Dreams, dreams……. We all have dreams, and one of mine was to become a USRN, which was soon brought to life when I joined Health Carousel last June 2019 with IPass.

The Beginning of My NCLEX Journey

I had difficulty reviewing because I was working full-time at the ICU and you know how exhausting it could be. But thanks to my adviser Manyles who constantly follows me up somehow, I was able to catch up with my study calendar. Then this pandemic aka Covid 19 came and I thought that maybe it would take long before I could take my NCLEX exam and at some point, I stopped reviewing and just focused on my work.

But last October 2020 I finally received my ATT and the exam date that I chose was February 22, 2021. I was nervous because I stopped reviewing and seemed to forget the topics so I decided to leave my work last December 2020 to focus on my review but I could not focus because I had to help with our business. It was only last January 2021 when I realized I had only more than a month to study and that was the time I panicked up to the point that I was no longer sleeping just to finish a certain topic. and started to breakdown. But I reminded myself about my dream of becoming a USRN someday, I prayed to God to guide me on this journey of mine, and once again I was motivated.

I had to secure travel documents first before going to manila because I am from Iloilo. Thank God I didn’t need to be quarantined when I arrived in Manila.

Test day came, I was feeling all the emotions altogether but was able to compose myself when I started taking my exam. I finished my exam within an hour and was shocked when I got out of the room and realized that I was too fast and then” What ifs started invading my thought”. I looked for the comfort room, prayed, and started bursting into tears.

It was last February 26, 2021, when I learned that I passed my exam. And I was so relieved.

A Message To My Fellow Nurses

My message to aspiring USRNs out there is that don’t stop believing in themselves. And with hard work, perseverance, and faith you will be victorious.

Health Carousel Philippines, Inc. assists nurses through two unique programs, Aspire and Achieve. Both programs are provided through our partnership with PassportUSA in the United States. Here are the qualifications for each program.

Click here to learn more: Begin Here

I have been an ASPIRE candidate since March 2018 and NCLEX has been a two-year dream of mine. I have always wondered if this was for me because it took months of processing requirements to a whole year of being “canceled” due to the overwhelming pandemic, leaving most of us stricken and locked down.

Pursuing My NCLEX

What I thought was a crisis turned out as a gift. I shifted my perception of this adversity turned the opportunity to have more time to prepare and study. There is beauty in the waiting. I trusted the process although my doubts kept knocking to dishearten me. In the waiting, I have utilized my review materials from HESI, Saunders, La Charity, and a bunch of practice questions. I did what I can, even if it means that the predictive scores tell me that I am cut off and that it is not enough. I had a fair number of fears, but I also trusted that God knew what he was doing.

In the latter part of 2020, I was notified that I was finally eligible to take the test and that I am set to have the exam on the 7th of January. This was also very fascinating because the number seven was God’s day of completion. On the day of the exam, I have finished in 300 minutes what I had waited for almost three years. Now I can attest to saying, “it is worth the wait”. It may seem long, but the journey kept me hopeful.

I would like to thank the Health Carousel family for being an instrument of God so I could take it. Thank you to the people who prayed for me, my family, and friends who earnestly believed in me in silence. I am overjoyed with this gift. 2021 started victorious for me, and I know it will sail greater heights beyond imagine for all those who believe. It may not happen according to your timeline, but by the good, perfect and pleasing ways of God’s time.

“Guard my life and rescue me, do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because MY HOPE, LORD, IS IN YOU.” – Psalms 25:20-21NIV

Health Carousel Philippines, Inc. assists nurses through two unique programs, Aspire and Achieve. Both programs are provided through our partnership with PassportUSA in the United States. Here are the qualifications for each program.

Click here to learn more: Begin Here

It was back on January 8, 2018, when I had my first interview with Health Carousel and took my predictive exam on January 23. Luckily I passed! I am currently working as a staff nurse and in my 1st year of hospital experience.

The Beginning of My NCLEX Journey

The next step to be qualified for the NCLEX Assistance program is to pass the comprehensive exam and review the modules given by them, and then I had to finish processing the documents as well.

Health Carousel, hand-in-hand with the IPASS team, helped me every step of the way. It took 6mos for CGFNS to release my report. Thus, when I finally got everything I needed to take my NCLEX exam, I somehow lost motivation to continue with my modules and comprehensive exam due to my workload in the hospital and thought that I will be needing to focus and resign to fully commit to passing my exams. But Health Carousel and IPASS were very persistent with me – they checked up on me and my plans but I came out very hesitant.

