NCLEX® Study Dos and Don’t

• The right strategies and a positive mindset can give you the extra boost you’ve been looking for as you prepare NCLEX® study guides and get ready for exam day. 
• Prep programs like Slone NCLEX provide a nice supplement to your study materials. 
• Slone NCLEX Professor Tanya Killian breaks down even more NCLEX® study dos and don’ts to help you focus. 

Preparing for the NCLEX® can be a bit daunting, but with the right strategies and a positive mindset, you can tackle it with confidence! Here are some NCLEX® study tips to help you along the way. 

First, we will give you a quick reference guide and then a little more detail below for your NCLEX® Study Dos and Don’ts. 

Let’s focus on the NCLEX® Study Do’s! 

• Develop a study plan: This is key! Make sure that you make (and follow) a study plan. This will help you to stay on track and stay focused. It is easy to lose the rigor and routine of nursing school once you have graduated, but remember you are not done until AFTER you take — and pass — your NCLEX® Exam. 
• Use an NCLEX® prep course: An NCLEX® prep course can be a great help! It provides a friendly structure for tackling all the material you’ll need to know, helps you discover your strengths and where you might need a bit more focus, and offers practice questions with easy-to-understand explanations. Plus, by simulating real exam conditions, it can boost your confidence and improve your chances of passing. 
• Eat a healthy meal: Start your test day with a hearty breakfast. Choose foods that will give you sustained energy, like eggs, whole grains, and fruits. A well-fueled brain will help you stay focused! 
• Practice with NCLEX®-style questions: Give yourself plenty of opportunities to get comfortable with the exam format. Take practice tests that simulate the NCLEX® experience. This will not only help familiarize you with the types of questions but also highlight areas where you might want to dive deeper. When you practice, create a quiet space and set a timer to build those test-taking skills. 
• Focus on critical concepts: Spend some time identifying the core nursing skills you need to master, like airway management, vital signs, and medication administration. Prioritizing these essential topics will give you a solid foundation and boost your confidence when it’s time to take the exam. 
• Make a schedule: Creating an NCLEX® study schedule is invaluable. It helps you manage your time wisely, cover all the key nursing topics, and practice with questions that you’ll see on the exam. Plus, it boosts your chances of passing by giving you plenty of time to focus on each subject without the stress of cramming at the last minute. 
• Get a study partner or group: Study partners and groups help identify key material, share memory tricks, and keep motivation high for exams. Teaching others enhances your understanding and memory through the “protégé effect,” which encourages deeper thinking and highlights gaps in your knowledge. 
• Know your content: Getting a good handle on your NCLEX® content is important. This exam is about how well you can use your nursing knowledge in real-life situations. It’s a chance to show off your critical thinking skills and prove you understand key concepts across different medical specialties. Instead of just memorizing facts, focus on what it takes to make safe and informed decisions for your patients. 
• Test on a rested and fresh brain: Did you know that getting a good night’s sleep can really help with memory and learning? It turns out that memory and learning are consolidated during sleep, especially in the REM phase. Try to aim for around eight hours of sleep. Sweet dreams! 
• Drink water: It’s important to drink water before a test and while studying. Staying hydrated helps your brain work better, allowing you to focus, remember information, and do your best. Since your brain is mostly water, even a little dehydration can make it hard to think clearly. 
• Read questions carefully: Take a moment to really digest each question. Look out for keywords that can change the meaning, like “first” or “best.” Understanding the question fully will help you choose the right answer more efficiently. 
• Study to your learning style: Adapt your study techniques to your preferred learning style, whether through visuals, auditory information, hands-on activities, or reading and writing, to enhance your understanding and retention of the material. 
• Take it as soon as you are able: It is important to take your NCLEX® as soon as possible after graduating. The information is still fresh in your mind, which increases your chances of passing on your first attempt. Waiting too long can lead to forgetting important concepts, which may lower your pass rate and delay your ability to start working as a registered nurse. Essentially, the sooner you take the NCLEX®, the better prepared you will be to succeed. 
• Stay calm and focused: Remember to breathe! Test day can be stressful, but using relaxation techniques like deep breathing or visualization can help keep those nerves in check. Remind yourself that you’ve put in the work to prepare! 
• Manage your time: Time can slip away during the exam, so practice pacing yourself. When you take practice tests, keep an eye on the clock to make sure you’re not spending too long on any one question.  

The Bottom Line 

Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be on your way to feeling ready for the NCLEX®. Just to take it one step at a time, stay positive, and believe in yourself — you’ve worked hard for this, and you can do it! Good luck!