Exit HESI test prep, strategies, opinions, general questions

Nursing Students General Students

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hi,

i am about ready to take my final exit hesi exam. to prepare for the exam i have the following materials/resources:

1) hesi study book from evolve

2) hesi case studies from evolve

3) hesi practice test cd which comes with the hesi book

4) hesi practest 2009 questions from evolve

5) hesi related flashcards, not from evolve

6) hesi study notes compiled by faculty and previous adn students (lab values, meds, etc.)

7) hesi related powerpoints for remediation and instructional purposes, not from evolve

to prepare for the test itself:

1) become an expert at the nursing process r/t questions, answers, and related processes

2) determine my optimum learning style

3) practice visualization and guided imagery

4) practice and refine test taking skills

5) stress relief and coping skills developed and utilized

6) determine areas of weakness in previous hesi exams (via the statistical report provided after taking the test)

7) i practice the practice tests on the computer until i memorize/understand the questions and related material (until i have it down cold via repetition)

8) i review the rationales on the practest questions, case studies, and practice test cd relentlessly (usually start with this first... essentially reverse engineer the questions starting with the rationales and working backwards)

9) memorize hints, meds, lranges, lab values, etc. as outlined in the hesi study book (with an intent to not be caught off guard by material i haven't seen before and to not forego any easy points)

10-a) block off two weeks or more to constantly review the hesi book

10-b)alternatively, study the hesi book as the semester progresses.

11) foregoing studying from other non-evolve resources such as the saunders book temporarily (rationale: hesi test comes from hesi/evolve related products, normally).

12) host/goto hesi review sessions with other students about to take the test (rationale: if you can teach it, you get a better understanding=proficiency, eventually)

where to get some of the above resources:

austin community college. test taking strategies. available at:

http://www2.austin.cc.tx.us/adnlev2/tutoring_web/documents/testtaking.htm

link for the hesi book + practice test 2009:

[color=#0000cc]http://portals.elsevier.com/portal/hesi/productaction?isbn=9780323055710

hesi online case studies only:

[color=#0000cc]https://evolve.elsevier.com/productpages/s_994.html

hesi case studies + practice test 2009:

[color=#0000cc]https://evolve.elsevier.com/productpages/s_1641.html

thoughts and opinions? what have you used, tried, and or using to prepare?

I just took it and I passed with a 932! The passing score was 850. I started studying over winter break with Medspub.com, a resource our school (4 yr. BS) paid to have us use to review. It had tons of practice questions and tutorials. I also used NCLEX 4000. Both were pretty spot on in the topics and types of questions that would be on the HESI.

I would say about 40% of our class did not pass, and while they will get their diploma when the graduate, they have to take it one more time after a remediation class in the summer.

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Specializes in OR.
I just took it and I passed with a 932! The passing score was 850. I started studying over winter break with Medspub.com, a resource our school (4 yr. BS) paid to have us use to review. It had tons of practice questions and tutorials. I also used NCLEX 4000. Both were pretty spot on in the topics and types of questions that would be on the HESI.

I would say about 40% of our class did not pass, and while they will get their diploma when the graduate, they have to take it one more time after a remediation class in the summer.

thats awesome. unfortunately, we get to "walk at graduation" with our class, but keep an 'I' on our transcripts. we get 5 attempts total, then i think it goes to we pay each time for the following HESI attempts.

im gonna try the nclex 4000. i knew there was a 3500.

i think next time i just gotta take it slower. like i said, i nailed med/surg, but others i missed i narrowed down to 2 answers. i suppose more questions with more rationales will help me cover my bases and help me when i come across more content.

great job on passing the HESI guys. i'll be there eventually, not gonna let a stupid test like this hold me back :p

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I am making this post b/c it's what I wanted to read before going into the exit HESI-RN...

I passed with an 1185. Most of my friends passed with scores >1000 as well. There are SO MANY posts with people saying they failed or got JUST above the cut-off, so I went into the HESI thinking I *might* get a 950 MAX (needed 900 to pass), which was kind of a scary feeling. So maybe this post will give others some hope!

To be honest, I thought the exam was VERY difficult (some of my friends said it was easy, so maybe I'm crazy). I am a good test taker & I usually feel like I know the answer when I take tests. But on the HESI, for probably 10-15% of the questions I was VERY unsure, and on another 25% I was somewhat unsure. This was because I didn't know the answer from facts & I had to rely heavily on vague notions & test-taking strategies. I was also nervous and couldn't even remember how to do math for the first 20 questions or so! :p

BUT I only missed 10% of the questions. Using basic principles (fundamentals, patho, anatomy) & good test-taking strategies, I was able to get a high score despite having not prepared as thoroughly as I could have.

