Do you think having variable number of questions in NCLEX is a good idea?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I'm old enough to have taken NCLEX the old fashioned way on paper. Everyone took it the same day and everyone had the same number of questions.

I'm 100% in favor of computerization and rapid response, but I'm beginning to see that people get so stressed over the number of questions. Particularly those who go beyond 75 and go on to 200 plus. Is it fair for them to get so many questions and sweat and get all nervious and perhaps make silly errors.

More people get hung up over the number of questions than anything else about the NCLEX.

If I were King, everyone would have to take the same number of questions, say about 200. Everyone knows they will get 200, and that's that.

What do you say?

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Specializes in Starting in Labor and Delivery!!.
I'm old enough to have taken NCLEX the old fashioned way on paper. Everyone took it the same day and everyone had the same number of questions.

I'm 100% in favor of computerization and rapid response, but I'm beginning to see that people get so stressed over the number of questions. Particularly those who go beyond 75 and go on to 200 plus. Is it fair for them to get so many questions and sweat and get all nervious and perhaps make silly errors.

More people get hung up over the number of questions than anything else about the NCLEX.

If I were King, everyone would have to take the same number of questions, say about 200. Everyone knows they will get 200, and that's that.

What do you say?

IMO - leave as is.....the way the test is set up now gives each candidate the same opp. to get 75 questions....it just all depends on how the questions are answered......I have not sat for the NCLEX yet but I would rather have 232 and pass than have 200 and not pass becuase it was not quite determined that I was passing yet but could have been in 10 more questions. Just my 2 cents....Am interested in hearing what others have to say!

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I must admit, I didn't really like the 75-and-shut-off result I got when I tested. When I look back on it, how could they determine with just those questions if I really knew anything? Nevertheless, I'm a good nurse. I'd like to see research that correlates those who shut off at 75 and passed and those who got 150+ before passing in terms of learning ability or training difficulties in their internships.

Veridican

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I felt that every question passed the 75 was a problem for me because I felt I had failed because it didnt stop at 75, when it stoped at 107 questions I thought 'well thats it then I've failed' because it was a strange number to stop at. In reality I passed.

I got no alternative questions like drug calculations so that made me believe even more I hadn't passed.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
If I were King, everyone would have to take the same number of questions, say about 200. Everyone knows they will get 200, and that's that.

What do you say?

Yep, sit down, pen and paper, and how long did we have to wait? I forget but it was something close to FOREVER!

I agree - same number of questions. what is their rationale for varying the number?

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Specializes in CICu, ICU, med-surg.
Yep, sit down, pen and paper, and how long did we have to wait? I forget but it was something close to FOREVER!

I agree - same number of questions. what is their rationale for varying the number?

The test adapts as the person takes it. If you do really well early on, then the computer gives you only the minimum number of questions needed to determine "minimum competency." Same goes for those who do poorly early on. If it's obvious that you don't know what you're doing, the test shuts off and you fail.

I think this test format is great. It allows you to test whenever you want and it doesn't take days to sit for all those written exams and get your results.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

I'm 100% in favor of computerization and rapid response, but I'm beginning to see that people get so stressed over the number of questions. Particularly those who go beyond 75 and go on to 200 plus. Is it fair for them to get so many questions and sweat and get all nervious and perhaps make silly errors.

More people get hung up over the number of questions than anything else about the NCLEX.

If I were King, everyone would have to take the same number of questions, say about 200. Everyone knows they will get 200, and that's that.

What do you say?

Good points to ponder.

There's no reason the test couldn't be computerized, and scheduled individually by the test-taker, and still be a standardized number of questions. The questions themselves could be randomized, but the number of questions would be the same for all.

I may be shooting myself in the foot here, as I gear up to take NCLEX later this year :sofahider ... but I've often wondered how the world my entire nursing education could be boiled down to 75 questions.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I think this test format is great. It allows you to test whenever you want and it doesn't take days to sit for all those written exams and get your results.

I agree 100% with that. Progress is a wonderful think and the old paper and pencil need to stay in the museum with the typewriter.

I just think the variable question format causes undue stress on people. Go to the NCLEX board and 100% of the posts mention the number of questions they got. Those with the most questions stress the most, or so it seems. I say just let everyone take the same number of questions so that part of it is a nonissue.

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The GRE is structured the same way. The great thing about that exam is that you can get "unofficial results" the same day. You get official results in the mail in about 3 weeks. Since it is computerized, I see no reason that you can't get results the same day so that you are not stressing over nothing. There may be a few people who get an unofficial pass or fail, and then have the results validated and reversed, but somehow I think that would be very few in the scheme of things. Who do you petition to allow this?

I agree 100% with that. Progress is a wonderful think and the old paper and pencil need to stay in the museum with the typewriter.

I just think the variable question format causes undue stress on people. Go to the NCLEX board and 100% of the posts mention the number of questions they got. Those with the most questions stress the most, or so it seems. I say just let everyone take the same number of questions so that part of it is a nonissue.

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Specializes in Emergency.

a friend was with me - we both got 75. I got two math calculations an a bunch of questions specific to the knee contraption used after knee replacement. She got no math. Speaking with others some got math, some didn't, some got alternative medication, some didn't - I can't believe drug calculations are not important, yet others pass with 75 questions and no math. I don't feel this format is a fair measurement/comparison - how can you ask completely different subject matter questions of people who supposedly studied the same material and get an accurate assessement of their ability fairly? I a person that failed twice with 75 questions so the number is irrelevant. Just my thoughts - in agreement with the concept of "I can't believe my entire nursing education boiled down to just 75 questions" - it's actually quite sad and disturbing to me.

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Specializes in private duty/home health, med/surg.

Actually, it doesn't boil down to 75 questions -- 15 of the questions anyone takes on the NCLEX do not count toward your score. So in many instances, it comes down to 60 questions. And from what I understand, candidates only answer half of those questions correctly. So you could say that 30 questions is all it takes.

I read in the NCLEX booklet a detailed explanation about all the research Pearson has done and how it really is a very accurate process. I guess they must have some very convincing evidence in favor of it, since their test is the national standard.

I don't feel entirely comfortable with this idea, myself. I think of the blood, sweat, and tears I put into years of a college education and it culminates with a 60-question (mostly) multiple choice test? A child could conceivably take this test and just happen to click on the correct answers (remember, only about half the answers will be correct), and voila! They've just proved they are qualified to become a nurse! A long shot, I know, but it still bugs me.

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The test focuses on your weaknesses. If you answer the first few correctly on that topic, then it goes onto the next area. Miss them, and you will be hounded.

You should be preparing yourself for taking care of patients in the future, not so much as worrying about the test. If you were able to do well in school, then your chances of doing well on the exam remain in place.

They are trying to find out whether you will be a safe nurse or not, not how much that you know. Remember that your learning curve begins when you begin your first job/internship, not with what you learned in school. There is so much out there to take in, I have been doing this for many years and am still learning something new all of the time.

Things change, and so do we..................... :balloons:

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