I've read everything about the NCLEX and I understand it. But not totally.
I see how you can pass in anywhere from 75-265 q's. It goes until you prove you are consistentyl above the level of competence.
I understand how you can fail at 265 b/c you didn't show competence by the last question.
But how does it determine failure before 265? Does the algorithm decide that you are so far below competence at Question X that you will never be able to reach it even if you completed all 265 questions?
Otherwise, it would let everyone complete a full 265 who can't show competence during the first 264.
I just finished explaining to a classmate pretty much the same thing; we were discussing another classmate of ours who found her 75 questions to be an easy test, and I was just saying that there's lots of times I've thought an answer was "easy" but I still got it wrong....and that had to be the case for anyone who finds the test "easy": they got about 50% wrong.
Personally, I am a bit wary of "easy" tests, but I can only hope and pray that I think MINE is, too...it sure eases anxiety!!
of nclex-related info, particularly in the 2006 candidate bulletin. the
ncsbn is actually pretty upfront about how the nclex is created and
scored.
re: the possibility of getting a bad run of incorrect answers due to
distraction. while everyone gets at least 75 questions, it is probably
possible that a person could become distracted enough to miss several
questions in a row, but i would hope they'd reach for the ear plugs
provided by the testing center before allowing that to happen. as any nursing
school grad knows, nurses are expected to perform their skills under
noisy, highly stressful, and scary conditions. while i sympathize with
test anxiety, consider whether you would want to be cared for by (or work
with) a nurse who required silence to do her job and remember her
stuff.
re: the suggestions of allnurses members in future nclex test design.
the ncsbn is not a bunch of guys who get together over a cold beer and
make up some arbitrary rules and questions. the ncsbn employs
psychometricians - experts in designing fair and valid tests of all kinds.
no exam will ever be perfect, but computerized adaptive technology is
pretty well established as a standard technique for aptitude tests and
licensure exams. instead of thinking of cat as something that gives you
every opportunity to squeak out a pass, think of it as something that
continually evaluates your ability level and assesses whether you appear
to be competent to practice as a nurse. it forms impressions early, but
it doesn't make firm judgments until after you've answered 75
questions, in various formats, on a wide range of topics.
***************
yours,
allnurses.com nursing for nurses team.
ericenfermero
to be honest, there is no need of being sardonic towards people with anxiety disorder. i think that is very rude. no one deserves to be degraded/affronted especially by a nurse/nurse to be. that was just an example i had given. i did not mean for it to be cumbersome for anyone. i highly feel for people with testing anxiety issues because they do not choose to be in conditions like that. testing environments are absolutely different from working environments. therefore, using the two as a comparisons is being unrealistic and undiplomatic.
if i recall from the previous postings, no one mentioned that ncsbn is a bunch of drankards. this sounds like your own opinion. this discussion is about understanding how nclex determines pass/fail from the number of questions given. not undermining peoples' character.
no one wants be given a free pass to passing nclex, we are smart in different ways, but we just want to understand it's accuracy in determining fail/pass before all items are given. what is wrong that? why do you have issues with people who want to learn about nclex?
above all, i think everything created/invented by mankind deserves to scrutinized in order to make improvements or adjustments because nothing is absolutely perfect. i can not think of anything that was created/invented for medical purposes that has not been improved on or adjusted since it's creation, otherwise everything will be a disaster. as far as i'm concerned, everyone is opinionated and in u.s.a, everyone has the right to free speech, but this is not effective if it is accompanied by arrogance and disrepecting others who do not support your opinion. besides, that is not a character of a good nurse/nurse to be.
of nclex-related info, particularly in the 2006 candidate bulletin. the
ncsbn is actually pretty upfront about how the nclex is created and
scored.
re: the possibility of getting a bad run of incorrect answers due to
distraction. while everyone gets at least 75 questions, it is probably
possible that a person could become distracted enough to miss several
questions in a row, but i would hope they'd reach for the ear plugs
provided by the testing center before allowing that to happen. as any nursing
school grad knows, nurses are expected to perform their skills under
noisy, highly stressful, and scary conditions. while i sympathize with
test anxiety, consider whether you would want to be cared for by (or work
with) a nurse who required silence to do her job and remember her
stuff.
re: the suggestions of allnurses members in future nclex test design.
the ncsbn is not a bunch of guys who get together over a cold beer and
make up some arbitrary rules and questions. the ncsbn employs
psychometricians - experts in designing fair and valid tests of all kinds.
no exam will ever be perfect, but computerized adaptive technology is
pretty well established as a standard technique for aptitude tests and
licensure exams. instead of thinking of cat as something that gives you
every opportunity to squeak out a pass, think of it as something that
continually evaluates your ability level and assesses whether you appear
to be competent to practice as a nurse. it forms impressions early, but
it doesn't make firm judgments until after you've answered 75
questions, in various formats, on a wide range of topics.
