Hesi Exit Test

Nursing Students HESI

Published

Hello fellow educators....I am dealing with a dilema which I have no control over as I am a staff member, not administration, but it is just eating away at my concious. My community college uses the HESI exit exam for the ADN and LVN programs. Regardless of how good your GPA is, clinical performance and so on....along April or so, you have to pass a "exit exam" with a score of 850 or better in order to "Walk with your diploma". If you fail to pass the test you are allowed to take it again. If you fail again, you are out. Don't pass go, don't collect you monopoly money!!!! The problem I have with it, and I am not alone in this, IS>>> a couple of students each year per program, fails the HESI, despite being quality nursing students and according to the census of most instructors would pass the NCLEX with no problems. Other schools in our area use the HESi,but as a tool to help the students focus on their areas of weakness. I feel we should not leave it up to a third party vendor to make or break these kids, who have put their lives on hold, pawned everything they own, just to be one of us.

Am I normal to feel this way? I have discussed it with other staff and told it is the policy of the college network, DON'T go there...etc.

Your viewpoints would be appreciated. I just want my students to all have a shot at NCLEX after proving themselves to me, not a private vendor.

ERDude

Sounds like a great plan! Don't wait too long or you might talk yourself out of the idea. Good luck!

Specializes in ortho.

For those of you who did not pass the HESI, don't get down in the dumps . I "flunked" 3x: from just shy of 80 to just shy of 94. You can not pass at unless you get an 87, now it is a 90. Before doing the ACE Drexel program, I attended excellent private colleges (undergrad and masters) and did very well, however I never had multiple choice tests. My grades in nursing were good but not stellar - realize that it is the most condensed program in the country.

I hardly think that this test can predict your future success as a nurse. In fact it is a lesson in learning how to take the test. From someone who has had high-level professional careers before going into nursing, I scoff at the idea that a multiple-choice test can even begin to tap into one's intelligence. This type of test is a hoop to jump through for the state. Once you review the material and you learn the testing format, testing strategies are learnable and predictable.

For us HESI "flunkies," we had an NCLEX review where the 1st day really covered testing strategies. The light bulbs started going off. Then over the next couple of weeks the principles kicked in with practice. This included how not to second guess yourself, how to answer what they are asking, and how not to read into the question.

However, the best thing that I did was to just review the HESI book and fundamentals (not covered in HESI). In an organized fashion, I studied the HESI review book along with my notes/ppts over the year: endocrine, CV, pharm, etc... I was surprised at how much I remembered once I took the time to review. I then used 3 sources to do practice questions after each session. By this time, I stopped using the HESI website and DVD as I had memorized them by now. As well, the website was not user friendly compared to Saunders, Reviews, Mosbys... Do not purchase the Evolve case studies - big wast of time! Just study the HESI book.

I only used testing strategy if I did not know the answer because I found that the sources would purposely use several strategies to "trip you up." I really practiced leadership, management and mental health questions because these questions were really wordy. A big part of the test is wading through the wording to understand what they are really asking you. Once you understand this, you will be fine. I also reviewed math q's on the DVD from calculate with confidence as those can be wordy as well.

Once I focused on reviewing my weak areas, figured out my reading errors, and then used test-taking strategies, I finally passed - and you can too!!!!

Thank you for your tips, but I passed my LPN boards without the help of HESI, as a matter of fact I passed on my own study technique and it worked the first time, not after 3 strikes your out like my former schools policy with HESI, and Saunders was my life saver (thank you Linda Sylvestri).. and I would have passed my RN boards as well, I know several nurses who took both boards and said there was no difference between the LPN boards and the RN boards, which I firmly believe to be true, HESI is supposed to be used as an evaluation tool, NOT A PENALTY, so shame on the schools who use it for that purpose to protect themselves and not to graduate students who are suitably ready and able to be safe nurses...

