HESI vs. NCLEX

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To those of you who have recently taken NCLEX, how does it compare to HESI? Did you think HESI OR NCLEX was harder? How did you prepare? Does anyone know of any good practice test to take online that are similar to NCLEX?

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You should invest in a good review book or an online or in person review course and plan a course of study lasting from one to three months prior to your test date. Then do as many questions as possible and study the rationales. No matter what test you are taking, you need to understand the principles involved so that you can answer any questions posed to you. The only way you can learn the concepts that you don't know well from school, is to sit down and study with a purpose. Good luck as you begin to prepare.

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Hesi was much harder than the NCLEX based on the history test scores of my school. I used the Hesi and the CD to study for the exam. As for the Nclex itself, I used NCLEX 4000 and Kaplan Review Course. This course is almost like Nclex, it really made you think how to answer each and every question given to you.

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Specializes in Telemetry.
Hesi was much harder than the NCLEX based on the history test scores of my school. I used the Hesi and the CD to study for the exam. As for the Nclex itself, I used NCLEX 4000 and Kaplan Review Course. This course is almost like Nclex, it really made you think how to answer each and every question given to you.

This is not the first time that I've heard that HESI was more difficult than NCLEX. I'm really worried, because I actually thought that HESI was fairly easy, and I did very well on the exam. I'm currently working my way through Saunders 4th Edition, and the questions are kicking my butt! Is it possible that Saunders is harder than HESI and consequentally harder than NCLEX??

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Congrats in passing the Hesi exam. The Hesi is more content and the NCLEX is based on analysis and critical thinking. I thought Saunders was okay but try taking Kaplan Review Course, it will kick your (_I_) in a good way. Kaplan really made me think in answering the NCLEX in every way possible. If you say Hesi was easy, then you shouldn't have a problem with NCLEX :eek:

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I really wish I could do the Kaplan review, but I just can't afford it. Unreallly, did you find that NCLEX was more generalized knowledge, or did they pick out the really random disease processes and medications? HESI was pretty general, in my opinion.

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I couldn't afford Kaplan either, but when I failed the 1st time, i had to sign up for Kaplan. NCLEX fee cost $285 each time and Kaplan was $499, so it was a no brainer. NCLEX isn't based on knowledge but how you use your critical thinking skills as a new grad nurse. They will of course ask you about diseases but more towards assessments and implementations of the nursing process. NCLEX will have medications that your never heard of so don't count on seeing any meds you are familar with. As for Hesi, it really depends what version your school had. Our school had 7 versions with each version having 3 tests within each version. For example V1a, V1b, V1c, V2a, V2b, V3c, etc....I was lucky I had version 2 cause some of my classmates had version 1 and most of them failed.

Don't worry to much Lunaticus, just use whatever study materials you have. We are done with school and the hesi. NCLEX is the last step and you can take it multiple times, not like Hesi, we only had 2 chances!

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Specializes in ED.

The Hesi is definitely much hard that the NCLEX. No doubt about it.

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Specializes in Neuro/Medical/ Trauma ICU.

HESI, ATI, and ERI are all more content oriented and very specific which can make things more difficult. I just took the NCLEX on Friday of last week and found out my results (I passed with 102 questions) today. I used various methods of studying to prepare but I think that the most helpful resources came from the Kaplan course that I took. They teach you strategies that work. Although I was doing not so great on ATI/ERIs and only average (60s and a 57 on the readiness test) on tests in Kaplan, neither of those are accurate predictors of how you are going to do on the actual NCLEX. I will say that the Kaplan course questions matched the NCLEX questions closer than any other book (saunders, mosbys, etc.)

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If you go on to the evolve site you can see their suggestions for HESI scores r/t NCLEX. I think they said if you get a 900 on a comprehensive exit HESI, there is a 95% boards pass rate. My school required a 950 to graduate, but I know our HESI was light on Pharm and Peds so I am focusing on those 2 a bit more for NCLEX.

Good luck!

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Hesi was way harder than NCLEX-RN for me. I struggled with Hesi. On Hesi there were a lot of questions about things I had never heard of. This was not the case for NCLEX. There were no suprises on NCLEX. I did Saunders and took Hurst review to prepare for NCLEX.

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I am waiting on my ATT# and have been slacking. I just finished an accelerated BSN program almost 2 wks ago and I swear Ive been sick since I finished my final HESI. I have been reviewing with Saunders and did the entire HESI review book front to back, but like I said I am terrified about Pharm. My school didn't really test on actual drugs, more patient safety r/t meds, so I am planning on powering through the Saunders book starting tomorrow.

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