For material: I prepared by...

1) watching the Miller DVD series (over about a month, ending about 2-3 weeks before my HESI; thought it was super helpful) - but did NOT review this material as it got closer to my HESI date

2) reading (quickly & half-heartedly) about 1/3 of the Saunders book (::WAY too detailed for quick review!::)

3) reading the Hesi Hints (didn't help me AT ALL...or maybe I just read them too quickly)

4) listening to 1/2 of the Kaplan audio review (if you JUST need to review things you have previously understood well, this review is awesome. If you need extra help understanding something- it might be too cursory & quick-paced. It doesn't go into the "why" for a lot of things.).

For questions, I did around 600 & at least skimmed the rationale for each one I missed (sometimes also for ones I got right). I did the Kaplan practice exam from the 2010 NCLEX CD (76%), the comprehensive exam from the HESI practice CD that came w/ the book (69%), 75 Kaplan questions from the 2010 book (70%), and some questions from the Saunders CD (usually got a 70% on the 10-question quizzes). I stopped doing questions because I understood the test taking strategies well & was getting 70-75% no matter how much more I studied. (I also did NCLEX 3500 and thought it was a JOKE. Don't waste your time.)

So my advice would be -

IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, BRING A [quiet] SNACK OR TWO! AND WATER! I was SO BORED & munching on something would have helped me concentrate.

If you're getting 60-70% on Kaplan or Saunders questions, consistently, chill out - you'll be fine. More than fine.

If you're getting

If you procrastinated & don't have much time to study - review:

first and foremost: test taking strategies

emergency situations & s/s drug toxicities, especially in OB & Psych

fundamentals: injections, IV setup, assessment skills

electrolytes: lab values, foods, s/s of hyper/hypo

CBC & ABG lab values

cardiac & emergency meds/procedures

conversion factors (like lb to kg, oz to ml--and ALWAYS make sure you are reporting the correct unit in your answer; they don't make it clear a conversion is needed)

prioritizing, delegation, & legal issues (consent, abuse, etc.)

SLOW DOWN and read EVERY WORD - that saved me a few times. Also remember sometimes the answer really IS "that is a normal finding."

Good luck everyone!

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Specializes in L & D, Med-Surge, Dialysis.

:clphnds:for your effort on strategy to pass HESI. Thanks for sharing your experience on how to pass:yeah:Hesi. :up:

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:rckn: Thanks sooo much for sharing your experience!!! Its nice to know your not alone when it comes to HESI!!!!

Back to STUDYING!!!

-EM

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I am currently fighting my school, because they have a exit exam policy that says we must make a 900 on HESI before they will send out our transcripts. I have found research articles that show that the HESI is only 47% accurate and that 81% of the people who were predicted to fail which is a score below 900 actually passed NCLEX when allowed to take it. They say I have a good agurement and will disscss it and make a desion. What I need is information on New York banning HESI as well as the court cases currently fighing Hesi in Chicago. PLease help me if you can. Thank you

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:up:Thank you for the strategies

I am making this post b/c it's what I wanted to read before going into the exit HESI-RN...

I passed with an 1185. Most of my friends passed with scores >1000 as well. There are SO MANY posts with people saying they failed or got JUST above the cut-off, so I went into the HESI thinking I *might* get a 950 MAX (needed 900 to pass), which was kind of a scary feeling. So maybe this post will give others some hope!

To be honest, I thought the exam was VERY difficult (some of my friends said it was easy, so maybe I'm crazy). I am a good test taker & I usually feel like I know the answer when I take tests. But on the HESI, for probably 10-15% of the questions I was VERY unsure, and on another 25% I was somewhat unsure. This was because I didn't know the answer from facts & I had to rely heavily on vague notions & test-taking strategies. I was also nervous and couldn't even remember how to do math for the first 20 questions or so! :p

BUT I only missed 10% of the questions. Using basic principles (fundamentals, patho, anatomy) & good test-taking strategies, I was able to get a high score despite having not prepared as thoroughly as I could have.

For material: I prepared by...

1) watching the Miller DVD series (over about a month, ending about 2-3 weeks before my HESI; thought it was super helpful) - but did NOT review this material as it got closer to my HESI date

2) reading (quickly & half-heartedly) about 1/3 of the Saunders book (::WAY too detailed for quick review!::)

3) reading the Hesi Hints (didn't help me AT ALL...or maybe I just read them too quickly)

4) listening to 1/2 of the Kaplan audio review (if you JUST need to review things you have previously understood well, this review is awesome. If you need extra help understanding something- it might be too cursory & quick-paced. It doesn't go into the "why" for a lot of things.).

