Hesi Exit Test

Nursing Students HESI

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Hello fellow educators....I am dealing with a dilema which I have no control over as I am a staff member, not administration, but it is just eating away at my concious. My community college uses the HESI exit exam for the ADN and LVN programs. Regardless of how good your GPA is, clinical performance and so on....along April or so, you have to pass a "exit exam" with a score of 850 or better in order to "Walk with your diploma". If you fail to pass the test you are allowed to take it again. If you fail again, you are out. Don't pass go, don't collect you monopoly money!!!! The problem I have with it, and I am not alone in this, IS>>> a couple of students each year per program, fails the HESI, despite being quality nursing students and according to the census of most instructors would pass the NCLEX with no problems. Other schools in our area use the HESi,but as a tool to help the students focus on their areas of weakness. I feel we should not leave it up to a third party vendor to make or break these kids, who have put their lives on hold, pawned everything they own, just to be one of us.

Am I normal to feel this way? I have discussed it with other staff and told it is the policy of the college network, DON'T go there...etc.

Your viewpoints would be appreciated. I just want my students to all have a shot at NCLEX after proving themselves to me, not a private vendor.

ERDude

Specializes in Medical-surgical:ortho, cardio, oncology.

Here is the bottom line:

If a school's first-time NCLEX pass rate falls below a certain percent, the State Board of Nursing becomes involved and could actually close a school if the rates drop too far below a certain percentage. Using NCLEX predictor examinations as a requirement in the program (such as HESI or ATI) allows programs to identify students who are still at risk of failing NCLEX. These students put the put the school at risk of closing, if they are allowed to "take the chance" and then fail the NCLEX.

“Fine!” you may respond. “If a school is not performing, it SHOULD be closed down.” In many ways that is true, but think of this: if a school closes due to low pass rates, that is one less school that can serve students who want to be nurses. Raising admission standards, raising passing percentages in courses, and eliminating “participation points” (and other such grade-inflating credits in courses) would do lot toward keeping only those students in a program who were capable of academic success, and were able to pass NCLEX on the first attempt.

Then, of course, we would have the other side of this tedious argument: “THEY fail too many people! Those heartless instructors!”

Here is an interesting article on the subject, with a few comments from me:

• Grade inflation is a factor leading to a low NCLEX pass rate in some nursing education programs, particularly in programs that allow significant point credit in theory courses for attendance, participation, and completion of assignments. (So, you could be an “A student” and still not have the knowledge base needed to pass NCLEX. Students often complain that “we should have more ways to get good grades other than quizzes and tests…some people just are not good test takers, but they would be great nurses”….Clue: the NCLEX is a test. I create grading opportunities that reflect the nature of the licensure exam, both in format and in difficulty. GET good at taking tests. This takes effort on the part of the student).

• Student characteristics identified by programs as leading to NCLEX failure include a high number of work hours, family commitments, English as a second language, and low admission points. (Ask yourself how much the efforts of faculty will help if a student works too much to devote sufficient time to study, has overwhelming family or personal concerns, has difficulty understanding the material , or came to school with poor academic preparation. Much as faculty would like to think they can, they CAN’T fix everything).

Nursing education programs tend to take similar actions to address NCLEX pass rate concerns. Actions commonly taken by programs include:

o Initiating the use of an NCLEX predictor examination as a requirement in the program (which we have done; to date, all our students have ultimately passed the HESI (about 1/3 need three tries) and our pass rate is well above the national average each year).

o Requiring students to complete NCLEX review, tutoring, or other actions if the predictor examination score is low (We provide intensive counseling and remediation, both at the midcurricular and the exit exam).

o Increasing the minimum passing grade (something I am very much in favor of; we have established that students who consistently have a course grade of 77% or less are at high risk of not passing the HESI on the first attempt, and are at a much higher risk of failing the NCLEX).

o Providing faculty education in the areas of the NCLEX examination and test development skills (we have monthly faculty development meetings on this very subject).

o Changing or increasing admission requirements (something we are considering)

http://articles.directorym.com/Nursing_Education_Tips-a1022926.html

Specializes in LDRP.

2btmanrn....AMEN to you..if I lived in chicago I'd be there on May 7.

GoodOldNurse-thank you for your thoughts

Specializes in L & D, Med-Surge, Dialysis.

Am so pleased with your thought. Hesi Exit Test had jeopardize my dream. Am an 'A' student and work so hard during my Nursing program to make it to the top but the so call Hesi :cry:. Never failed any nursing classes but because i didn't make the cut of point 850 3x. i was forced to register for remedial classes which i think is of no important to me. The worst of it all, the instructor taking the class. She has no knowledge of anything.I dont think Hesi should determine our faith in graduating after spending so much time, money and stress will make our family goes through during the program. :angryfire:angryfire. Any:idea: on how to ban the so call HESI in Nursing school!

