Does your school say you to pass the HESI to get your degree?

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I am a senior nursing student at Wright State University in Ohio. I am set to graduate in November. Throughout my education at Wright State, the policy on the HESI has been that you have to take it the quarter before you graduate, but you don't have to have any sort of minimum pass rate. It was more of a tool to see where we needed to study for the NCLEX.

Well, this week Wright State College of Nursing announced that starting with MY class, you have to pass the HESI in order to graduate. From past statistics, there has been a 20-25% first time pass rate at WSU for the HESI. It is now part of one of our 400lvl classes, and is worth 10% of our grade. We have two attemps at the test and then we have to take the class over again, which is not offered for 6 months, and if we don't pass it the 3rd time, thats it. No pass, No degree.

My whole class is distraught over this announcement. We have had no prior warning, and in 3 months we will be taking a test that could possibly ruin our careers. We do not take an NCLEX review class until AFTER we take the first shot at the HESI. Starting with the new nursing classes below us they will be implementing a HESI/NCLEX review portion in their core nursing classes. But my class has to just have a go at it and see how it works. We feel like the lab rats, I just don't understand how my school is willing to do this to us as we are soo soo close to graduating. :banghead:

I am wondering what other nursing schools policy on the HESI is? And are we over-reacting or does in one else think that this is crap??

I go to Wright State too! I heard about that this week. I graduate next year in June. They're getting rid of the ERIs after this quarter. I think I would rather take the ERIs than the HESI. I really don't want to get this far and then not graduate because of one test that we aren't really prepared for. :o

Yeah, there have been some issues with the ERI's, so I am not too surprised that they are doing away with them. Hopefully they will start implementing the HESI review stuff in your core classes. I'll let ya know how our class does!

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Let me be honest. We had to pass the HESI with a 850...and were aware of it last fall, when it changed. The school had us sign addedum contracts to our student handbook saying that we understood the changes...legally.

the class of 2007? did NOT have to pass the HESI, if they didn't get the 850...they just had to a take a review course.....but the NCLEX pass rate went way down....

My advice? You SHOULD be doing Nclex questions throughout your last semester....at least 100 every 2-3 days! I'll be honest...after taking exams for 3 weeks, everyday with saunder's...I was MORE than ready for the HESI.....passed with a 922.

If you haven't had to sign anything yet....see what your handbook says. They can't make it stick if you haven't signed anything.

Yeah they haven't given us anything to sign, and we will be reviewing the original handbook to see what it says.

I am more than willing to study my booty off ( and i sure will be!), but its crap that they're going to hold our degrees over our heads. :no:

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
I really feel like they are doing this b/c the NCLEX pass rate has been going down and they could loose their accrediation. And thats bull....teach us better and we will know more.

I know that seems like the logical solution, but it is much much more than that. I'm not sure about nationwide, but I know that my state's pass rate has gone down this past year... in ALL the schools, including mine. Does this mean every school in our state needs to 'teach better'? Yes and no. We need to examine why more students are not passing on the first try, when in past years the same curriculum and strategies have been proven effective. And revising the curriculum to meed the changing needs of NCLEX is no easy (or quick) task. It takes years to iron it out and getting approved by the state.

If they were really doing this to help us, it would be different.

What makes you so sure this is not the case? Yes, it is true that if the NCLEX rate goes down, it makes us look bad. But believe it or not, some of us take pride in our jobs and the schools we teach for. Why do so many of you have this 'we're out to get you' attitude about faculty? Seriously, we're not doing this for the money. You'll be making more than us with your first job.

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I know that seems like the logical solution, but it is much much more than that. I'm not sure about nationwide, but I know that my state's pass rate has gone down this past year... in ALL the schools, including mine. Does this mean every school in our state needs to 'teach better'? Yes and no. We need to examine why more students are not passing on the first try, when in past years the same curriculum and strategies have been proven effective. And revising the curriculum to meed the changing needs of NCLEX is no easy (or quick) task. It takes years to iron it out and getting approved by the state.

What makes you so sure this is not the case? Yes, it is true that if the NCLEX rate goes down, it makes us look bad. But believe it or not, some of us take pride in our jobs and the schools we teach for. Why do so many of you have this 'we're out to get you' attitude about faculty? Seriously, we're not doing this for the money. You'll be making more than us with your first job.

Unfortuantly we have had some bad experiences with the faculty at my school. We REALLY do appreciate those who have pride in what they do and try to help their students.

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At Missouri State we have to take a few HESI tests every semester (Fundamentals, Pharmacology, Med-Surg, Mental Health, Peds/Maternity, and Management) scoring at least an 800 on each. If we fail the first time we pay a fine, have a letter placed in our file, form a remediation plan and take it again before class starts.

Our senior year we have to take a comprehensive HESI ninth week of classes. We have to score at least a 850. If we fail the first time the rumor is we don't get to walk at graduation, but I don't see any of that in the policy. We can take it again the 13th week and if we fail again then we are given an incomplete for that course, cannot graduate until we take a review course and, of course, take another HESI.

They factor all of this into your grade so if you fail any HESI the first time you drop a letter grade no matter what. Failing the exit exam takes 30% of your grade out, which is complicated considering that you have to maintain a "c" average to even stay in our program.

I know it's just a way to keep rates high, but who cares. I do agree with all the statements that changing it mid-semester seems quite ridiculoulous. At least you have three months. I find it helpful and have learned a lot more cramming for HESI tests than most other forms of education!!

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I know this is an OLD post but my school is having the same issue. I'm interested in how this situation played out in the end. We were told about the Hesi exit at the end of our 3rd term and we must pass to graduate. I have found on the Ohio BON website that they may not change the curriculum during the program. I am less than a week away from taking it. They can't legally hold our diploma if they gave us 10 weeks notice of this change, right? It wasn't even in writing, we just got a new book (Hesi) and told we must pass it to graduate. I feel really bad for the 2 that never did pass it and didn't graduate with their class last term. (We are the 2nd term to take it)

Any thoughts?

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