How to Prep for the NCLEX-RN Exam in Alaska

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Passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) is a critical milestone in your nursing career. You can’t practice nursing in Alaska or attain your nursing license without it. But to pass the exam, you need to take it seriously, study hard, and implement some strategies for success. You can get help with prep from your nursing program, through online tutorials and practice exams, and from the help of a study group.

Start with Your Nursing Program

Your nursing program provides you with the fundamental knowledge, training, and skills you need to become a nurse. It should also let you know what to expect from the NCLEX-RN exam. Topics like safety protocol, health promotion, pharmacology, patient care, and psychosocial integrity are covered. Make sure to choose a nursing program in Alaska that incorporates NCLEX test prep in its curriculum. Look for a specific course on NCLEX review and be sure to be fully present during it. This course can help you review what you’ve already learned and should emphasize important nursing concepts that the exam covers. It also provides you with online practice tests and a comprehensive exam that mirrors the real one.

Take NCLEX Practice Exams

The NCLEX is managed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and its website provides a wealth of resources on the exam including prep materials. You can download a sample pack of test questions, which includes RN case studies, and an exam preview. You can also download the current RN Test Plan, which provides valuable information on how the test is administered, a breakdown of the topics you are tested on, and how the exam is scored. At the end of the Test Plan are several pages of sample content, including practice questions.

Pro Tip: Treat each practice exam as the real thing. Try to simulate your morning routine on the day of, and don’t peek at the answers or search for them during the test. When you’re done, review what you answered right and what you answered wrong, so you know what topics to study more.

Start or Join a NCLEX-RN Study Group

Taking an exam like the NCLEX-RN in Alaska can be scary, but you’re not alone. Your nursing school peers are just as nervous as you are and are studying just as hard. Why not make the process more engaging by joining an NCLEX study group? Look for one on Facebook or LinkedIn, or start one with your classmates on campus. You can create flashcards, quiz each other, and share study tips and habits with each other to succeed.

Watch YouTube Videos about the NCLEX-RN Exam

If you prefer to study on your own, there are plenty of NCLEX practice exams on YouTube that you can use to quiz yourself in a more engaging way. The videos run the length of the exam and show a series of questions that are timed. After each question’s time has run out, the correct answer is displayed with an explanation as to why it is the correct one. This is a great way to hone your time management skills during the test, and it provides a way to study on the go.

Develop Some Healthy Test-Taking Habits

For any high-stakes exam, there are some fundamental steps you can take to perform better. Go over the exam format and rules beforehand. Make sure you get plenty of rest the night before and have breakfast on the day of the exam. Prepare what you need for test day—like your ID, directions to the testing site, water, snacks—and set two alarms so you don’t oversleep. Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the exam, check in, and get settled in. And remember to stay positive. You’ve got this!

Once you pass the NCLEX in Alaska, you become eligible for your nursing license in Alaska and can begin looking for jobs. But before you can take the NCLEX, you must begin training for a nursing career. At Charter College, we offer an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program at our Anchorage campus that can help you prepare for entry-level jobs in nursing. Our program is offered in blending learning mode for convenience and flexibility, and our dedicated faculty have years of experience in the field that they want to share with you. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.