nclex: whats up with machine cutting off after so many questions, is that fair?

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · May 31, 2011

It's because it is adaptive testing. You might be given a hard question, you answer it correctly and so you are given a harder question. If you answer it wrong you are given an easier question. When you have answered enough harder questions to determine you are competent it shuts off and you are done. If you don't answer enough hard ones it shuts off and you don't pass because you didn't meet the minimum level of competency. If you are sort of on the cusp you will keep being given more questions to help determine better.

This is a basic explanation, there are a lot better explanations on these forums.

From what I have been told, every now and again someone will be given all 265 questions regardless of how they are doing to be like a "tester". Not sure if that is true or not, just what we have been told.

dudette10, MSN, RN · May 31, 2011

To understand why it works that way, you have to understand computer adaptive testing.

A level of difficulty is assigned to each question. If you get a question right, the next question is more difficult. If you get a question wrong, the next question is easier. It keeps adjusting the level of difficulty based on your right or wrong response until you are most likely getting right/getting wrong 50% of the questions. At that point, your competency level must be must be above the "passing line" with 95% certainty determined by NCSBN. The "passing line" is the minimum competency required for a new grad.

Educational research has shown the minimum number of questions to determine competency in a computer adaptive environment is 60 questions. Remember that 15 of the 75 questions in the NCLEX are potential future questions that are being tested.

If it shuts off after 75 questions, you are either clearly above the passing line or clearly below the passing line. If you keep going, you are on the cusp, and more questions are needed to determine your ability, i.e. the algorithm can not calculate, with 95% certainty, that you are below or above minimum competency. The computer can shut off at any time between 75 and 265 questions, but only the last 60 questions are considered by the algorithm, regardless of how many a single test-taker gets. If you hit 265 questions, the LAST QUESTION determines your competency. If it is an "above the line" question--regardless if you answer it right or wrong--you pass. If it is a below the line question--regardless if you answer it right or wrong--you fail.

dudette10, MSN, RN · May 31, 2011

It's because it is adaptive testing. You might be given a hard question, you answer it correctly and so you are given a harder question. If you answer it wrong you are given an easier question. When you have answered enough harder questions to determine you are competent it shuts off and you are done. If you don't answer enough hard ones it shuts off and you don't pass because you didn't meet the minimum level of competency. If you are sort of on the cusp you will keep being given more questions to help determine better.
This is a basic explanation, there are a lot better explanations on these forums.
From what I have been told, every now and again someone will be given all 265 questions regardless of how they are doing to be like a "tester". Not sure if that is true or not, just what we have been told.

Ha! Great minds, and all that jazz...

I read through the NCSBN site, and the last paragraph you wrote is an NCLEX myth, it seems. The NCSBN documents claim that it is not true.

There certainly are questions that are being tested for future exams, but they come in the first 75 questions.

northmississippi · May 31, 2011

I see. Is there a time limit to answer 75 questions?

caliotter3 · May 31, 2011

You have the same amount of time to answer 75 questions as all possible questions. Once the mathematical decision has been made, yes or no, then the test is over. That is the way the computer adaptive model was designed.

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 31, 2011

Do not think you will just receive 75 questions. Think that you will get the max and if you don't it is a bonus. If you think you will just get 75 and you go over that then panic tends to set in making it worse to concentrate

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Jun 1, 2011

Ha! Great minds, and all that jazz...
I read through the NCSBN site, and the last paragraph you wrote is an NCLEX myth, it seems. The NCSBN documents claim that it is not true.
There certainly are questions that are being tested for future exams, but they come in the first 75 questions.

Ahhhh thanks for researching and clearing that up. I heard it said many times but it never made a lot of sense to me. I am just happy to know since I was shut off at 75 I am a super star. LOL KIDDING! I will be in the air a lot tomorrow and driving so make sure you message me on the other side to let me know how it went for you. Positive thoughts are coming your way!!!!! So far all my classmates that took it today have got the good pop up. The second batch are scheduled on the 6th.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Jun 1, 2011

Do not think you will just receive 75 questions. Think that you will get the max and if you don't it is a bonus. If you think you will just get 75 and you go over that then panic tends to set in making it worse to concentrate

I expected 265 and still panicked once I got into the 60's. I secretly didn't want more then 75 because I had little patience for long tests. Yet when it shut off at 75 I yelled at it in my head to give me more questions. LOL I was afraid to have it be over.