HESI Exit exam. It's not even my time to take it and I'm so scared!

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Hi everyone,

I am about to finish my first semester of my first year (of a two year program) in my RN program. Our school requires that we take the HESI exit exam after we finish our second semester of the first year, but we must past this test with an 850 (no matter if we passed the semester or not) to continue to second year. In the past years, the students were allowed 3 tries to pass, but now they are only allowing us 1 attempt. I'm so nervous because there must have been a reason that they gave 3 attempts in the first place! I have passed all of my instructors exams so far and I took a practice HESI exit from the site, it gave 20 questions, and I got a 70%. I thought this was ok since I've only been in the program 14 weeks and we haven't focused on specific diseases and systems yet (that starts next semester, we focused on the history, certain skills, and assessment this semester). I am just so scared that I have worked so hard in this program, kept an A average, done what was expected at clinical, learned my skills, and this will all be for nothing if I fail this test. My question is did you have to take the HESI exam and if so, did you pass the first try? Is there anything out there (books, computer programs, websites...) that really helped you prepare for the test? I live in Southern Oklahoma so I don't have a lot of big stores, but we do have Walmart and Dallas is a little less than two hours away so I can always drive to find books and such there. THANK YOU ALL for taking time to read this and for all the help!! Best wishes!!!!!!

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Specializes in LTC.

I have to take the HESI exit exam in weeks and I'm nervous too. I have taken it before so I remember how hard it was. All we can do is study and pray. I hope we both pass. If I don't get an 850 I won't be allowed to take NCLEX...

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OH, I understand the nervousness!!! That is a scary exam!!! Yes, I hope you pass!!!! Just study, study, study!! Let me know how it goes, I will be thinking about you!!!!

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Specializes in LTC.

Thank you soooo much OP ! There is no way to really study for this exam. I'm going to use Kaplans test taking strategies and pray it gets me an 850. I'm thinking about you too. When you you take your exam ? Mine is on Dec. 15th...

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Specializes in LTC.

There are Hesi books. Check on amazon...

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I just took my Exit HESI yesterday and the questions were very... random. Random as in drugs and diseases that I've never heard of. I felt like I was guessing on at least half of the questions. After 3 hours of testing, I was really nervous to see my score, but I did pass the benchmark of 850. As for getting prepared, just practice lots of NCLEX questions, review material you are weak in, review some anatomy since there are pictures on the test, know your lab values.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I took the HESI exit exam this past Tuesday. I think the hardest part of it is that it's LONG...it's 160 questions--by about 80 I was starting to get crosseyed. The questions are sorta random, and a lot of the diseases/disorders we hadn't covered until just this semester. I was also surprised by how many maternity questions we on it.

I just used the case studies in Evolve to study--some people bought the HESI practice book but I feel like I've bought enough books over the last 2.5 years so the last thing I needed was another book. I got well over the benchmark.

Good luck to everyone.

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Specializes in LTC.
I took the HESI exit exam this past Tuesday. I think the hardest part of it is that it's LONG...it's 160 questions--by about 80 I was starting to get crosseyed. The questions are sorta random, and a lot of the diseases/disorders we hadn't covered until just this semester. I was also surprised by how many maternity questions we on it.

I just used the case studies in Evolve to study--some people bought the HESI practice book but I feel like I've bought enough books over the last 2.5 years so the last thing I needed was another book. I got well over the benchmark.

Good luck to everyone.

congrats to everyone that passed. :D

I actually like hesi because it gives you a great breakdown on your weakness.

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I just used the case studies in Evolve to study--some people bought the HESI practice book but I feel like I've bought enough books over the last 2.5 years so the last thing I needed was another book. I got well over the benchmark.

I'm glad to see that you scored well with using Evolve, that's what I've been doing to get myself ready. I'll find out next week. Congratulations on passing.

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Thanks everybody for all the responses!! I'm soooo glad all of you that have taken it have passed!!!! Congrats!!! I will not be taking my test until this May, after completing my second semester of freshman year, I just want to start preparing now! Again, thanks for all the comments everyone, you were all VERY helpful!!!!! Smyles, I will send you an email in the morning, thank you for your help! Congrats again on passing everyone!!!!!

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Don't worry about the exit HESI yet. You need to focus on learning all the material to the best of your ability so you will be prepared for it when that time comes. You have to take nursing school one day at a time, otherwise you'll get bogged down and get behind.

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another thing to remember is that for any given exam (including nclex) there are some questions that are being trialled for inclusion in a future edition of the test, and they do not count. you got a run of ob? dollars to donuts some or all of them are extras.

moral is that if you run into a question that is really a bad question that defies your test-taking strategies advice, well, maybe it just is a bad question. make your best guess and forget about it.

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