NCLEX Anxiety - how to beat it!

Anxiety. A common emotion as one thinks of the NCLEX. So.. how do you beat it so you can think clearly for the test. Here are a few tips.

Be prepared. Your anxiety will decrease if you feel you know the information you are likely to be tested on. Positive feedback from correctly answering a variety of questions in NCLEX review books will also decrease your anxiety. Familiarize yourself with the alternative format questions using your computer disk.

Know where to go. Drive by the testing center a day or so before you are to be tested. Make sure you have all the required documents in your car the night before.

Watch what you eat. While caffeine in small amounts can help wake you up, too much can make a person anxious.

If possible, wait to start a job as a graduate nurse until you take the NCLEX. It can be very stressful to deal with all of the information you receive on your new job and study for the NCLEX at the same time. Many new graduates think that working as an RN will increase their ability to pass the NCLEX. However, the information overload can be a serious deterent to passing the exam.

Consider whether discussing the exam with those who have taken it will be helpful. It is the rare person who says the exam was "a breeze". Most talk about how difficult it was and that can increase your anxiety.

Lastly, consider medical help or hypnosis if your anxiety is out of control.