After almost 2year of figuring out what I want, I came back to Health Carousel to inquire about my application. I was very pleased that they were still eager to help me again, and just before I lost my opportunity I sent an email to my advisor Ms. Liana, who never fail to do a follow up on me and push me harder but also to inspire me to finally take my NCLEX exam. She was very considerate with me and gave me a chance to take my comprehensive exam, one week before I officially become ‘inactive’ for the NCLEX Assistance program.

I was also worried that the papers I sent to CGFNS back in 2018 will be already expired and that I need to reapply again. IPASS informed me that I was a month late in passing the application for the Illinois board of nursing, plus I haven’t finished any of my module and comprehensive exam, luckily Health carousel still considered my case after completing my modules and comprehensive exams. And as always, IPASS was diligent in processing my account in Pearson Vue to finally have my ATT available. A day after my birthday, I finally got my ATT!

Pursuing My NCLEX

On that day, I got scheduled for my NCLEX exam dated April 30, 2020, at 8 am. I already requested a 2month study leave from my hospital to prepare for my exam, and during the preparation for taking my exam, Covid-19 happened and got rescheduled. I immediately returned to my post in the hospital, while waiting to when I can take the exam. After 3 months I finally decided to choose the date of my exam, and it was on November 12, 2020, 8 AM, Thursday. And I was very lucky that my hospital allowed me to have another 2 months’ leave during this pandemic. And then I went on my review with the help of Rachell Allen Review center, I had a 10-days live intense review with them and another month of self-review. Another study material that I used and came out very helpful was Uworld, it looks exactly how the NCLEX set up looks like, and that lessens my anxiety on the exam day. Preparing yourself for the exam means you have to be emotionally, physically, and mentally prepared. You need to have the right attitude to keep yourself motivated. In my case I like listening to videos that help me get motivated, I also included worship time before I start my day which helps me start my day with a positive mind and attitude. Making a schedule of your day also helps you get on track with your review days. Also, don’t forget to spend time to relax and rest when needed, our body and mind needs to rest as well to absorb and be effective while reviewing.

If you put your heart and mind into everything you do, nothing is impossible. If you can conceive it you can achieve it. What I always tell myself every time I get tired “Kaya mo to, dahil para sayo to”.

While I was preparing for my exam date, I heard that many candidates are being rescheduled again, because of the Covid-19 situation. Ms. Liana & IPASS have always been reminding me of the possibility that I might be rescheduled again, which I have been praying that I won’t be one of them. God is a faithful God if it is really for you He will make it possible for you. A day before my exam I took all the precautions to prepare myself and the possibilities that could happen or go wrong during the exam day, little do I know that challenge that I need to face before I get to my exam was a typhoon named Ulysses. It was reported as the Philippines 21st tropical cyclone, hit Luzon hardest from November 11-12, the typhoon unleashed powerful winds and torrential rain that killed dozens of people, destroyed thousands of homes, and left swathes of the island region flooded (Source: Rappler.com).

We had no electricity during the night, I tried to sleep despite the wind outside my window comes to blow, and you can imagine how hard it is to sleep during that time. I woke up at 4 am to prepare, and I prayed so hard that if it is God’s will for me take the exam that day He will help me get thru the storm and get in the testing center safely, despite the flood and strong wind outside. I was desperate at that time to make it on time for my exam, then I was lucky enough to get a grab ride at 5 am, at 6 am we arrived safely at Trident Tower Makati. We had to wait until 7 am for the building to open, grab some breakfast, and went on to my exam. I started the exam at 8 am, my computer shut down at 94. I was very happy and relieved that I finished my exam already and we were able to survive that day. Despite everything, I remained positive and thought that everything has a reason. I waited until Monday to get my exam results. Together with IPASS, they gave me the result and very thrilled to let me know that I passed my NCLEX exam!

Thank GOD, I passed my NCLEX!

A Message To My Fellow Nurses

For me, it was hard work, perseverance, and most of all faith that helped me got through all the hardships of this journey. It is not indeed the journey, but the destination, passing the NCLEX exam opened many opportunities for me and knowing that this is only the beginning of achieving my dreams. Never-ending gratitude to all the people who helped me achieve this chapter of my life, thank you to Health Carousel for not giving up on me, and to my family who prayed with me and supported me.

If you have a dream, you are responsible for that dream, believe in yourself, and make that dream happen.

Health Carousel Philippines, Inc. assists nurses through two unique programs, Aspire and Achieve. Both programs are provided through our partnership with PassportUSA in the United States. Here are the qualifications for each program.

Click here to learn more: Begin Here