Evolve/Hesi Tests and just general very new student

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Hi,

I am a very new (1st quarter) nursing student in a midwestern accelerated degree program for people who have a bachelor's in something else and want to transition into nursing. One of the things we are going to have to do is to pass these Evolve/Hesi (sp?) tests EACH QUARTER, and then a cummulative one at the end. I've found threads/conversations about the cummulative one, but not the smaller ones that lead up to it. Part of my frustration with Evolve was - I'd watch a video on how to do a particular skill (they don't have time to teach it in class, we watch the video, do it in lab, get checked off, and then are expected to be able to do it on live people ever after) and then we'd have to take these little five question tests that generally had little or nothing to do with the material we'd just watched. I'm trying to figure out what these quarterly tests are like, so I know how to best study. Are they like those little quizzes, or are they based more on the hands-on stuff we did in lab? It's 10 % of my grade for this class, and while I'm passing, I'm not doing great (we are required to keep a 3.0) and need to bring my grade up. They are already suggesting people drop the program, and we are only about 6 weeks into the first quarter. I've asked my prof about these Evolve tests and she just said "Read Potter and Perry". Sure, in my copious free time I'll read the entire thing with no idea what the gist/framework/goal of the test is and thereby how to focus my studying - on top of studying for everything else.

Has anyone taken this quarterly Hesi's that lead up the the big, final one? They are the ones that evaluate and print a report for you.

Our training on EKG's? a lecshare, an online assigment, then it'll be on the test and we will be expected to be able to do it in the hospital.

I've done well in school in the past (have a Master's in another field) but have never had to learn such a massive amount of very detailed material in such a short amount of time, with so little instruction and such high stakes. I'm feeling very overwhelmed. I'm used to writing papers for school, etc and all of these multiple choice questions....and just the sheer volume of the material is overwhelming. Any suggestions on how to approach/organize the material? I think they are trying to teach us about triage by structuring the education this way!

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I just completed block 1 of my nursing program and we had to take our first Hesi as an exit exam. They are really hard to prepare for in my opinion, because my instructor would not give us any insight on where to get information to study. If you are doing the Evolve case studies?, they are very similar to those in the way that they are worded and how they give you scenarios. They don't really ask you anything that you have not gone over in class so if you have done well on your exams you should be fine. I would say that mine was not real specific like know this lab value or what is this called, I would say it was more knowledge application and your ABC's. (airway, breathing, and clearance - you know "priorities") We were supposed to shoot for an 850 on this test and I took it without studying anything and got 964. I think my class had an average of like 846. Well anyways, I hope this helps you some and I would be more than willing to answer any other specific questions if you have any. I was REALLY REALLY nervous about my Hesi but it turned out ok :)

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Specializes in LTC, wound care.

I just had my first year HESI this week and passed it with plenty of room to spare. I didn't really study specifically for the test, but I did buy the HESI prep book, and use that to make sure that I knew the stuff in that book. Use the appropriate section in the book when you are studying that same section in class.

And, nursing is famous for taking over your life just when it comes to the huge amount of time it takes to do all the work required.

Most people just have absolutely no idea of what is required to become a nurse. It is rather shocking in the beginning when people see this for themselves. But you can do it, it is doable!

Oh, and BTW, if and when you do great on HESI, it will serve to pump up your confidence that much more for your licensing exams. My confidence got a huge boost!:yeah:

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Specializes in Mother Baby & pre-hospital EMS.

Our school had us take several HESI exams in addition to the comprehensive one. We took Fundamentals, Pharmacology, Med-Surg, Psych, OB, Peds, and the comprehensive HESI exams. When asking advice from students who took these exams before me, they have pretty much all said to study from the HESI book. The title is Evolve Reach Testing and Remediation Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination.

There is a CD that comes with the book that has practice exams for each area. They are NOT scored the way the HESI exams are scored, though. Evolve Elsevier also has case studies that you can purchase for $30. You have access to these for a year. They also have practice exams you can purchase for about $60, and I have heard from classmates that they were pretty good.

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We have taken MANY Hesi's as well ;OB/peds, pharm. fundamentals, V2, etc..... The material on the exams really isnt what you cover in class, its more application of what you have learned. There are a lot of questions about "What is the best intervention, or what would you do first" in many scenarios. ABC's, Maslows, etc... If you know there is one comng up like OB for example review the material you have learned "the facts" and think about how to apply it. I didnt buy and HESI study book, infact I didnt even know they existed until I read this thread, but thats how I prepared for them and I was way above the required 850/900 mark. Good luck:)

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Hi,

I tried searching the evelsier site, as well as amazon, etc for the case studies, and am having trouble finding them. do you know where they can be found? Comprehensive finals are approaching....!

Thanks...

Jennifer

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Specializes in Mother Baby & pre-hospital EMS.

Jennifer,

I searched for "case studies" in the search box at evolve.elsevier.com and was able to find them. There is one that says "Evolve Case Studies" and one that says "Evolve Case Studies with Practice Test." Hopefully this is what you are looking for!

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Yeah, I'd found those too. Unfortunately, they won't let me enroll. If I click on enroll in a course with a prof, I need a number from the prof. If I click on enroll in self study, it takes me to an info page that says I have to search for the text book as the next step. When I search for the text, and click on that, it just takes me back to the first enroll in case study page, which starts the loop all over again. I'll keep looking. Thanks,

Jennifer

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Specializes in Mother Baby & pre-hospital EMS.

Jennifer,

Ah, I see - you are right - one of my instructors was the one who told us about these HESI products. She gave us certain numbers to use if we purchased the case studies and/or the practice tests. Do you have an account at Evolve Elsevier? Are there any text books you own that have a website on the inside cover that list an Evolve Elsevier link? Several of my books had accompanying online resources through Evolve.

If that doesn't work, I would submit a ticket, call their support center (available 24/7), or browse through their knowledge base. Hope you can find it soon!

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Just took the hesi yesterday passed so happy good luck with you test guys

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Specializes in pediatrics.

It's is overwhelming that's why it is safe to call it accelerated lol. I'm sure you will push through and do great and I know it is a lot of material. I was overwhelmed in nursing school and it wasn't even a fast track. My school had us pay (through tuition) to use the evolve.elsevier.com website and do the case studies. Those case studies helped me to think in the way the exam wanted me to. I had to take them all. The fundamentals is probably the easiest and then it increasingly gets harder but that is only because the material is more complex such as med-surg, it's about the disease process and side effects of common drugs and such. I have never had to use the book so I don't know about it but I am sure it is good. Good luck to you and I am glad you have decided to become a nurse!

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