How many have to take/have taken HESI?

JCubby · Jun 11, 2008

i graduated from a bsn program and we were required to take the exam during our last semester. the first one is "free" and we have to score a 850 or better to pass. anyone that scores less than the 850 is required to pay $35 and retake the hesi a month later. on the second one you have to score a 900 or better, otherwise, you have to visit with our dean of nursing and come up with some sort of study plan regarding the nclex exam. the exam is not part of our grade nor does the school fail us until we pass. it is simply used to help determine where the students are and what each students' projected pass/fail risk is.

[color=#2f4f4f]i'm not sure how many people overall in our class did not pass with the 850 the first time, but i know there were some that had to retake it and still did not pass with the 900 the second time around. i have heard a lot of rns from various programs say that they did not have luck on the hesi, but they passed the nclex the first time. it would be interesting to see the research behind hesi...

RNrural · Jun 11, 2008

Hello,

I graduated from an ADN program in Colorado in May and we took the HESI exams all year long. We had a final exit exam that we also had to pass with an 850 in order to graduate. We also had 3 days of HESI review for the NCLEX with a speaker from Alabama that was great! I was lucky and got a 920 on my HESI exit exam. This score is supposed to make my chances to pass the NCLEX as outstanding. I hope that is true because I am scheduled for my NCLEX-RN on July 10th! :bluecry1: We studied for the HESI exams with the Saunders 4th edition and the Lippincot book. Keep working and have faith, you will pass your next HESI!

tiggerdagibit · Jun 11, 2008

I'm in my 3rd semester of 5 (ADN) and have only recently heard of the HESI exam from this site. If we have to take it, I haven't heard anything about it. lol

WinterWolf90 · Jun 11, 2008

I go to East Tennessee State University where we have to take it 3 times. One before we get in (Entrance Hesi), one during our 3rd semester(Mid Hesi), and one during our 5th(final semester). If you score low on the entrance one you have to take additional classes during your first semester. For the 2nd one you get three tries and have to score an 850. If you don't pass they either kick you out of school or make you retake your 3 lowest classes. The final semester on you have to score a 900 on in order for your clinical to count that semester, otherwise you can't graduate. I did well on the entrance one (it was just math and vocab and other crap), and on the mid exam I passed my first time with a 901. In my opinion it's hard to study, but make sure you do know what your weak points are. I used saunders books in order to study for the mid exam one.

RNMeg · Jun 11, 2008

This past Spring semester my program started requiring a HESI exit exam for each class we've taken..so I had to take one for Med Surg I and Pharm. We're also supposed to get above an 850 (it was worth some points in each class..nothing that would make or break the grade, though). I got just over 900 on both. I imagine we'll probably have to take another HESI after our last semester, testing us on everything..but by then we'll have had enough practice I'm sure it'll be easy

moonischasingme1 · Jun 11, 2008

I took my final HESI about a week ago. Since we're also required to do Kaplan, I just did Qbank every day (about 800 questions) and I also reviewed the entire HESI book.

I found Kaplan questions to be much more difficult, so HESI seemed easier.

I got 1001.

lemonaidangel · Jun 12, 2008

We have to take the HESI three times. Once our first semester, once the summer before becoming a senior, and an exit exam when we are all done. Fortunately, unlike many, we aren't required to pass in order to graduate. I think the school just wants to know where our critical thinking skills are at, and maybe to get an idea of some topics they need to pay more attention to with future students.

puresass · Jun 12, 2008

we take a HESI test at the end of each class (so ever four to eight weeks, depending on class length) & then a comprehensive HESI at the end of our program. it's not necessary to pass the comprehensive HESI to graduate at our school, though, although other schools in my city have that requirement.

blue heeler · Jun 12, 2008

i just took the hesi and got a 933 and 885. we took it for patho and pharm. i just finished my first year of school. i was very encouraged after taking it, even though it was really hard. we have to take it again before we graduate.

jla623 · Jun 13, 2008

I have to take it too.....it makes me kind of nervous. Is it just like the NCLEX?? I don't really know that much about it.

futureRNJaz · Jun 13, 2008

Well, we had to take it at the end of each semester in the sections that we had studied that semester...but it didn't count. It was just to see where the students were in comparison to the rest of the nation. The end of last semester we had to take the reg HESIs and they were actually worth extra points on our finals. Then we had to take the EXIT.

From what I've heard, the HESIs are actually harder than the NCLEX. It's a way for the school to make sure that the students that come out of the school (that can pass the HESI) will pass the NCLEX. It makes the school look really good. One good thing about this method is that if you do pass the HESI, its pretty much a given that you will pass the NCLEX.