Evolve HESI/tests/case studies

dondk, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2010

My school participates with Evolve, the website put out by Elsevier. It costs us $70 a semester, and we have to do case studies and practice tests. The school is still trying to figure out how they want to utilize it. Grades wise, only tests count, and clinical is P/F. I find it useless, and many of the questions/answers are contradictory from the website, to their own published textbooks.
Last semester, at the end of the class, we took a dosage and calculation exam supposedly of HESI format (as was titled in the test and results), which was just to give us an idea where we stood on the subject matter. I can only view what questions I got correct or incorrect, not what they were, or what type (conversion, peds, etc.), which I found disappointing. I don't know where to concentrate my studies, as promised by the site.
Does anyone else's school use this program, and what kind of experience have you had with it?

Same here at my school, I like useless, but prefer worthless. The questions/answers seem to be derived from the Potter/Perry book (which my school does not use), and even when referencing the citation, it does not match.

I asked Elsevier about where to concentrate, I got the push back to discuss it with my instructor, they can best help me. Basically, I find to be a waste of money and time that I could have spent elsewhere.

FLmomof5 · Mar 8, 2010

We don't pay extra because our school uses their books. In the meantime, I have found it very helpful in preparing for each HESI exam (we take at least 1 per term) and since we have to pass the HESI exit exam, I am sure that I will use this as a study tool.

You find value in these when you remember to read the rationales.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2010

My school uses Evolve and HESI too. I was also frustrated that you can't see what questions you got wrong, only the type, but I've found the online practice tests helpful. I LOVE the NCLEX review book they have and have been using that heavily to study. We don't pay an itemized fee for the website, but I'm sure we pay for it somehow

SAHMStudent · Mar 9, 2010

Oh that makes me mad! Our school uses their books too- and I still pay, and pay and pay. Every semester.

HyperSaurus, RN, BSN · Mar 9, 2010

We use the Evolve Casestudies, practice tests, skills videos, and of course, the HESI. I guess since they've started using Evolve and HESI, our pass rates have gone from 83% to 98% and one year, 100%. I don't mind it, especially since we get extra credit for doing non-assigned case-studies, and some of our exam questions come from the case studies and practice tests.

camsyn · Oct 19, 2010

Hi,

My school uses the Evolve, as well. I have found a tiny bit of it useful, but mostly I find it contradictory. We were graded on our first try in one class, and almost everyone was having trouble. The biggest problem with them, to me, is that they are all over the map with the questions in a case study, like disaster questions in a pediatric burn study, and questionable generalizations about ethnicity in another case study. I might find them useful as a study tool, if the information was consistant with the book, but it just plain is not. I am really frustrated with this never ending test mentality also. I realize that I have to pass hundreds of tests to get my RN, but I would really appreciate being taught how to be a decent nurse somewhrer along the way. I don't feel like I am learning anything but how to survive test taking and care plan writing. I don't think the Evolve case studies are worth using. I have found the NCLEX study book better for practicing. Unfortunately my opinion does not matter in my program.