HESI at your school???

[CrazyScrubNurse]

:nurse:Hey guys,

A few of our 4th level (graduating in a month) RN students are having a MAJOR problem right now and would like to poll other students to see how everyones school uses HESI.

Here is a short rundown of how our school is using it:

We have taken a HESI after each level...med surg, OB, Pedi, etc. We have always been told that it is a way to see how we are doing. When we took them in the past our instructors didn't even really make us pay attention to them and everyone would be joking around and playing during the test. THEN in January 2008 when our last level started they decided to spring on us that we have to take the HESI as not only 15% of our critical care grade but have only 2 tries to pass it with an 850 or we don't get our degree. This would have been OK if our program had not decided to change critical care and smush it into 7 weeks instead of the 12 or 16 weeks that they had done before. SOOOO....we had class 5 hours a day 4 days a week and a test every Thursday. Which leaves no time to study for HESI. All we really had was spring break and even then, we had an outline for a paper due so we could not devote all time to HESI prep.

We took it as a class last Thursday and only 22 of us out of 80 passed it. Our class average was right at 825. We had NO PREP for this test. When we had Critical Care orientation we were told we would be doing HESI prep all semester to get us ready but it NEVER happened. If the rest of the class does not pass the second time..in 2 weeks, then they are making them repeat 4th level. I passed the HESI myself so I don't want anyone to think I am upset and trying to get back at the school. We are just curious as to how other schools are using this.

My question to all of you is: What does your school do to get you ready for HESI? How many times do you have to take it? What do you have to make to pass? Can you also include the type of program and your state in the post.

We are from an ADN-RN program in South East Texas.

Please let us know how you feel about the entire HESI issue!!!:uhoh21:

[MzKGoRN]

we do! and i bet if you think about it you will know who this is!

of course i know who you are. you are friend, my study buddy, and with god the reason i made it through nursing school. god knows exactly who to place in your life. denton here we come:nurse:

class of may 2008 rocks:yeah::yeah:

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

My school uses it as the exit test.....and you have to get a 850 to pass....we have practice CDs available that we've all wound up sharing....Personally, I'm not worried about it....I've done practice questions, I know what to look for, and we do all we can.....

However, I believe that since we've known about since last semester, that makes a differance....for a school to spring it on a class less than 2 months ahead of time, that may be grounds for a grievance....did you sign papers recognizing it as an addition to your student handbook? If not, you may have a case against it counting.....

[CrazyScrubNurse, BSN, RN]

I kinda had the same theory. I didn't really study either...986. ADN school in South Texas.

[davengal13]

The HESI is so unfair. My school does not require it to graduate (if you don't pass the second time then you just take a remedial course like kaplan) but it delays the paper work needed to get the permission to test NCLEX.

I am a smart student, A's and B's, but i never seem to pass the hesi.

I have been doing questions from Saunders Review book and out of 100 i probably get 4 questions wrong. Then I switch to HESI review and i score in the 60th percentile. I feel so dumb sometimes, but I know I am not.

ANYHOW, the hesi review book is super outdated. I wish all of you luck with this stupid exam. Something really needs to get done about this dilema.

[Deasel]

Can anyone name some of the schools for me that don't require the HESI to graduate?? my school does and i'm getting fed up with it. i just failed for the second time and can reatke my last class one more time and would like to see if all my classes would transfer so i could graduate from another school.

[Journey_On, BSN, RN]

Our school has us take the Fundamentals, Pharm, Med-Surg, Peds, OB, and comprehensive HESI. I guess taking those HESIs after each of those classes are what prepares us for it. We are also encouraged to do lots of practice NCLEX-style questions, and we get those kinds of questions on our class exams as well.

The HESI has a HESI score (the 3-digit score) and a conversion score. Our school takes the conversion score and uses that for a grade in whatever class they choose to add it to. For example, the Pharm HESI was 10% of our grade in Med-Surg I (they did not have us take it at the end of our Pharm course for a few reasons), and the Med-Surg HESI will be 40% of our grade in Med-Surg II.

I don't think our school makes us get a certain % to "pass" the class that we are taking it in, with the exception of the comprehensive HESI. I'm sure we have to get at least an 850 to pass that one, and I think we get a chance to take it again if we do not get that score. I think that if we do not pass the comprehensive HESI on the 2nd try, we have to repeat preceptorship.

I am in an accelerated BSN program.