Dispelling NCLEX myths

[Rose_Queen]

We've all heard the rumors about why students fail NCLEX or that a certain number or type of question is associated with passing or failing. Myths about the most important test in a nurse's career abound. Kaplan, who provides review courses for those preparing for NCLEX, has heard many myths from students in those courses and has provided two blog entries dispelling those myths. In particular, they look at:

• Some test takers are just destined to get 265 questions
  
• The proper accessories are very important
  
• Everyone loves "Select All That Apply" questions
  
• Not all nursing students are the same
  
• It's all in the numbers
  
• The test is psychic
  
• Test-site administrators control your destiny
  

NCLEX Myths from Across the Country... Part 1

NCLEX Myths from Across the Country... Part 2

So what are other rumors/myths/"facts" you've heard about NCLEX?

[CiaMia, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

Almost the exact same for me! Passed in 75, only 9 SATA :-)

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

The number of SATA has nothing to do with it. There are low level SATA questions. Think about it, we've had them since first semester. It's about the amount of thinking that needs to go into each question. The higher the level of thinking you can do with each question and maintain that level, the sooner the machine will shut off. Some people only need 75, some people need the whole 265. As long as you pass, you are considered to be someone who has the ability to become a safe and competent nurse.

Not all SATA questions require a higher level of critical thinking. They are pretty much just select all the symptoms or interventions that apply here. If you cannot recall say all of the s/s of hypoglycemia you will miss it. But that's more a knowledge based question, not really a critical thinking question.

I have not taken NCLEX yet, but I do have a basic understanding of how it works. I shake my head a lot at what people come in here and claim, and what they are sure the test is about because I have seen some crazy ones.

The best studying I think anybody can do is just to run through NCLEX style questions over and over. The knowledge is already in there, it's how to best apply it. If you are to the point of taking NCLEX and you don't understand how to prioritize or how certain disease processes work, or are not knowing meds, no amount of cramming is going to help you at this point. Hopefully, the basics and what you learned in school has stuck in your head. Hopefully, you have Maslow's down by this point.

The hardest thing for me is to get back in the rhythm of answering NCLEX style questions when I haven't done it for a bit. I think as long as you practice that and maybe brush up on your meds and prioritization you should be fine, IF you understood nursing school and what you are learning.

[WavyGravy]

If you get the last question right, you've passed.

I know that this is supposed to be a myth, but it makes a lot of sense to me. I know that it is definitely a myth if the NCLEX ends in 75 questions, because the person is so far above or below the passing standard that getting the last one right or wrong doesn't make difference for the results.

But let's say you pass the NCLEX in 120. After answering question 119, the computer is very close to passing you, but it isn't quite sure yet. How could answering the next question wrong(and putting less space between you and the passing standard) make the computer sure enough to pass you?

Or let's say you fail in 175. After answering question 174 the computer is very close to failing you, but you still have a chance to bring yourself above the standard. How is there any way that answering the last question right(and bringing yourself closer to the passing standard) would make the computer sure enough to fail you?

[CiaMia, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

I think it's to do with the 95% confidence interval and how that works. Each question you get, and your response, gives the system a more accurate measurement of whether your ability is above or below... once it has determined within 95% confidence, it won't offer more questions.

There's a video here that explains it! NCLEX Exam - 95% Confidence Interval Rule | NCSBN :)

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

If you get the last question right, you've passed.

I know that this is supposed to be a myth, but it makes a lot of sense to me. I know that it is definitely a myth if the NCLEX ends in 75 questions, because the person is so far above or below the passing standard that getting the last one right or wrong doesn't make difference for the results.

The thing is though, that not all questions are written to be above the passing standard. There are questions that are written below the passing standard that can be answered correctly but it won't matter because the correct answer didn't demonstrate the required minimum competency level.

[Virtual, LVN]

Don't know if this is a rumor but I had a teacher tell me if you check some of the correct answers in SATA and not all of the correct ones it gives you partial credit. Another (non rumor) question I had for drug dosage questions is that you have to add the value right? like if the answer is 2 you write "2 tables" or "2 ml" and not just 2 or else it will be counted as wrong?

[CiaMia, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

Don't know if this is a rumor but I had a teacher tell me if you check some of the correct answers in SATA and not all of the correct ones it gives you partial credit. Another (non rumor) question I had for drug dosage questions is that you have to add the value right? like if the answer is 2 you write "2 tables" or "2 ml" and not just 2 or else it will be counted as wrong?

1. No, this is a rumor. There is NO partial credit, per NCSBN:

All answers to alternate items (e.g., fill-in-the-blank items, hot spot items, multiple response items, ordered response items [or drag-and-drop items]) will be scored as right or wrong. The candidate will be asked to calculate and type in the answer for fill-in-the-blank items (should rounding be necessary, it is to be performed at the end of the calculation), click on the correct spot on an illustration for hot spot items, select all correct options for multiple response items, and drag and drop options in correct order for ordered response items.

2. I believe they ask you to ONLY type the numerical answer, no units, for calculation questions.

[mrsboots87]

Don't know if this is a rumor but I had a teacher tell me if you check some of the correct answers in SATA and not all of the correct ones it gives you partial credit. Another (non rumor) question I had for drug dosage questions is that you have to add the value right? like if the answer is 2 you write "2 tables" or "2 ml" and not just 2 or else it will be counted as wrong?

The question will tell you if you need to write the unit of measure or not and to what decimal place to round.

[mrsboots87]

I know that this is supposed to be a myth, but it makes a lot of sense to me. I know that it is definitely a myth if the NCLEX ends in 75 questions, because the person is so far above or below the passing standard that getting the last one right or wrong doesn't make difference for the results.

But let's say you pass the NCLEX in 120. After answering question 119, the computer is very close to passing you, but it isn't quite sure yet. How could answering the next question wrong(and putting less space between you and the passing standard) make the computer sure enough to pass you?

Or let's say you fail in 175. After answering question 174 the computer is very close to failing you, but you still have a chance to bring yourself above the standard. How is there any way that answering the last question right(and bringing yourself closer to the passing standard) would make the computer sure enough to fail you?

While this would make sense in regular testing, it does not for adaptive testing.

The computer reevaluates your ability after each question and looks at your ability over the last 60 questions. So, if you answer #100 correct but it is a below passing standard question, but question 39 was also answered correctly and it was an above passing standard question then you have essentially replaced that question, the test no longer counts #39 because it is assessing #40-100 and you actually lowered your over all ability score if that makes sense.

So, getting the last question right doesn't really matter unless it was an above passing standard question. But there is no way to know what ability level the question was because the test makes them all seem hard based on your ability.

[WavyGravy]

I think it's to do with the 95% confidence interval and how that works. Each question you get, and your response, gives the system a more accurate measurement of whether your ability is above or below... once it has determined within 95% confidence, it won't offer more questions.

There's a video here that explains it! NCLEX Exam - 95% Confidence Interval Rule | NCSBN :)

Thanks so much for posting that video. I'd read about it but being able to see the confidence intervals made it so much clearer.

[CiaMia, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

Glad it helped!! I'm definitely a visual person also!!

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Try reading the NCLEX forum here. Prospective nurses spout this doozy ALL. OF. THE. TIME. No source required, this thread is about NCLEX MYTHS, hence springchick posting what she did.

Source?