In early February, I took the NCLEX - nursing boards! I was so nervous the night before that I didn't sleep. The day of the test, I met up with one of my best nursing buddies, Jan, and we went to lunch to calm our nerves before the test. When we got to the testing center we were electronically fingerprinted and for some reason my prints weren't registering - I jokingly said to the test proctor, "Great, I'm failing already!!"
After 1 1/2hrs of getting drilled with questions I had no answers to and a few internal breakdowns - the test turned off!! This happens when you have either failed or passed the test, so naturally I was freaking out!
In order to find out if you have passed the test, applicants check the DOPL website 2-3 days after taking the test and your name with either be posted with "Registered Nurse" or it won't be there at all, which indicates you have failed. I checked and...MY NAME WASN'T THERE!! I was devastated! I cried and cried and then realized it wasn't the end of the world. I actually learned a lot from the experience and found a quote I like:
"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. it's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere."
A week later, when I had made peace with the results, I was visiting my parents' house and picked up the mail. There was a letter for me from DOPL and I figured it was just a letter saying I had failed and how sign up to retake the test. I opened it up and to my surprise it said "CONGRATULATIONS!" you have PASSED the NCLEX. I was SHOCKED!! I read the letter over and over and over again...I then checked for my name on the DOPL website and there I was with "Registered Nurse" next to my name. I called DOPL to make sure there wasn't some mistake - after all, I was completely convinced I had failed at this point - and after laughing AT me for a few minutes they told me I had indeed PASSED!! I don't know if I have ever felt so much excitement and relief in my life!
I now know what it feels like to PASS and FAIL the NCLEX. I still occasionally check the DOPL website to make sure my name is still there. I'm just waiting for the letter that tells me they have mixed up test results and that I actually did fail - until then, I'll keep a firm grip on my license!!
Alexis Johnson, RN :)
16 comments:
Don't it feel Grand!
Congrats Lexi!
Now, let's find some jobs!
Miss you!
Whahooo!
Congratulations!!
Congrats, Lexi!! That is so exciting!!!
HAHA Lex that is such a funny story! Way to pass the test, you rock!!! If I fail the NCLEX I'm calling you because you will understand my pain! haha
That is such a sad story. I tried to imagine how I would have felt in your situation and I don't think I would have done so well. When you told me you failed, I really couldn't believe it! I'm so glad that you passed! We still need to celebrate!
Yay! I'm so proud of you! I didn't even know you had taken the test til you posted something on Facebook about getting your license. I'm such a good friend! I love you though, congrats!
Yay, congratulations! That's really awesome Lexi, sad you had to first deal with failing, but so exciting that you passed. Love the quote, where did you find it?
Oh man, that's so awesome! Congratulations! Even though I'm sure it stunk when you thought you'd failed it makes for a good story to tell :D
Good for you!!! I don't think anyone can really appreciate how big of a deal this is unless they've gone through nursing school!!! I'm excited for you....do you know where you want to work? I just took my LPN boards...so scary...thought I failed but what do you know..I passed. HAHA- can't wait to be done-hopefully I can make it til August!!
Wow! That is hilarious! I cannot imagine thinking that you had failed and then finding out the good news. It would make it even more awesome for sure!
Congratulations Lex! You are awesome! Here's to many more successes and failures like the one you had. ha ha!
congrats! i also took the NCLEX in feb. but unfortunatly i failed it, so i know how you felt for a few days! but im taking it agian in april and will pass this time! way to go! good luck with finding a job!!!!
That is awesome. I feel for your pain--but what a great story to tell now! Congrats!
I never doubted that you passed. I figured they made a mistake!!(-:
Aw Lexi congradulations! I don't take mine for another year but everytime I think about it I get nauseous. You rock girl.
I can't even spell congratulations, I'm going to fail.
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