the new NCLEX

[chilloutrelax]

When I first started with my school, our pass rate was I think 94% or 96%. I thought that was pretty good. Earlier this semester...I found out our pass rate is now around 80%, and they said it was due to the new format of the NCLEX. Anyway...80% is pretty bad, I wonder if the new NCLEX is causing other schools rates to drop....or if our school is just using that as an excuse??

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

Thanks Rose, I'll get that to include in my NCLEX review stuff for over the holiday break.

[TJNurse]

I took the NCLEX in September and did not get a single new format or math question, I heard that they started the new style in October. Were they trying it out in certain areas of the country earlier this year?

[LadyK82]

At my school last year, we had a 100% pass rate... i think it was about 80 students total. I think that was the first 100% pass rate that we've had in awhile. We have no "select all that apply questions" on our exams. That makes me nervous :uhoh21:

[Cowboys_RN, BSN]

My school's pass rate dropped to the 80's for 2002 & 2003. It's back up to 92% this year.

[acgemt]

I am studying from the Kaplan NCLEX-RN study guide, which i find quite helpful. But I can't help but notice that a majority of the information isn't even covered in my ADN program!!?? I am reading these questions wondering...did I learn that?? I am curious if there are a lot of medication questions on the exam...any thoughts??

[chilloutrelax]

Ok, I"m glad to know it wasn't just my school. And yea..I've heard a lot of priority questions, also questions where you have to circle all that apply.

[NYCRN16]

When I graduated, they had just started the new format, but they moved the date back for when they started to count them in the scoring, so I knew that my alternate questions didnt count (thank god!).

I got 2 in the blanks for med calculations, but they were all very easy. They were simple math such as: You have Tylenol 650 mg ordered and you have 325 mg tablets on hand, how many tablets would you give, and I had one with liquid med calculation, like you have Dilantin suspension of 125 mg/5 cc and the MD ordered 200 mg, how many CC would you give. You know youve had harder questions that that on the med calculations tests, so these will be easy for you.

The select all that apply question I had was hard, and I know for sure I got that wrong. It was about TB and things that relate to the care of a patient with that, but I dont remember what the choices were.

Priority questions are always the meat of the NCLEX. If you see you are getting a lot of these, then it means that you are doing well. Just remember ABC, and when it applies in the situation.

[Vsummer1]

Mine was the first class to graduate where the alternate questions applied to our passing or not. No one I know got more than one or two, and only 1 student out of 63 failed the NCLEX (and knowing this person I was not surprised).

So don't freak out! It isn't as if the whole test has changed to the new format.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Oddly, the pass rate went UP in AZ after the implementation of the new NCLEX!