***************
yours,
allnurses.com nursing for nurses team.
ericenfermero
to be honest, there is no need of being sardonic towards people with anxiety disorder. i think that is very rude. no one deserves to be degraded/affronted especially by a nurse/nurse to be. that was just an example i had given. i did not mean for it to be cumbersome for anyone. i highly feel for people with testing anxiety issues because they do not choose to be in conditions like that. testing environments are absolutely different from working environments. therefore, using the two as a comparisons is being unrealistic and undiplomatic.
if i recall from the previous postings, no one mentioned that ncsbn is a bunch of drankards. this sounds like your own opinion. this discussion is about understanding how nclex determines pass/fail from the number of questions given. not undermining peoples' character.
no one wants be given a free pass to passing nclex, we are smart in different ways, but we just want to understand it's accuracy in determining fail/pass before all items are given. what is wrong that? why do you have issues with people who want to learn about nclex?
above all, i think everything created/invented by mankind deserves to scrutinized in order to make improvements or adjustments because nothing is absolutely perfect. i can not think of anything that was created/invented for medical purposes that has not been improved on or adjusted since it's creation, otherwise everything will be a disaster. as far as i'm concerned, everyone is opinionated and in u.s.a, everyone has the right to free speech, but this is not effective if it is accompanied by arrogance and disrepecting others who do not support your opinion. besides, that is not a character of a good nurse/nurse to be.
always happy tinta06
whoa!! you are so offtrack here i read and reread eric's post trying to see whatever you saw, but couldn't if i read it for the next ten years. eric has been nothing but supportive of those struggling with the nclex issue.
No one wants be given a free pass to passing NCLEX, we are smart in different ways, but we just want to understand it's accuracy in determining fail/pass before all items are given. What is wrong that? why do you have issues with people who want to learn about NCLEX?
I don't think it came out like I intended the first time around. We all come here on our off time to learn more about our field. We should definitely have fun doing it, so I am sorry to offend.
I've taken a big interest in this beast they call the NCLEX. I remember how I walked in to my own exam feeling confident, walked out 75 questions later feeling battered and bruised, then found out I passed after 48 hours of worry.
I still follow this thread because the NCLEX is an interesting process to me. I do admit to getting a little frustrated though when people refer to the NCLEX as some secretive or arbitrary thing. If you visit the NCSBN site, you'll find that the better portion of their website is dedicated to information about NCLEX scoring methodology, testing research, and other exam information. One read of the NCSBN's 2006 Candidate Bulletin would help many students to have a much better understanding of the test. There's no secrecy going on here.
I can see where the line between anxiety in testing and anxiety at work needs to be drawn. I actually think though, that the CAT system works in favor of those with anxiety issues in most cases. Anxiety symptoms can often get progressively worse over a relatively short period of time. Under CAT, if a person really knows the material and can start out somewhat calm, they have a chance to demonstrate their competence and stop at 75, possibly before full-blown hyperventilation ensues. Without the CAT, we would have to give everyone 265 questions (or some similar, set number) and a person might do really well at first, then freak out in the middle of the test and blow the rest of the exam. Basically, this type of person likely passes with CAT and likely fails without it.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
One suggestion I have is that while taking NCLEX, do not look at the # of questions you are doing. When I started my exam, I looked where it would show the question number, and I avoided looking at it from that point until I looked by mistake at question #60 and then again by mistake at #82. It shut down at 85.
While preparing for NCLEX-PN, I started by answering about 150 per day, quickly increasing to 300 per day, in order to ensure I had the stamina to sit for the duration, if necessary. I saw that I had the speed, so I wanted to ensure that I had the knowledge. I passed, thank goodness, but I would never want to do this again. It is a literal crap shoot.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I feel the same way, that the NCLEX process is very interesting, and I would always keep up with these threads. I don't quite understand their process, though, and I also felt beaten to a plup, and, yes, 48 hours later, spirits were uplifted because I passed such a strange exam. I will say this, though...I will never do this again. I passed NCLEX-PN, am happy, in fact, I start orientation tomorrow morning. But, I also know that based on my school experience and NCLEX (even though both were positive), RN is not for me. I can't go through this mental strain ever again. I don't say this out of bitterness, and those that are going to move on, I will be their cheerleader, but I will change careers before I go through this again.
i read and reread eric's post trying to see whatever you saw, but couldn't if i read it for the next ten years. eric has been nothing but supportive of those struggling with the nclex issue.
RNsRWe, ASN, RN
3 Articles; 10,428 Posts
Thanks, Eric :)
I just finished explaining to a classmate pretty much the same thing; we were discussing another classmate of ours who found her 75 questions to be an easy test, and I was just saying that there's lots of times I've thought an answer was "easy" but I still got it wrong....and that had to be the case for anyone who finds the test "easy": they got about 50% wrong.
Personally, I am a bit wary of "easy" tests, but I can only hope and pray that I think MINE is, too...it sure eases anxiety!!