For questions, I did around 600 & at least skimmed the rationale for each one I missed (sometimes also for ones I got right). I did the Kaplan practice exam from the 2010 NCLEX CD (76%), the comprehensive exam from the HESI practice CD that came w/ the book (69%), 75 Kaplan questions from the 2010 book (70%), and some questions from the Saunders CD (usually got a 70% on the 10-question quizzes). I stopped doing questions because I understood the test taking strategies well & was getting 70-75% no matter how much more I studied. (I also did NCLEX 3500 and thought it was a JOKE. Don't waste your time.)

So my advice would be -

IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, BRING A [quiet] SNACK OR TWO! AND WATER! I was SO BORED & munching on something would have helped me concentrate.

If you're getting 60-70% on Kaplan or Saunders questions, consistently, chill out - you'll be fine. More than fine.

If you're getting

If you procrastinated & don't have much time to study - review:

first and foremost: test taking strategies

emergency situations & s/s drug toxicities, especially in OB & Psych

fundamentals: injections, IV setup, assessment skills

electrolytes: lab values, foods, s/s of hyper/hypo

CBC & ABG lab values

cardiac & emergency meds/procedures

conversion factors (like lb to kg, oz to ml--and ALWAYS make sure you are reporting the correct unit in your answer; they don't make it clear a conversion is needed)

prioritizing, delegation, & legal issues (consent, abuse, etc.)

SLOW DOWN and read EVERY WORD - that saved me a few times. Also remember sometimes the answer really IS "that is a normal finding."

Good luck everyone!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

:cry:on the same boat!

I am currently fighting my school, because they have a exit exam policy that says we must make a 900 on HESI before they will send out our transcripts. I have found research articles that show that the HESI is only 47% accurate and that 81% of the people who were predicted to fail which is a score below 900 actually passed NCLEX when allowed to take it. They say I have a good agurement and will disscss it and make a desion. What I need is information on New York banning HESI as well as the court cases currently fighing Hesi in Chicago. PLease help me if you can. Thank you
Up Vote Up Vote ×

So sorry for all that you're(and others) going thru!!! Ijust took it last month and THANK GOD I Passed...I strongly agree with all that you have said... HESI ruins lives and should be BANNED!!!:madface: the stats speak for themselves...

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I just took my exit HESI today for the first time and got a 995, which was a 92.19%. Here are a few tips...

For those of you who don't have very good reading comprehension like me, going through the HESI review book is a total waste of time. I tried that for one of my subject HESIs, and I found it completely useless for me. Here is what I did to prepare for the exit HESI:

all online Evolve RN Complete case studies twice

all subject practice tests and quizzes on the Evolve RN Complete case studies website

all comprehensive practice tests (3) and quizzes on the Evolve RN Complete case studies website

all subject and comprehensive practice tests (1) on the Evolve Study Guide CD

For me, the case studies were very useful in helping me learn what the question writers wanted in the answers. Some of my classmates said that they did not find them useful. The practice tests and quizzes definitely had many of the similar questions to the real HESI. Also and perhaps most importantly, taking practice test after practice test helped me with critical thinking and knowing what the HESI focused on as most important.

Other tips that seem dumb but I think really helped me...I did not study the day before at all. I had a clinical and then relaxed a little in the evening and went to bed at 9:00. I woke up at 5:00 the next day feeling well rested. In the morning, I read rationales to the questions I had missed on the three comprehensive exams on the case study website. I also did 10 practice questions just to get into thinking mode. I then went running - I highly recommend taking 30 minutes to do whatever you need to relax and destress - ate breakfast (include some protein), and left for school in plenty of time so that I did not have to worry about the traffic. Being calm is really important during this test - do whatever you are able to minimize your stress level! Take coffee, water, whatever will make you more comfortable.

Hope this information is helpful. Good luck to everyone - I know how stressful the exit HESI can be!

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Does anyone else have problems enrolling for the case studies?

Fathertod, Thenicegirl- how did you get the case studies?

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Specializes in Corrections.
Does anyone else have problems enrolling for the case studies?

Fathertod, Thenicegirl- how did you get the case studies?

Generally, your faculty needs to be administrating the case studies after you buy them of course. You need to talk to a supportive faculty member and then have them call your schools HESI/Evolve sales rep and ask them about setting up the case studies. It should be fairly easy to access everything then.

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