to thing simple nursing had bots that praise simple nursing but the way he explains things with visuals just helps me retain the info. Anyhoo, here is the resources I used:

1. Kaplan: Kaplan is the best resource for practice questions for NCLEX. When I went into the testing center it was just like taking a Kaplan test. It wasn’t the same but similar even the NGN questions. I average around a low 50 on Kaplan before the NGN change. After the NGN change I averaged in the 60s which is a huge jump.
2. Uworld: uWorld is great to use with simple nursing in my opinion. I think of uWorld as a check on learning QBANK not necessarily for NCLEX style questions. If you think you are good on content I would recommend Kaplan only.
3. Archer: I was so disappointed to find out Archer was a scam. I think Archer is okay but it doesn’t provide the same value as Uworld and Kaplan though.
4. Hurst: I honestly did not like hurst. I paid money for it and regretted it like Archer. The workbook was neat but Simple Nursing keeps you more engaged. Maybe it depends on your learning style but I think Simple Nursing is a better resource plus its free.
5. Simple Nursing: Simple nursing is the reason I passed. The way he breaks down videos and visuals is just too good to be free honestly.

Final thoughts: NGN is way better than the previous NCLEX version. Maybe it’s just me but I didn’t even have to read the whole NCLEX case study. For example, I would read the first paragraph and knew it what disease it was and what it was asking me. NGN is so detailed I feel like it doesn’t want you to get the question wrong unlike the previous NCLEX version. I think I was in and out of the testing center in about an hour and I took a break.

Seriously, I think I only read one full NGN case study out of the many NCLEX case studies. NGN is more clinical based maybe that why it was so easy for me. I mostly got Med surg questions, with some OB, PEDS, and Pysch questions. They were not hard at all but maybe it was because how prepared I was this time.

TDLR: If you do not know content, you will NOT pass. Please do not be arrogant like me and think you’ll pass without reviewing content. If you are a retaker do not give up! I promise the NGN is better and more clinical based and designed more to help you pass.