Running out of time VS. the 265th question?

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Hello all. I recently took my nclex and went all the way to 265 and took the entire time to do it (without any breaks). Now, I'll admit, I went into the test with the (incorrect) understanding that you would auto-fail if you did not fully complete the test in the time frame given. So once I knew that I was in for the long haul, I basically rushed during the last quarter to make sure I did not run out of time. This is my own fault, but now I know that you do not necessarily fail just because you ran out of time.

Now before I ask my question, I need to preface a few things - I used Kaplan for my studies, and they were very clear on the following: if you reach 265 questions, your pass or fail is based COMPLETELY ON THE VERY LAST QUESTION due to the fact that the computer was unable to determine your competency because you were unable to consistently remain above or below the minimum competency line. Thus, if the last question was an analysis/application question and you got the answer correct - you pass. If you got the answer wrong - you fail. Conversely, if your last question was a content/knowledge based question (i.e below the minimum competency line) - you fail regardless if you answered this question correctly or incorrectly.

Now, the other thing I've read is that if you run out of time, the computer somehow averages out your competency based on how you answered the last 60 or so questions (this 60 is arbitrary - I really don't know if it's 60. It could possibly be any number for all I know).

In my case, once I got to about 150, I just knew I was going to go to the end. The problem here is that I knew my ability to stay focused and accurately critically think out each question would diminish as the clocked ticked by. I mean seriously, at around 220, I think I was slowly going insane, having to read a single question multiple times just in order to comprehend it.

So now here are my questions:

1)Assuming the "last question" rule and the "last 60 questions rule" are both accurate (and not simply myths)...........why in the world would ANYONE allow themselves to get to the last question?? Essentially, if you allow yourself to answer the last question, you are flipping a coin. In Kaplan's own words, "If you get to 265, you have a 50/50 chance of passing". I mean, why not just stop at 264, take a break and go eat a Slim Jim and let the clock run out? Would you rather have your fate determined by the flip of a coin, or have your fate determined by your faith in how you answered the last 60 questions?

2) Another thing I don't get about this "last 60 questions rule" when you run out of time is this: If the computer can determine you were competent (or NOT competent) at the moment you run out of time, why wouldn't the computer have just shut off anyways prior to this moment?

You could even take this to the extreme: why not purposely stop around 150 (if you think your in for the long haul) and just let the clock run out? I would be much more confident in my last 60 questions at 150 rather than my last 60 questions at 265 (again, this is due to critical thinking abilities decaying as the hours tick by).

Again, I could be completely wrong on everything I'm saying. I'm posting this here, because I'm just looking for some understanding and want to be educated on the facts of how the test determines competency when you either a) you hit question 265 or b) run out of time. I've read several posts where people get to 265 and know "for a fact" they answered the last question wrong and still pass. So I wonder now if Kaplan is correct on this "last question" theory?

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Don't take this as the gospel, I'm just trying to give you information that I have heard.... The test will face its decision on your last 60 questions that you answered, if any of those questions were answered incorrectly that were above the line questions, you would fail. There is a video on YouTube made by jake schubert, he owns NURSITY.COM. Has a good video about this situation. Anyway,if u got all 265,that means you took everything NCLEX had to offer. it would have never gotten past 75 if you were doing bad. Basically , it gave you 190 more questions to see if your scoring well enough to pass. I know at least five people who have got all 265 within the last month, and they all passed. Good luck. Check that YouTube video out. I take mine in one week.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

You are pretty far off on how this works OP. All of your answers are in the NCSBN FAQs section.

Basically, the 60 questions is based on the fact that that is the minimum required questions needed to pass. 15 of the first 75 questions are not graded. They are testing those questions for possible future use on NCLEX. You have no way to know which questions those are. But when you pass or fail at 75, you are really passing or failing at 60. Hence grading the previous 60 questions when running out of time or getting to 265.

There is no such rule as the "if you get the last of 265 right, then you pass" I have honestly never heard of this and it is not accurate. You can still fail if you get the last question right. Regardless is it was an application or content question. Passing or failing depends on the being above the minimum passing standard in 8 areas I believe.

When you are taking the test, the computer is analyzing if you are above or below the passing standard within a 95% confidence interval. You can be above the passing standard the whole test, but if you are just barely above it, the computer cannot determine with over 95% confidence that you have passed and will keep going. Same with being just barely below the passing standard.

Getting an application question wrong in the last 60 questions does NOT mean you automatically fail. You could be at the point where you are getting mostly application or analysis level questions but havnt reached 95% confidence above the passing standard. Getting one wrong here or there, will not fail you or the computer would just shut off and fail you. Think about it this way. For those of us who passed at 75, do you seriously think that we all got ALL of the application/analysis questions right? It is extremely likely that very few if any testers get ALL of them right in those first 75 questions.

Basically, go to the NCSBN site and read the FAQs. Or dont. At this point it doesnt even matter because you are done with your test nd cant change the results now. Good luck.

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Excellent info! Thank you mrsboots87 and amysiuk! I'll definitely look at those videos from Jake and the FAQ's on NCSBN.

However, just a quick response to the following comment:

There is no such rule as the "if you get the last of 265 right, then you pass" I have honestly never heard of this and it is not accurate. You can still fail if you get the last question right. Regardless is it was an application or content question.

