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

twarlik · Mar 9, 2005

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.

I've often wondered the same thing. I was talking to a medical student one day and he couldn't believe how short the NCLEX is compared with medical boards.

Oh well...I just want my license so I can start the real learning!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 9, 2005

I am not sure. ......feeling equivocal on this. I sure did like the 75-question test I took. I was done in 25 minutes. But then I was blown away it went so quickly, and like a lot of folks here, upset and worried I failed. Maybe have ONE number would be better. But then, the system is desiged to help those having trouble in the beginning, too. IT gives one a chance to "redeem" him or herself as it goes. How is that for a NON answer? :rotfl:

webblarsk · Mar 16, 2005

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?

I think that is a great idea.

DelightRN · Mar 16, 2005

I'm with Deb, I was pleased with the length of my exam (although it took me 41 minutes to get through those 75 questions... I remember most vividly being irritated because I had paid for a full day of parking in the garage, thinking that the test would take 4 hours or more).

I think that this exam is so extremely stressful, that if people weren't focusing on the number of questions, they'd be focusing on something else equally unimportant. I've seen people fail with 75 and pass with 265. You just never know. Continue to answer each question with your full attention.

I agree that if you've gotten through nursing school you should be able to pass boards. I don't understand people that require 5 or 6 attempts before passing.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 16, 2005

The whole idea behind the exam is not to be nit-picky but make sure that the nurse can function safely. This exam was in this format way before Pearson-Vue got the contract last year to administer the exam. They did not design the exam, it was done by the nursing powers that be.

Believe me, this computerized exam is much better than what we had to sit thru in the old days...............if you made it through nursing school, and have done the practice exams, you should not have a problem with passing this exam.