studymom39

Your school has options other than making someone repeat more school. Schools can use Hesi in ways it was not intended. Too bad there isn't some kind of remediation or something. Sometimes it's not the knowledge base but maybe more in test-taking skills. One student in our class is a classic case of this. She knows the material but she doubts herself and will talk herself out of the right answer. If you talk to her one-on-one, she knows it. You see her grade and you'd never know it. Another thing is confidence. I'm leary of the way your school is handling this issue. So your students will risk another year of their life, another $9,000 in hopes of that one more test chance? And then what?! This may or may not be addressing the problem/s. Even NCLEX allows you to retake it every 45 days.

If the feedback tells you areas to improve, I imagine that's the starting point. It sounds like you were close.

There are different methods for math, pick the one you feel you're most competent on and stick with it from start to finish. I, for example, prefer the dimensional analysis way (like what you learned in chemistry). I have a very strong opinion about the void that our program had in reviewing math. The advisors stated, "math is an assumption if you passed chemistry" but for nontraditional students, I was not fresh out of high school and didn't remember the metric system. Furthermore, I researched the math class available to me and took 3, one was specific to the health field, and it barely touched the metric system until the end. It went over very basic stuff on decimals and stuff which I didn't need. I got through nursing school but one teacher, in particular, was on a warpath for bad evaluations from students and had multiple methods of rounding that has never been pinned down to date, and she actually failed a girl one quarter off of it. Others were kicked out class but the Dean stepped in. When the dust settled, the teacher was in the hotseat because people had written proof to show the Dean that she gave different rounding rules that were inconsistent. The next year, she didn't dare fail a student or she'd have been fired. If there was confusion, she "remediated". The math should be taught in each quarter. It wouldn't take much time at all. Also, get into small groups to teach each other.

If you go to the NCSBN website, it explains the CAT testing by a powerpoint and how it's graded. A classmate of mine just took the nclex and had 265 questions and passed. She scored a little over 900 on the Hesi.

Practice higher level questions, like prioritization in LaCharity book. I felt like it was assumed that you know the nclex prep books, but applying it is the test style. There are some easy ones but my test was more select all that apply and prioritization. I, personally, had lots of broad med surg questions and a lot of endocrine, etc. No OB but some people get that so you just have to know the broad material. The material is the material but you need to know more and more details of it for the select all that apply. People in Ohio are waiting a good month for ATT's, after their names are posted on the public record. They are majorly backed up it seems.

Our meds publishing reviewer told us that Hesi is used for the school's accreditation. I don't know how all this works but that's what we were told. Hesi can be used outside of its intended use. My neighbor went to the same college I did and it appears that her class was the last one who didn't have to do Hesi. She said a large percentage of her class didn't pass nclex and thus, the college was put on probation. It appears this is when Hesi came in. I guess Hesi is a program that is an attempt to measure the predictability of passing nclex but apparently, it's also used for accreditation. I personally think anyone who does the college work deserves their degree but our college portrays the bar being kept up high on Hesi, wanting a 900, and students can keep taking the Hesi. However, they have let the majority (who did not make 900's) pass through after a meeting with the Asst. Dean and 3 Hesi attempts. The Asst. Dean reportedly advised students to get on anti-anxiety meds to help their test-taking (which I think is out of line), and how to approach studying for NCLEX. They were also quizzed on the spot on random questions. Only 5 of us tested in our class and it will be very interesting to test the predictability model of the Hesi. When it's all said and done, I seem to do fairly well on CAT tests even though I don't like them. But the real anxiety is a program that has a make-or-break test at the end of it, both in Hesi and in NCLEX. I don't have any interest in a Master's program with the same finale for this reason. Enough is enough. It felt really good to get the Hesi score the school wanted and to pass NCLEX. I did everything the school asked of me but I studied my butt off to get there. Many of the students in my class whined about not passing Hesi but when I asked how they prepared for it, they didn't study the Hesi book, they didn't do practice questions, and they didn't have a plan on how to approach it - some even mocked it, "oh, that Hesi book's boring, I'm not going to study that". Well, guess what, it was a pain but I did study it and I did pass. What do you want me to say?!!

Schools use Hesi in a lot of ways and I don't agree that you shouldn't graduate but you can pass Hesi. I know the anxiety is focused on that test, which you describe as a deal-breaker, but you can pass. It will prepare you for nclex because you'll be studying for both. The Hesi is not undoable. My school claimed to mandate a 900 to pass as an exit exam but they slid people through. It's to your benefit to study and pass. So, just focus on that right now. Passing.