Just to clarify, I did not state that getting the 265th question correct is an auto-pass. Rather, the type of question (analysis/application vs. content/knowledge) and how you answer that question determines pass or fail. And again, this info is not from me. This info is put forth by Kaplan and is explained quite extensively through their program, not to mention there are countless threads regarding this exact topic here on allnurses (albeit, with no real consensus). The idea is that if you reach 265, the computer has NOT BEEN ABLE to determine if the test taker is above or below passing standard with a 95% confidence interval (because you have continuously remained on OR near the line of competency, yet never staying above or below this line for the required amount of time to determine that 95% confidence interval). Thus, the computer must simply use the last question to make its determination because the computer has NO ALTERNATIVE in determining if minimum competency was met . I'm simply trying to corroborate the info. Hopefully, I will find that on NCSBN's faqs.

Thanks again! Fingers crossed on my results!! :up:

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Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.

60 is not arbitrary but the minimum number of operational items (i.e. questions) for RN (remember, of the 75 minimum items, 15 are pilot AND DO NOT COUNT!)

From NCSBN:

If a student runs out of time, why are only the last 60 items looked at?

To ensure adequate content coverage, candidates must answer at least 60 operational items to pass the NCLEX. To be consistent with the minimum number of items required to pass the NCLEX, the run-out-of-time stopping rule reviews candidate's ability estimates on the last 60 operational items answered.

Here is the video on the MAXIMUM LENGTH RULE (265 questions): https://www.ncsbn.org/5910.htm

When your ability is very close to the passing standard, the computer continues to give you items until the maximum number of items is reached. At this point, the computer disregards the 95% confidence rule and decides whether you pass or fail by your final ability estimate.

  • If your final ability estimate is above the passing standard, you pass.
  • If your final ability is at or below the passing standard, you fail.

(Final ability estimate = last question).

Here is the video on the R.O.O.T. RULE (max 6 hours): https://www.ncsbn.org/5912.htm

When you run out of time before reaching the maximum amount of items, the computer has not been able to decide whether you passed or failed with 95% certainty and has to use an alternate rule.

  • If you have not answered the minimum amount of items, you fail.
  • If you have at least answered the minimum amount of items, the computer reviews your last 60 ability estimates:
    • If your last 60 ability estimates were above the passing standard, you pass.
    • If your ability dropped below the passing standard, even once, during your last 60 items, you fail.

This does not mean you must answer the last 60 items correctly. Each ability estimate is based on all the previous items that you have answered.

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Ahhhh! That post answers my question to a T! Thank you so much. So with the final question (aka final ability estimate), the 95% goes out the window and does indeed determine pass or fail. Got it!

:up:

Thus, it truly is a coin flip. So my original question still stands. You wanna coin flip at 265, or just let the time run out before hitting the end and bank on the ROOT rule?

:down:

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Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.

I think the general consensus - and certainly what we were told all through our program - was to take your time.

If you're getting close to the 6 hour mark, SLOW DOWN, don't speed up -- because with the R.O.O.T. rule, they are using 60 operational items to work out your ability estimate. With the maximum length exam rule, they are just using one.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.
60 is not arbitrary but the minimum number of operational items (i.e. questions) for RN (remember, of the 75 minimum items, 15 are pilot AND DO NOT COUNT!)

From NCSBN:

Here is the video on the MAXIMUM LENGTH RULE (265 questions): https://www.ncsbn.org/5910.htm

(Final ability estimate = last question).

Here is the video on the R.O.O.T. RULE (max 6 hours): https://www.ncsbn.org/5912.htm

Are you sure that "final ability"= last question. I was under the impression that final ability was referring to your ability to stay above passing standard in your final 60 questions. I am truly curious as I have not once heard that when getting to 265 your entire pass/fail result is dependent on a single answer to a question.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

And I guess to add to my last response, the ROOT rule means that the test looks at your last 60 scores, not last 60 questions. Your score is adjusted after every question you answer so it looks at your adjusted score for the last 60 calculations if that makes sense. Then the final ability rule means it looks at literally just your last 60 questions.

Is that wrong?

Again, this is just how I have always understood it. I could be wrong.

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Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.
Are you sure that "final ability"= last question. I was under the impression that final ability was referring to your ability to stay above passing standard in your final 60 questions. I am truly curious as I have not once heard that when getting to 265 your entire pass/fail result is dependent on a single answer to a question.

Yes, I'm sure! If it had been able to make a determination earlier (within the 95% confidence interval), the system would have shut off and it wouldn't need to keep giving you items. But don't forget, each question depends on how you've been answering previous ones!

If you watch the videos, they're pretty helpful and clear! :)

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Hi. I'm writing this to share my experience and to encourage everyone especially the foreign graduates who will be taking the NCLEX.

I'm a nurse from the Philippines who graduated 9 years ago..yup 2008! I took the NCLEX from the first time last May 16 2017, and I have to admit it was the hardest exam that I've ever had. During the exam I also run out of time, the computer shut off at around 247 questions...at that very moment I knew I failed. Why? I'm out of school for 9 years, and my school isn't even one of the top university in my country, that was my first time taking the test, and I run out of time! Great! So in my head I know only a miracle could save my exam. After two days....I asked one of my colleague to check the result for cuz I can't do it...I think about all the people that's counting on me and the thought of breaking the news to them just scares me, breaks me.

But...I don't know what happened when we checked the result, I PASSED!! I couldn't believe it! Everything seems like a dream!

So guys, it doesn't matter where you're from or how long has it been since you graduate. Just work hard and pray! Always pray!

Good luck to all the future takers!

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How long did you study for nclex?

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