HESI vs NCLEX

BeccaznRN, RN · Mar 5, 2007

I'm not sure which I thought was harder, but with a HESI score that high I think you should be sleeping very well at night! I scored a 962 and passed NCLEX with the minimum 75 questions.

Good luck!

Kay Ciel, RN · Mar 5, 2007

I personally thought HESI was harder, and here's why. At the end of taking HESI, you get a printout of areas you're weak in, which means that it covers a broader spectrum of topics for evaluation purposes. It lets you know what to "beef up" on when it comes time to take NCLEX.

That being said: NCLEX didn't ask nearly as many of the OB/GYN, electrolyte imbalance effects, etc. questions that I admittedly stunk at. In some cases, whole categories of stuff were left out. *cheers silently* Depends on the luck of your randomized draw, I guess.

You should be sitting pretty with that score, but still, study as if NCLEX will give you nothing but your worst topics. *smiles*

moongirl · Mar 5, 2007

thanks for the replies! It gets scary thinking that even tho I got a good HESI, passed semesters with A's and one B, that it is possible to tank the NCLEX ! :uhoh3:

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2007

thanks for the replies! It gets scary thinking that even tho I got a good HESI, passed semesters with A's and one B, that it is possible to tank the NCLEX !

My intention isn't to sound negative but here goes. We had a girl in our class who made all A's and 1 B. She scored a 1042 on the HESI and failed the NCLEX the first time with 85 questions. She took it a second time and passed in 75 questions.

I think the NCLEX is harder, the HESI is a bunch of random questions, your NCLEX test questions are selected based on your previous response being correct or incorrect.

The girl who didn't pass her NCLEX the first time thought she didn't have to study. I felt so bad for her. I passed my NCLEX in 75 questions the first time, I scored in the 900's on my HESI.

BeccaznRN, RN · Mar 6, 2007

The girl who didn't pass her NCLEX the first time thought she didn't have to study.

I think that's just it - people may slack off and not bother preparing for NCLEX because they think they will be fine with such a high score on HESI. Not a good study plan!

I honestly can't remember much difference between HESI and NCLEX questions, or which was harder. It did seem like HESI asked more questions relating to diseases, meds, etc. while my NCLEX focused more on prioritization and delegation.

moongirl · Mar 6, 2007

thanks! i cant imagine not studying for NCLEX..! :eek:

but was wondering if one was harder than the other. The Hesi was manageable with proper studying, it just wasnt as terrible as I thought it was going to be. Now I am afraid the NCLEX will be worse than I imagine.. lol.

Its like a test over the last 4 years of my life all rolled into one. yikes

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Mar 6, 2007

I didn't really study for the NCLEX. I did about 200 questions from the Saunders book on the flight home from my honeymoon.

I thought HESI was 'harder'. I guess I should say, I found the NCLEX easier.

NCLEX is interactive. I know if I got the last question right/wrong based on the next question the I received. You start to get a 'feel' for what the test is looking for. Once I fugured out what the NCLEX wanted out of me, it was really easy.

HESI was just a bunch of questions. We all got the same questions, and they didn't change depending on if I got the previous question right or wrong. You get no feedback from HESI-until the end.

I got a 1098 on HESI, and passed NCLEX in 75 in under an hour. I think you'll do fine...

RNismycalling · Mar 6, 2007

If I were you, I would not strictly base my performance on the HESI to determine passing possibility on the NCLEX. Prepare just as you prepared for the HESI. Remember that cramming won't work!

I found NCLEX easier compare to HESI. But again, I was well prepared when I took the NCLEX exam. Had 75 question, took me 2 1/5 hours. Do it once, do it right (if possible)

leesespieces · Mar 9, 2007

do you mind if i ask when you all took the hesi? we had to take it before we took advanced med/surg and leadership. i thought that was a little unfair considering a large bulk of the questions covered advanced med/surg and delegation material. i did pass with a score of 884 but only like 5-6 of 50 of us passed it the first time. i didn't really study for it either because we had to take it the day after our peds final.

i'm not palnning on taking an nclex prep course but i do have several kaplan and nclex books and cd-rom's i will use to study. i graduate in may so i think the soonest i can take the boards will be july. i can't wait!!!

moongirl · Mar 9, 2007

do you mind if i ask when you all took the hesi? we had to take it before we took advanced med/surg and leadership. i thought that was a little unfair considering a large bulk of the questions covered advanced med/surg and delegation material. i did pass with a score of 884 but only like 5-6 of 50 of us passed it the first time. i didn't really study for it either because we had to take it the day after our peds final.
i'm not palnning on taking an nclex prep course but i do have several kaplan and nclex books and cd-rom's i will use to study. i graduate in may so i think the soonest i can take the boards will be july. i can't wait!!!

i had to take hesi at the very end of 3rd semester.

i have to take it again the first week of april. the standards at my college is that if you dont make an 850- you dont graduate.

*Andrea* · Mar 23, 2007

I take the HESI three times in my last semester of school, I am in that semester now and we are taking it for the second time this coming Monday. We need to pass it once to graduate but we all must take it all three times.