Hey everyone, I just wanted to share the good (and late) news that I passed my Hesi Exit V1 exam on the first try back in June (score of 936)!! I was very worried about it because I'm not one of those students that does awesomely on NCLEX-style questions or previous Hesi Specialty exams. I am very good at clinical practicum, but I came from a background where right is right and wrong is wrong; not where there are 3 answers that could be right, but you have to choose the most right one.
Anyway, because of my lack in skill in this area, I knew I had to brush up on well, everything. The book that I discovered to be most helpful was the Hesi Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination @ amazon.com. Particularly, the online questions from the medical-surgical section and the comprehensive exams. I actually saw REPEAT questions (with slightly different scenarios) from the online questions, and I am so grateful to the classmate who suggested this book to me.
Next, I used an NCLEX cram-sheet that I got off of here somewhere I believe. I really wish I could credit the author, but I downloaded them a couple years ago, and I don't recall where from. I will say that I did NOT make this cram sheet, and it's from a sticky thread on this forum somewhere. I also included 2 other study guides that I found elsewhere on the web and were very helpful! I am currently using one of them to study for my NCLEX, actually- long but very useful.
I noticed that my test focused a lot on Diabetes management and lab values and not much at all on maternity stuff. There were also a decent amount of questions on standard precautions and basic stuff that you may not even think to study but might get wrong if you don't review it. Remember to review things like proper hand-washing and aseptic technique.
I know this isn't as comprehensive as some posts have been but, I honestly think, if I can do this, anyone can. Once I learned to have more confidence in myself, I saw that usually my first response... my gut response, was right. Sounds cliche, but it's true. When I first began nursing school, I never saw myself writing a post like this and now here I am, accepted into my MSN-FNP program and studying for my NCLEX! Keep the faith and support each other. My classmates have kept me going on many days that I wanted to throw in the towel!
