Does the number of questions predict results?

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OK..I have been reading everybodies posts here and it seems that the best indicator for passing is either with 75 questions or 265 questions. I am so trying not to freak myself out, keep myself focused on remembering that I did indeed pass nursing school, and that I am answering practice questions at a reasonable rate of correct answers. I am so scared that I will be sitting at that computer on Wednesday and the screen will not turn blue after 75 but at some completely random number like 192, and that it will surely mean I failed. Is there anyone out there that passed with any odd numbers? Thanks, just sign me...Ready to :barf01:

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Slide 19 on this slide show (how the CAT works) states that the test ensures you will only get half of the questions correct

https://www.ncsbn.org/1230.htm

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Also new stats show that 87.1% of nurses trained in the US will pass on their first attempt. Of foreign trained nurses the pass rate is 47.4%

https://www.ncsbn.org/Table_of_Pass_Rates_2008.pdf

The thing I feel is no good telling someone they have passed when, yes they have a good chance if trained in the US, it is hard to predict. Personally I think it is better to wish them good luck than tell them they have passed when they may not have

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Are these the slides you meant?

Based upon the examinee's answers up to that point, the computer estimates the examinee's ability and selects an item that the examinee should have about a 50% chance of getting right.

In fact, the adaptive nature of the test almost ensures that you will only get about half of the questions correct.

but neither of these read to me that "All get 50% correct and 50% incorrect when testing". There is no way the computer could guarantee that the person is going to get the next question wrong. The words "almost ensures that you will only get about half" and "should have about a 50% chance of getting it right" do away with any absolutes, imo.

I'd have to stand by my thoughts that I scored higher than 50%, not that it really matters, lol.

Sorry, I live with a statistician. :D

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And I live by what I have stated.

The questions get progressively harder when one is doing well and passing them.

You are entitled to your opinions, and I am entitled to mine. And I still stand by what I have written. CAT exams are different than any other type of exam, and that is a fact that you can take to the bank.

And if someone did that welll on the exam, chances are that they would receive a letter asking them about that. Have seen some of my students get one, but that is not the case at all for the majority that are testing.

And yes, I have taken master's level statistics courses as well.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
85% of test takers pass the first time. All get 50% correct and 50% incorrect when testing, they go by the level where the majority of the questions are answered correctly.

I wasn't referring to the actual number of questions that were answered correctly-- I was referring to the level at which each candidate applies. You say yourself that 85% pass the first time so this implies a huge negatively skewed curve.

This means it's simple to extrapolate that at 75 questions, there's a much higher statistical probability of passing than of failing.

Will there be people that fail at 75? Yup, but they'll be in the minority.

Also, it's totally conceivable to have the test shut off at 75 after getting 100% correct or 100% incorrect-- while the test trends toward 50/50, it also turns off once it's established a result with certainty.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Slide 19 on this slide show (how the CAT works) states that the test ensures you will only get half of the questions correct

https://www.ncsbn.org/1230.htm

Once again, the test trends towards 50/50, but shuts off once it's reached a result with certainty. It's perfectly possible to get well above 50% correct (or incorrect) and shut off at 75.

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I PASSED.......Took the test Weds and got quick results in 48 hours. Shut off in 75 questions. Hmmmm. Now I need a new screen name! Thanks to all that responded to this thread.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Congrats

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Specializes in NICU.

In a word: NO

https://allnurses.com/forums/f197/waiting-nclex-results-read-here-first-174503.html

Click that link and check out the answer to #3.

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I wasn't referring to the actual number of questions that were answered correctly-- I was referring to the level at which each candidate applies. You say yourself that 85% pass the first time so this implies a huge negatively skewed curve.

This means it's simple to extrapolate that at 75 questions, there's a much higher statistical probability of passing than of failing.

Will there be people that fail at 75? Yup, but they'll be in the minority.

Also, it's totally conceivable to have the test shut off at 75 after getting 100% correct or 100% incorrect-- while the test trends toward 50/50, it also turns off once it's established a result with certainty.

Methylene,

You are correct by saying that anyone that fails at 75 will be in the minority. But what you left out is that anyone that fails at ANY number is in the small minority since I believe the last stats showed somewhere between 85-87% pass the test.

But we are all left to speculate since we are not given the specific statistics we need to analyze which % of people pass most at which number.

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