Why It's Tough & How to Succeed (2024)

The National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, is a critical exam that every nursing student must take to become a licensed nurse. Passing the NCLEX is essential to begin your nursing career, but it is also one of the most challenging exams you will ever take.

The NCLEX is designed to test your critical thinking skills and your ability to make decisions in high-pressure situations. This article will explore why the NCLEX is so hard for nursing students and provide tips on how to prepare for the exam.

Why Is the NCLEX Exam So Hard?

To start off, the NCLEX exam covers a vast amount of material that you have learned throughout your nursing program. It’s designed to evaluate your knowledge of nursing concepts, theories, and practices. The questions on the exam are designed to test your ability to apply this knowledge to real-life situations.

Secondly, the NCLEX exam is designed to assess your critical thinking skills. The questions on the exam are not straightforward, and they often require you to use your critical thinking skills to determine the correct answer. You will need to analyze the question, identify the problem, and determine the best course of action to solve the problem.

The NCLEX exam is also designed to test your ability to manage stress and make decisions in high-pressure situations. As a nurse, you will need to make decisions quickly and effectively, even when you are under stress. The NCLEX exam is designed to simulate these high-pressure situations, and it is essential to remain calm and focused during the test.

10 Tips for Overcoming the NCLEX’s Difficulty

  1. Create a study plan. One of the best ways to prepare for the NCLEX exam is to create a study plan. A study plan will help you to stay organized and ensure that you cover all the material you need to know before the exam. Schedule study sessions and set goals for each session.
  2. Practice, practice, practice. Practice is key when it comes to preparing for the NCLEX exam. Take as many practice tests as you can to get a feel for the types of questions you will encounter on the exam. Practice tests will also help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses and focus your studying efforts accordingly.
  3. Review the nursing concepts. The NCLEX exam is designed to test your knowledge of nursing concepts, theories, and practices. Reviewing these concepts is crucial to succeeding on the exam. Make sure you understand the nursing concepts and how they apply to real-life situations.
  4. Use study aids. There are many study aids available to help you prepare for the NCLEX exam. These include review books, flashcards, and online courses. Utilize these resources to supplement your studying and reinforce the material you have learned.
  5. Stay calm and focused. The NCLEX exam is a stressful experience, but it is essential to remain calm and focused during the test. Take deep breaths and stay positive. Remember that you have prepared for this moment, and you can succeed.
  6. Create a study schedule. Create a study schedule that breaks down the material into manageable chunks and stick to it. This will help you stay on track and avoid cramming.
  7. Practice with NCLEX-style questions. The NCLEX exam is unique in the type of questions it asks. Practice with NCLEX-style questions to get a feel for the format and the types of questions you will encounter.
  8. Take breaks. Taking breaks is essential for mental and physical health. Schedule breaks into your study schedule and use them to do something relaxing or enjoyable.
  9. Find a study group. Studying with peers can be helpful for staying motivated and accountable. Consider forming a study group with classmates or finding a virtual study group online.
  10. Seek out resources. There are many resources available to nursing students preparing for the NCLEX. Consider reaching out to your nursing program faculty, a tutor, or a professional NCLEX prep service for additional support.

Read more NCLEX study tips here.

We Have the Perfect Resource Platform for NCLEX Takers

Preparing for the NCLEX exam can be a daunting task, but there are steps you can take to make it easier. Getting plenty of rest and sleep, using a digital NCLEX prep tool, creating a study schedule, practicing with NCLEX-style questions, taking breaks, finding a study group, and seeking out resources are all strategies that can help you succeed on the exam.

Remember that passing the NCLEX is an important step in your nursing career, and investing in your preparation will pay off in the long run.

Let SimpleNursing help you achieve your nursing career goals.

Why It's Tough & How to Succeed (2024)

FAQs

Why is it so hard to become successful? ›

Goals can be unrealistic, too hard, meaningless, or not specific. A person who wants to pursue a goal can be inexperienced, with a lack of need skills and knowledge, and without the proper attitude, mindset, and traits of personality for achieving success. The biggest problem is a person.

Why try hard but you don t succeed? ›

Successful people do not only work hard, but they also work smart and different. In order to succeed, one has to make an impact, be creative and different from the rest. Many people think that the mindless repetition of any task brings mastery, but unfortunately, it is not true.

