🍂 NCLEX Stress is Real: How to Prep Without Burning Out
A student nurse feeling burnt out after she learned that she failed the NCLEX.
The Student Who Knew Her Content—But Still Failed
One of my students failed the NCLEX after scoring above 90% on nearly every practice test.
She knew the content. She put in the work. By all accounts, she was ready.
What she didn’t have was a plan for when her anxiety got too loud.
She couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t eat. She walked into test day already exhausted—and left without a passing result.
And she’s not the only one.
If you’ve ever worried about blanking out, panicking, or letting your nerves make the decisions for you, you’re not broken. You’re human. And this post is for you.
Let’s dive in!
🌡️ NCLEX Stress Is Normal—But Burnout Is Not
Every student feels nervous. That’s normal stress. It sharpens your focus and helps you rise to the challenge.
But there’s a line. Cross it, and stress stops helping—it starts sabotaging.
Normal stress looks like:
Butterflies before practice exams
Second-guessing, but still pushing through
Feeling tired, but able to recover with rest
Burnout or unmanaged anxiety looks like:
Trouble sleeping, eating, or concentrating
Feeling blank when you see a question
Panic that drowns out what you do know
👉 The difference? One sharpens you. The other strips you down.
The goal isn’t to erase stress—it’s to create a plan so it doesn’t take you out on test day.
A nurse with panic that drowns out what she does know.
🧠 The 3 Biggest Mental Health Challenges NCLEX Students Face
1. Test Anxiety
“I blank when I see the question.”
When adrenaline takes over, memory recall shuts down—and no amount of content review can fix that in the moment.
2. Perfectionism
“I should already know this.”
Perfectionism convinces you you’re behind, even when you’re actually on track. It leads to over-studying, exhaustion, and shame spirals.
3. Study Fatigue
“No matter how much I study, I never feel ready.”
At some point, your brain stops absorbing information. Cramming past that point makes you feel busy, but it doesn’t make you more prepared.
A new nurse knowing that she CAN do this!
🌱 Simple Shifts That Protect Your Mind (and Your Score)
Shift 1: Study Boundaries
Closing the book isn’t weakness—it’s a strategy. Set a study cutoff time and protect your sleep like it’s part of your prep (because it is).
Shift 2: Nervous System Tools
Breathwork, grounding techniques, stretching, or even standing up and shaking your hands out can pull you out of panic mode. Build one into your test-day plan.
Shift 3: Mindset Reframes
When you hear yourself say, “I don’t know enough,” shift it to: “I’m still learning, and that’s progress.” You’re not behind—you’re building readiness.
⏱️ A Quick NCLEX Stress Reset Routine
Here’s a 3-step practice you can use the night before or morning of test day:
Write down 3 things you know well. (Shift focus from scarcity to confidence.)
Take 5 deep breaths while stretching. (Tell your nervous system you’re safe.)
Repeat this mantra:“Clarity, not speed.” (Ground your pace and focus.)
Grab you free journal prompts.
✍️ Free Resource—The NCLEX Stress Reset Journal Prompts
Want to go deeper? I’ve created a free set of journal prompts to help you reflect, reset, and build a personal anxiety plan before test day.
➡️ [Download the free NCLEX Stress Reset Journal Prompts here]
💬 Now I’d love to hear from you: You’re Not Behind—You’re Human
Struggling with stress doesn’t mean you’re unprepared. It means you’re human.
What matters is creating a plan now—so anxiety doesn’t make decisions for you on test day.
👉 I’d love to hear from you: What’s your #1 stress trigger during NCLEX prep?
Come share in the comments or DM me on [Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn].
You’ve got this. And you don’t have to do it alone.
You CAN do this!
💬 Join the Conversation:
Comment below!
Share your stories in the comments or reach out—I’d love to hear from you.
What’s your #1 stress trigger during NCLEX prep?
Any NCLEX tips or stories you'd like to share with your fellow new nurses?
Follow and Like!
💙If you are not on our email list, click the contact link here.
💙Don’t forget to follow me on my Instagram account @nclex_one_on_one_tutoring and share it with your colleagues!
Want Mentorship?
Nurse Mentor
If you’re a new nurse (or an experienced one) who wants help building communication skills, I’m here to support you.
Let’s imagine a nursing culture where we handle conflict with courage, professionalism, and care—not fear or silence.
Let’s build that together.
