HESI Exit Advice

Nursing Students General Students

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Just wanted to post some thoughts on the HESI. Might be useful to anyone who is going through this (or is going to go through it).

The CD that comes with the HESI book. Do it. Expect to score low on the practice CD. If you score in the 70's be very proud of yourself.

Forget the A,B,C's. They're useless. Focus on SAFETY. They're looking to see that you are first and foremost a safe nurse. If you miss the safety questions, you're going to hurt your score big time. Same goes for the math questions. They're weighted heavily, so make sure you take your time and get them right.

Know therapeutic communication for psych. and psych. drugs. Read that chapter in HESI thoroughly.

Same goes for the critical care chapter.

Don't beat yourself up for missing a question about something trivial, like head lice. Do you think a question about head lice is going to be weighted heavily? Probably not. If you aren't sure of the answer on something like that, give it your best guess, and move on.

Lastly, get your prioritizing and delegating skills down. Practice as many of those as possible.

Good luck to anyone taking this exam. Take all of the time that is allowed to take it (3+ hours) if you need to. Think every question through carefully. Compare all of the answers and ask yourself..."which of these options can I afford NOT to do?" This will help you understand what the best SAFEST answer is.

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Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

Thank you, this seems like it'll be really good advice based on the end-of-course HESIs I've taken. I've passed all my end-of-course HESIs, and while I'm thinking it'll be the same with the exit HESI I don't want to take any chances :specs:

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Can you tell me any hints that would help me for the HESI at the end of the semester. We are taking a HESI on Med Surg and a HESI on Psych. I am scared to death because they are 10% of our grade and I need to pass them to go on. I would appreciate any help. Thanks.

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Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

The only thing I've noticed with end-of-course HESIs is that the people with extreme test anxiety tend to do poorly, while people with no test anxiety tend to pass. At least, that's how it's been in my classes. If you get extreme test anxiety, learn some relaxation techniques or try and get some anxiolytics prescribed. You might do better that way :mad:

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Hi,I just wanted to add :twocents: my two cents into this conversation. I just tooked the hesi for Neuro, GI, GU and got 1073, I am in my final semmester and starting preceptorship and have to take the exiting hesi, First, your school has present a syllabus on the material that your supposed learn, then elsivier provides a word bank of questions based upon the material you were supposed to learn. The trick is what kind of version the hesi gives to your educational institution.You know the subject - matter but they can ask it to three different ,depending upon the level of diffculty. 90% of my class got a 900 score on the hesi and our professors were :angryfire because they found thhe questions were not challenging enough. Please reply back I m look forward to any response

P.S If I get any replies, I will provide examples of test questions!!!!

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Our instructors say they have nothing to do with picking out the questions for HESI. They said that HESI picks the content. They said they told them that they need a test on med surg and psych. We are taking two different exams for these in a couple of weeks. I have the HESI study guide do you think that it helped. Do you have any suggestions on how to study for this. I just hope that HESI don't fail me out because it is 10% of our grade.

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Hey blynn, I just got back from precetorship. your instructors has nothing to do with the questions that hesi provides. That is why I said from before, they need your syllabus because they can't give you questions on content that you have not cover in your school. As for preparing, remember it all depends on what version you recieve. I think answering nclex type style questions would be helpful. Go to Barnes & Noble and pick up books like FA Davis, Nclex review by Mary ann Hogan and nclex 4000 or 3500 are examples of challenging questions. Books like straight A's in nursing are a waste of time ( not a challenge).

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