Signed: Holly, LPN and proud of it!! my RN will come on my own terms, not HESI or a stupid school politic that states if I can't pass HESI I am not worthy of being a nurse!!!!!!! I am a nurse!

What was your final HESI score? Do you think it helped prepare for NCLEX? I am not so sure.

Worse after 8 weeks of remediation it dropped to a 712 and no it didn't help me in the least for the boards, I passed my LPN boards the first time, saunders helped me for my boards, I deserve my RN diploma, I worked so hard for it and to have it withheld because of hesi is so wrong

I completely understand. My school required 900 on the final HESI to graduate. I made 891 on 1st, 858 on 2nd, and after fasting and praying at my church for 24 hours I made 1006 on final and 3rd HESI. God is so good! Boards were so easy in my opinion. Only had 75 questions and they were much easier than HESI. Good luck on your schooling. Don't quit, you can do it!

Thanks, I am not giving up, but for now with a new job I just want to get acclimated as a nurse and get used to my schedule with a husband and 2 kids, my brain needs a break from the books as well, but I will go back:) Good for you on your hesi final score, my test anxiety was far too high for me to be successful on a test where stakes were so high and I could care less if I ever step foot in a class room again, excelsior will be the way for me, online LPN to BSN then possible RN to masters, I learn better on my own and on my own time where I don't have time restrictions

You don't hate it because you passed, if you really feel the pain of people that failed and then feel the senselessness of this HESi thing, you would understand better, but anyways, goodjob, I am very happy for you and by the way I am waiting to take it the second time, I failed woefully on the first one, made the lowest grade in the entire program, a misly ass 647 when I needed 850 to pass, isn't that something?. What I am doing is studying the Saunders Nclex book because someone in our school told me he read it and took and passed the HESI and NCLEX all together, I find that book helpful if anyone struggled like I did, please pray for me, I need to pass this test in January so that I can sit for my board exam. The lVN program was really really hard but I made it through, but couldn't believe how I fell from the tree so badly.

I completely understand. My school required 900 on the final HESI to graduate. I made 891 on 1st, 858 on 2nd, and after fasting and praying at my church for 24 hours I made 1006 on final and 3rd HESI. God is so good! Boards were so easy in my opinion. Only had 75 questions and they were much easier than HESI. Good luck on your schooling. Don't quit, you can do it!

I am so happy for you, great job, I just wish I can get the so needed 850, God please that's all I need, please help me God, please if you don't mind, could you please go to your church and pray for me while I am praying in my room, I am so desperate, please pray for me, my name is Gosple.

The only thing that has kept me strong through all my challenges is my faith that god had something planned for me, and it wasn't RN at this time in my life, have faith because god does have a plan for all of us, sometimes its hard to understand his will because we all try to live by our own will, and hesi isn't the end all, remember that, where one door closes, god always opens up another...good luck

Specializes in Neuro, ER, Acute, Home Health.

Hi I have been where you guys were. I have info and did a ton of research about the Hesi bc of course where I went to school they did not have a review which is why a lot of people don't pass the first time. If anyone wants my info my IM name is the same as my email address and I will gladly send you my info, bc it is GOOD!! A good thing to know is that there are 4 versions of the tests. This is how it works where I went to school. V-1 exit practice hesi. V2 the 1st exit hesi, V-3 the redo, and then V-4 the last one you can take and then have to retake the last 4 wks of school inculding redoing a ton of preceptorship hours. I would be glad to help anyone, just ask!!

The only thing that has kept me strong through all my challenges is my faith that god had something planned for me, and it wasn't RN at this time in my life, have faith because god does have a plan for all of us, sometimes its hard to understand his will because we all try to live by our own will, and hesi isn't the end all, remember that, where one door closes, god always opens up another...good luck

That's true, you are very correct, because I have been trying to get in the rn program but that never worked but even when I wasn't trying to get in the program, I was accepted and I overcame all the trials and tribulations and temptations, so I think it is my time. Thanks a lot for your advice, I appreciate it.

+ Add a Comment