Hesi is a very touchy subject for me because I had to do it 4 times it was very hard and used by some schools for all the wrong reasons I passed my boards on my very first attempt because the imformation was things I could relate to maybe even saw before I can say if you use your Lippincottt and Saunders it would be helpful you and your classmates are lucky you only need an 850 on hesi my classmates and I were told the same thing when we started but 6 months before taking the hesi the school hired a new chair and after giving us a Sandra B Smith review about one before taking hesi she raised the passing score to 1000 this was done because the school needed to be fully accredited and didn't want to take any chances myself and my collegues about 40 of us have all passed our boards on the 1st try and out of the forty of us more than 20 of us almost fail out because of Hesi it is no joke good luck

Well, if it took Mayor Daley twice to pass his BAR exam, the school would not count him. If his school had HESI he woudln't of been able to take his BAR exam, anyway.

The HESI is a predictor. According to our school, you must pass it by 87% or higher. Meaning, you have an 87% or higher chance of passing NCLEX exam the first time.

Remember, the school receives more money, funding if the NCLEX pass rate is high for "first time test takers," ONLY. The second time test takers are NOT counted.

I am familiar with all the debates of HESI. The TRUTH is, it is the duty of the faculty/program to assess each student. If the teacher passed you for whatever reason, it is NOT the students fault. Is it?

If you completed the program, you deserve the opportunity to take the NCLEX. Correct?

If the program is so worried about closing, than they should do their jobs. Correct?

Instead, they take a shortcut and use the HESI exit exam. Right?

You can re take NCLEX up to 12 times, but HESI once or twice? NCLEX is the state mandated exam, HESI is a predictor exam. The State only recognzes first time test test takers, not second or third, yet again, you can take NCLEX up to 12 times?

So, its the student's fault that they passed each nurisng courses, provided safe care to patients for free for two to three years, and complied with the student policy handbook???????

Wow!

LOOKING FOR..

STUDENTS who have attended any of the seven city colleges of chicago nursing program to come and support our mission to utilize HESI accordingly. We completed the program, therefore, we deserve to be given the opportunity to take NCLEX RN Exam. Please attend the meeting on May 7 at 800am at the District Office. Past, and current students and instructors are MOST welcome!

Its time that we all unite as one. Please e mail or contact everyone.

I understand Val1984 reply about HESI. I truly understand that schools need those percentages. I also believe that every patient needs quality care. I passed all my courses according to the school's high standards and finished with honors, it is not just and right for the school to put my life on hold just because of failing HESI, which was not even part of the curriculum to begin with! They give this comprehensive exam from an outside agency only at the end of the program- which is suppose to judge me if I become a good nurse in the future!? What about the grueling years I went through just to finish nursing school? Does that mean I have to put everything to waste just because of failing HESI? Any body in their right mind would think this is unfair. Why am i being punished for this. HESI has caused me emotional distress, loss of income and financial difficulties. This should be an AID to students! If it was the absolute predictor, how come some students also fail NCLEX after passing HESI the first time? It is just so unfair. And if indeed this is the absolute predictor according to instructors, why not advocate it to replace the NCLEX board. Everything just does not make any sense!

Hesi is a very touchy subject for me because I had to do it 4 times it was very hard and used by some schools for all the wrong reasons I passed my boards on my very first attempt because the imformation was things I could relate to maybe even saw before I can say if you use your Lippincottt and Saunders it would be helpful you and your classmates are lucky you only need an 850 on hesi my classmates and I were told the same thing when we started but 6 months before taking the hesi the school hired a new chair and after giving us a Sandra B Smith review about one month before taking hesi she raised the passing score to 1000 this was done because the school needed to be fully accredited and didn't want to take any chances myself and my collegues about 40 of us have all passed our boards on the 1st try and out of the forty of us more than 20 of us almost fail out because of Hesi it is no joke good luck[/"alls well that ends well"

I myself am a CCC nursing student taking HESI on Mother's day (of all days) May 10 2009.

For us current students, are presence at that rally is bad for us. We have everything to lose by being there. I could just imagine showing up the day of HESI and my name "some how" not being on the list eligible to sit for HESI, simply because of a Rally.

I completly agree that HESI has no business being an exit exam for CCC, but I'm not willing to throw myself under the bus until I have my License in hand. I will be the first and loudest one protesting this test after I pass NCLEX. What it's really going to take is a former student with our same views infiltrating CCC and moving up the ranks to be in the power to make that choice!! Who knows that my be me. Until then study your asses off for that test!!!! There is too much at stake to waste time at a rally. Those hours can be in a HESI book, let the others that have already passed (or failed) hold the fight while we do the test!!

OMG!!! I was reading all of this and had myself truly freaked out about the HESI. BUT, I found out that we do take the HESI as an exit exam, but our school has changed it to where you can take it three times. If you do not pass after the third time, you have to take an independent study course. Once you finish that you can take the HESI as many times as needed to pass. Still sucks, but is so much better than thinking I would have wasted all these years for nothing! Man I feel so much better now!

what school are you from?

Specializes in Educator/ICU/ER.

All I can say is "I love my students!!!"

We as faculty try so hard to expose each student the knowledge they need to be safe in the workplace and be successful on the NCLEX-RN. There are times I worried that I was too hard during lecture, but they made it!! I am so proud!

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