hurst review

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 18, 2008

I prepared for the NCLEX with self-study, and passed on the first attempt with the minimum amount of questions. Some people can study for it alone, while others need the extra boost of a review class.

I'm moving your thread to the NCLEX Discussion forum so that you'll receive more replies regarding the Hurst Review. Good luck!

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Feb 18, 2008

I debated taking the Hurst Review, did alot of research on them and they do seem very good. The deciding factor for me was our school required us to take an ATI predictor. My ATI predictor said I had greater than a 99.5% chance of passing my boards. So I saved the 350.00 and just did self study. I did thousands of Nclex questions at home in a 3 week time. I felt totally prepared.

I have friends who took a class and they said they really dont know how much it helped them in the long run.

Our teachers told us if you can get 80% or better on an NCLEX style test. Saunders/Davis/Mosby/ATI, then your fine. If you cant get 80% you have to keep trying till you can, and once you can do that for a month (that was their advice- a month) then your ready to test.

Good luck

onyx77 · Feb 18, 2008

I took the Hurst Review and found it very valuable. It wasn't just a reveiw course (although the 'core content' is strongly covered) but they help you learn how to answer the questions. They offer a lot of review questions and even have a mock nclex that they review question-by-question to let you know why each answer is either right or wrong. Definately worth the money!

kate84 · Jan 20, 2009

I took the Hurst review a week ago, (hopefully I pass next week!) but I found it VERY helpful! It was worth the $350. Check to see if your work will repay you for taking the class, I know mine will. I found it helpful going over the core content and how to "read" the questions. Plus, the videos of Marlene were great! My friends and I found her to be entertaining and that helped! Good Luck!

BarkyBryan1 · Jan 21, 2009

My friend took the hurst review and passed first time. But it just seems so expensive...

Mytonezucs · Jan 22, 2009

I took Hurst and failed. It recaps many topics in easy to understand ways but is nowhere near NCLEX. I had the Hurst material down. Unlike my fellow students I didn't go right to work after school ended. I figured my chances of passing would be greater if I just studied the Hurst material for three or four months. Big mistake.

My advice to anyone finishing up school is to take the test soon as posible. Go with what you still have from school. If you fail then consider other modes of study.

The reason I say this is because you won't realize until you're sitting for the test that whatever it is you studied is not like NCLEX. All through nursing school it was learn material then test on that material. It's not the case with NCLEX.

NCLEX does not endorse any review course or book out there so why waste time learning someone's method before giving it a shot?

prosperouschick · Jan 22, 2009

I'm not so sure about the last reply. Hurst Review says that you should know her material "without a doubt and without hesitation" before you take the NCLEX. And quite honestly, I would find it hard to believe that someone did not pass NCLEX if they knew all of that material without a doubt and without hesitation. I know that after finishing the online Hurst review course I did not know the information to that level, although I thought I had a pretty solid undertstanding of the material and could reason through most questions; and I passed the NCLEX on my first attempt. The Hurst review also mentions offering some type of remediation program if you do not pass, so that may be an option to consider. Also, there were a set of priority questions in addition to the mock NCLEX questions which I thought were similar to the NCLEX..... Nevertheless, at the end of the day if we are not successful at something we have to ask ourselves where are we weak and how do we fix that, which is not always easy to do.... However, I definitely think that you have to find another source of practice questions in addition to the Hurst Review because she only provides about 300 questions, which is definitely not enough. Her review is a good review/overview of content.

kriswrigRN62 · Jan 22, 2009

I inherited the Hurst review book from another RN to review core content. It covers the material in a very easy to understand format, but I have to say, after taking the NCLEX, the Hurst review is almost too easy and doesn't realistically prepare you for the type of questions on the NCLEX. I agree that you should take the NCLEX within 30-60 days of graduating. My instructors have said that statistically the people who take the test within that time frame will do better than if you wait longer than that. I recommend that everyone take the NCSBN review to get a realistic picture of what NCLEX is going to be like. The questions from NCSBN were so similar to the actual test, as far as how difficult they were and in similarity to content. The review is very bare bones from NCSBN, but the review questions will really let you know where you stand. They are HARD! I can tell you this though- by the time I was getting 80% right on those questions I took the NCLEX and passed first time!

Bare bones advice- Don't wait too long to test, Do NCSBN review (it's only about $50), and only use Hurst if you are unable to study on your own. The NCLEX made incredibly easy book is a great review tool if you can read through and absorb the material, and it has more information and is cheaper than Hurst review.

prosperouschick · Jan 22, 2009

To answer your question, I think that if you would like to have all the different systems and common illnesses associated with them reviewed with you by an instructor/lecturer then Hurst Review is for you. There are ways that she explains things that afterwards I said to myself, they should have explained it that way in nursing school. She also incorporates some strategies about answering questions on the NCLEX. However, Hurst Review is not going to be your only preparation for the NCLEX, and she states that.... it is a review. You still need to study on your own. But, if you do very well studying indepently then there are probably less expensive ways to prepare for the NCLEX. The answer really depends on what you need as an individual.

zerovero · Jan 22, 2009

I took the Hurst review two years ago when i graduated hopkins and i am thankfull for it. i have friends who didn't take any review and who took Kaplan. I liked Hurst because of the "review factor". She made it so easy and at the end of 17 months of rn school it was refeshing to see how much i have learned and how clear everything was.

the bottom line is that everyone should know that no matter what review you take you will have not come across the type of questions you will find on your exam.

don't wait for 3-4 months to take the test. wait no longer than 2 months and don't work.

in the end i had $50,000 in student loans and if a class that was 350 would make me pass my exam that's worth the expense.

hlhulse · Jan 22, 2009

Well I am the one who started this forum and I just finished the hurst review last week and i thought it was a great review. However now I am just re-reading the book and the notes and i just purchased the Nclex 4000 cd and I should be receiving this CD next week, so i can get started on Ncelx questions again. I already failed the nclex and I really got to pass this test the second time. I am pregnant and due in Sept and I must pass before the baby is here. I am waiting 90 days from the last test DEC 22nd, and retaking the exam the first week of April. I could of waited 45 days, however I wanted to be certain and study more. This test is very serious to me. I got my results back and I was near passing on four of the sections and failed three sections of course pharmacology being one of them and Passed on of the sections on Safety, so I am not to far from passing. I just need to practice more questions and study more. This test isn't easy but we can all achieve it!!! I would love to hear back from all of you to know if you passed. Keep me updated especially those that have taken hurst!! :rolleyes: