NR302 Health Assessment HELP!

MurseJJ · Oct 7, 2016

Hey everyone so I am attending Chamberlain College of Nursing. I am in need of major help!!! I am currently taking NR302 Health Assessment 1 so here are my exam grades:
Exam 1: 152/220= 69.09%
Exam 2: 180/240= 75%
I have only taken two exams. Total average so far is 332/460= 72.17%. I have to make at least:
Exam 3: 204/240= 85%
Final: 72/100 (HESI)
Now I am completely freaking out because I am 3.83% from 76% which is the passing exam average. Can anyone please advise me on how the HESI works?? Is it hard? Do you think it's possible for me to make a 72% considering my previous grades? I am going into serious depression. I dont know what to do?? Please help me. Today is Thursday and my third exam is on this upcoming Tuesday then the final that following Tuesday. PLEASE HELP ME! I am really desperate..

How are you studying? Do you do practice questions? For Health Assessment, I would review my class notes and skim the textbook. If your textbook has questions at the end of each chapter, do those questions, along with any questions that are on the companion website (most nursing textbooks have a website that goes along with the book that has resources including more practice questions). Also, textbooks often have a summary of the chapter either at the end, or on the companion website. That gives you a good overview of what you should know, and you definitely want to have that information in mind before the exam.

The review book I used was "Pearson Health and Physical Assessment Reviews and Rationales". It is a review guide, and also has great questions and rationales. I used this book to study for the Assessment HESI and did well on that. I recommend that. Also, do you have access to the HESI RN Case Studies? If so, they have a Physical Assessment section with case studies for each organ system. These were also very helpful.

Pearson Nursing Reviews & Rationales: Health & Physical Assessment (Reviews and Rationales): 978

MurseJJ · Oct 7, 2016

Also, the HESI is just another exam. It isn't adaptive like the NCLEX. You do it on the computer, with a log in they give you. HESIs are usually timed (I just graduated and I'm already blanking on that haha). Once you're done, you get your score immediately (at least that's how it worked in my experience). It's basically a standardized test so that you can see where you stand with others in your program (they give a class average) as well as nationally (the national score). You get a HESI conversion score, a conversion score that's a percent, and your percentile. There are HESI exams for each subject, as well as comprehensive exams that you take at the end of the program (some schools require you to get a certain score to graduate). It's supposed to help you prepare for the type of questions you'd see on the NCLEX.

Trauma Columnist · Oct 7, 2016

Moved to nursing student assistance

forever88 · Oct 7, 2016

I am literally doing everything. I am going constantly reading the chapters over and over again. The third exam is on chapters 16, 18, and 19. Very long and dreadful chapters.

Chapter 16- Nose, Mouth, and Throat

Chapter 18- Thorax and Lungs

Chapter 19- Heart and Neck Vessels

I did those questions on evolve but my teacher makes up the questions for the exams so I don't know if those are coming in handy because the questions she puts in are easier than the ones evolve. I head the best way to best this class is just keep reading the books so I am not going through the powerpoints.

Does anyone think getting an 85% on the next exam based on those chapters possible? And how easy or hard is the final which is the HESI? Is it the same exact kind of HESI we took to get in the school or just based on this class? Please help me.

Banana nut, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Oct 7, 2016

You should be reviewing the powerpoints!

bookgirl667 · Oct 8, 2016

1) REVIEW THE POWERPOINTS STAT!

2) Watch videos of the health assessments. They might come as supplemental materials with your textbooks, but if not search for them online. There are a lot of them out there.

3) Take better notes. If you can't do this for whatever reason, record your lectures and re-listen to them later and transcribe as much as possible and study that.

MurseJJ · Oct 8, 2016

I am literally doing everything. I am going constantly reading the chapters over and over again. The third exam is on chapters 16, 18, and 19. Very long and dreadful chapters.
Chapter 16- Nose, Mouth, and Throat
Chapter 18- Thorax and Lungs
Chapter 19- Heart and Neck Vessels
I did those questions on evolve but my teacher makes up the questions for the exams so I don't know if those are coming in handy because the questions she puts in are easier than the ones evolve. I head the best way to best this class is just keep reading the books so I am not going through the powerpoints.
Does anyone think getting an 85% on the next exam based on those chapters possible? And how easy or hard is the final which is the HESI? Is it the same exact kind of HESI we took to get in the school or just based on this class? Please help me.

It is always to your benefit to do practice questions, as you learn a lot from them (read the rationales!), and this helps you prepare for the NCLEX. If the Evolve questions are harder than your professor's questions, then you should be prepared for the easier questions.

I agree with other posters. Read the powerpoints. The slides are what your professor is emphasizing to you, and may give you clues as to what you will be tested on. Therefore you absolutely need to review the powerpoints. Still go through the book, but also look at the powerpoints. Also, by the chapters, it looks like you're using the Jarvis book, which is what I used. If you go to the companion website, they not only have the practice questions, but also Key Points that you should read for those chapters. Yes, an 85% is possible, you have to put in work. You can do it.

See my post above for information on the HESI. There are HESI exams for each subject (i.e. there is an Assessment HESI, Med/Surg HESI, Fundamentals HESI, etc). There are also comprehensive HESI exams with questions from all subjects (like the NCLEX would be). No, it isn't the HESI you took to get into nursing school. If you review and go through what I mentioned earlier in my post on the HESI, you'll do fine. I highly recommend that review book that I mentioned.

NICUismylife, ADN, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2016

If your teacher writes her own questions, then the powerpoints should be your #1 resource! I have found not just reviewing the powerpoints, but actually sitting down and re-writing the powerpoints by hand is one of the most effective ways for me to retain the info. Also make charts, color code your notes, utilize quizlet, speak the info out loud, teach it to someone else, etc. Just reading clearly isn't working for you, and it doesn't work for a lot of people. You need to see and use the material repeatedly and in different ways to maximize retention.

Good luck!

Banana nut, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Oct 8, 2016

If your teacher writes her own questions, then the powerpoints should be your #1 resource! I have found not just reviewing the powerpoints, but actually sitting down and re-writing the powerpoints by hand is one of the most effective ways for me to retain the info. Also make charts, color code your notes, utilize quizlet, speak the info out loud, teach it to someone else, etc. Just reading clearly isn't working for you, and it doesn't work for a lot of people. You need to see and use the material repeatedly and in different ways to maximize retention.
Good luck!

This is top notch advice! Also study while standing! studies show that you are more creative and process information differently when standing. There is a reason Steve Jobs had walking board meetings.

NICUismylife, ADN, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2016

This is top notch advice! Also study while standing! studies show that you are more creative and process information differently when standing. There is a reason Steve Jobs had walking board meetings.

I never knew that! Thank you!

forever88 · Oct 12, 2016

Thank you so much for all your help! I wish I was able to reply earlier but I was so caught up in all the studying. I actually got the grade I needed on the third exam. Made an 85. Phew! Now I need to make at least a 72 on the HESI. What source do you think is the best to study for this HESI?