Why am I not able to succeed? ›

A lack of persistence is one of the biggest obstacles to success. Despite people having incredible talent, so many talented and gifted individuals fail because they place too much reliance on their abilities. Tenacity is such a core ingredients success and the lack of is a core ingredient of failure.

Does struggle always lead to success? ›

By embracing struggle (or at least what you learnt from it) and turning it into opportunities for growth, you/entrepreneurs can build resilience, improve problem-solving skills, increase creativity, develop tenacity and humility, and ultimately build the human that will have the ability to be successful.

Why do some people not succeed in life? ›

They don't understand the value of time.

Time management skills, learning how to say no and knowing what commitments to undertake, is a step towards great success in any area of our lives. If you don't want to waste your time, then learn not to procrastinate. Take actions to achieve what you want in life.

What happens if you don't succeed in life? ›

Go on doing what you would normally do: No matter what happens in the world, the sun still shines, a new day dawns. Bear this rhythm in mind not only at good times but in bad times. Go about life as normally as you can even though you have not succeeded. If you lost a promotion but you still have a job, show up.

Why do talented people struggle? ›

You have to be constantly learning and pushing yourself to be better. Many gifted people are content to coast on their talent. They think that they don't have to try as hard because they are smarter than most. But the truth is, the higher you are on the bell curve, the harder you have to work to maintain that position.

What happens when talented people work hard? ›

Talented candidates need to work hard to succeed

To be energized and remain vibrant, talented employees need to put in the effort needed to succeed. The energy they gain from their hard work will fuel their skills, ambitions, and desire to excel.

How do you deal with never succeeding? ›

  1. Embrace Your Emotions. Astrakan Images / Getty Images. ...
  2. Recognize Unhealthy Attempts to Reduce Pain. ...
  3. Practice Healthy Coping Skills. ...
  4. Acknowledge Irrational Beliefs About Failure. ...
  5. Develop Realistic Thoughts About Failure. ...
  6. Accept an Appropriate Level of Responsibility. ...
  7. Research Famous Failures. ...
  8. Ask Yourself What You Can Learn.
Nov 29, 2022

What stops most people from being successful? ›

10 Things That Prevent Your Success
  • Not learning new knowledge or skills. ...
  • Think that you can achieve success without any effort or investment. ...
  • Fear of failure. ...
  • Procrastination. ...
  • Lack of focus. ...
  • Be easily discouraged. ...
  • Dislike constant change. ...
  • Lack of dedication.
Mar 20, 2022

How to get success in life? ›

7 Science-Backed Secrets for Achieving Success in Life
  1. Increase Your Confidence by Taking Action. ...
  2. Broaden Your Definition of Authenticity. ...
  3. Improve Your Social Skills. ...
  4. Train Yourself to Delay Gratification. ...
  5. Demonstrate Passion and Perseverance for Long-Term Goals. ...
  6. Embrace a “Growth Mindset” ...
  7. Invest in Your Relationships.

Why am I scared I won't be successful? ›

Fear of success has several possible causes: We fear what success will bring – for example, loneliness, new enemies, being isolated from our family, longer working hours, or being asked for favors or money. We're afraid that the higher we climb in life, the further we're going to fall when we make a mistake.

What is the best quote about struggle and success? ›

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." 9. "Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don't wish it were easier; wish you were better."

Is life a struggle for everyone? ›

"Life's a struggle" does not mean the world is out to get me, and then I am some kind of victim. "Life is a struggle" means it's a struggle for everyone. It's part of the human condition.

Why do some people succeed so easily? ›

It's probably the four different factors that contribute to success: intelligence, social skills, work ethic and luck. Each of these factors plays an important role in determining who succeeds and who doesn't. Intelligence is one of the most important factors in determining success.

What is the hardest part of success? ›

The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in business. You've got to keep working that talent.

Why do I work hard but still fail? ›

The underlying assumption was that if you worked hard enough for long enough, you would succeed. However, this advice misses one big point: Most people fail not because of a lack of effort but because their effort was misdirected or misaligned with their interests.

How do I become extremely successful? ›

Follow these tips to succeed:
  1. Set clear and specific goals:
  2. Develop a plan:
  3. Stay disciplined and focused:
  4. Continuously learn and adapt:
  5. Believe in yourself:
  6. Surround yourself with positive people:
  7. Take care of your physical and mental well-being:
  8. Stay persistent:
Jul 25, 2023

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