After passing NCLEX in 75 questions, I definately think the NCLEX measures critical thinking more. My test questions were significantly, significantly harder on NCLEX overall. The prioritization questions are challenging but really a good way to get inside the test taker's head - you know, throwing out conditions and scenarios and saying "which one gets seen first". It really measures what you know of the total picture of the patient and disease process. Don't expect such easy "memorization" type questions. It seems like it's assumed that you know all these nclex prep books - but can you apply it? Definately practice the prioritization questions because they provide you with the same review of the conditions in terms of rationales but also raise your critical thinking abilities. You need to build confidence with these types of questions or you will struggle more on NCLEX. 7 days ago I tested and I got my certificate and paperwork in the mail today. Very speedy. Ohio is backed up with giving ATT's to people but they are very speedy in this latter aspect. I'm just glad it's over. I used to think I'd do a master's program but I don't know - the testing was so stressful. And every time a classmate tests, I get anxious again as if I'm reliving it. I'll be glad when everyone's done in my class and we can all relax!!!!!!! When it's all said and done, I'm glad to have had Hesi. So far the predictability model is proving to be true but we'll see as the rest of the class tests. Don't be so anxious to get an ATT - that will come - instead, be studying every single day.

I only purchased the $49 access for 3 weeks. I did the entire thing in terms of questions. There are prioritization and new format. The one thing I did like about it was that questions were grouped in 40's vs. Kaplan vs. other programs where you're stuck doing a large number of questions or quit and lose your work. However, my nclex test was significantly harder than what I had on ncsbn. It really isn't the question anyway - you are not going to duplicate the questions anywhere - it's the rationale. Do you get the "big picture" of what's happening with a condition? I don't know what the other ncsbn program is like but it is supposed to be 98% pass rate, I think. I also liked Pearson's book. The information is the information. It's just knowing to a higher and higher degree of proficiency and precision as you review it over and over - and as you read more rationales. Good luck.

If anyone is interested, Medical Mysteries, abc, tonight, has Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome coverage. It's a condition that is in my family and I am passionate about educating people on it. For those interested, watch and maybe we can discuss. Dr. Quigley, who is in Indianapolis, will be on the show and she's known as the most knowledgeable, ethical doctor in the country for these types of things. She is our family doctor.

You should definately do the cd because every Hesi test has some questions from the cd. The score was not indicative of what I got on mine. I think I took some tests on the cd and got a 70% and then scored a 942 as my exit score the next morning. I passed nclex with 75 questions but studied from mid-quarter on for Hesi and didn't stop for a total of 3 months until I took nclex - every stinkin' day, sometimes/often all day. Know the Hesi hints. Know electrolytes and physiology. I actually liked Mosby's and the Hesi book as a combo for prep for Hesi. It worked. I don't know what to tell you. For nclex, I had did multiple books.

How long does it take from being posted by Pearson as passing to being posted with an RN license for the state? My friend had his on Monday morning and he took his test on the Thursday before. I, too, took mine on Thursday and I do not have my rn license posted. I didn't see anything about how long it is supposed to take.

Did the nclex "people" send you information of what areas you were strong or weak on?

To study drugs - you must know the sympathetic vs. parasympathetic stuff, adrenergic, cholinergic, etc. If you get one down, the rest can be logiced out. Core Concepts in Pharmacology by Holland is good for the basics. I had an initial pharm course that was actually broad but excellent. The teacher said that you can't possibly learn every drug because new ones come out every year, but there are more common drugs in each section. She said the key is to really know that one chapter in the book with the sympathetic/parasympathetic, etc. stuff because even established nurses use drug books and have to understand it. It goes back to understanding the physiology thing. I think of meds as layers - get the Core Concepts down first, really well. Then get those drug classes. Then fine tune as much as you can with more familiar drugs. Med Surg will be the broadest, probably. But you can definately know all the common OB drugs, the Psych drugs. The peds has its more predictable ones. Med Surg is the broadest, or so it seems. My kids' elementary school has a program where it spirals information - meaning that they get the first lesson and absorb so much, then at a later date, that lesson comes back to them and they absorb the stuff they didn't get the first time, etc. This is ideally how nursing school should be, by reinforcing each clinical quarter the drugs and physiology to some extent. Some people pick more up the first time because they have an affinity towards it (or are gifted - I think that's one of the ways they measure that - is how many repetitions it takes to "get" the lesson). But there's nothing wrong with rehearsals and lots of test questions. It's unlikely you can sit down and know it all in one sitting. There should have been a foundation in nursing school and A&P. I wasn't half bad on pharm but there's a lot of ins and outs on drugs that weren't taught to us that I guess you pick up "on the job". Hope this helps. Don't try to do it drug by drug in the beginning. There has to be a plan of attack. Macro level, then micro level. Pace yourself.

Mom of three - at least you can say "why" you didn't pass (not studying). Therefore, studying is the remedy for the next time. Good luck.