Senior Nursing trouble passing Exit

Published

help!!!!!!

i am a senior nursing student in a bsn program, and i am having trouble passing the hesi exit test. the standard our school has for the test is 900. i have taken it twice and made 868, conversion score of 82.46%, the first time and 879, conversion score of 82.76%, this last time. the national average for this exam is 832 over the last year. the school is a great school and has outstanding instructors. i know my knowledge base is not lacking because i have made all a's and b's throughout the program. my issue is these hesi test. my clinical faculty has given me outstanding performance reviews throughout the program. this test is going to dictate whether or not i graduate. i am struggling with the fact that this test is deciding the outcome of my life when i still have to concentrate on boards which is the true dictator when it comes to nursing and i may not get to chance to cross that bridge because of the hesi test. i struggled with the hesi tests with all my clinical classes and tried a number of different study techniques so i need help with transfer information where the standards are within reason, test taking skills, or any information that can be helpful. most of the other programs in this state do not use the hesi, or use it for reference for the graduating student to give pointers on studying for boards. the class i am in has 31 students and 11 failed the first time, all but two made over 850 the test banks acceptable range for the test. those 11 took it again and 4 did not pass ( i was one), all made above 850. please can anybody give me and my fellow students any suggestions on how to succeed at this test or transfer and have a chance to blow the boards out of the water and prove that hesi is not a good indicator of what kind of nurse a person will be. the person is the indicator not the test. any information is greatly appreciated.

help!!!!!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/ER.

Your going to have to take Nclex style test till your eyes blur...Saunders/Davis/Mosby/ATI take your pick they are similar to HESI. You need to grasp the concept of the Nclex style of questioning--no doubt you know it, your probably just panicking a little knowing you HAVE to pass it...so every day make it your mission to take a 100 point test over and over till you can score above the 90% mark--Dont take the same test over and over as you will soon memorize the questions--

I know it sucks, but you have to do it, you have to pass, it is not fair I agree but it must be done, so buckle down and pop in a disk and get going!!!

Best of luck!!

PS the time and effort will pay off when its time to take Nclex...you will walk into a pearson vue a more confident person because you mastered the HESI

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

For now I'd scrap the other NCLEX study books and only focus on actual HESI questions. I tend to test really good but it took me a while to get the hang of what HESI was looking for. Its a shame this isn't something they had you practicing all through the nursing program because now you are under the gun. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The questions, skill, and strategies are what I have been doing since I started nursing school. I have never been one for test anxiety because you can only do one of two things, Pass or Fail, and niether one will kill you. The NCLEX style questions seem so much easier to me than the Hesi, I have no trouble breaking those questions down and figuring out what they want, but Hesi is a booger bear. This really sux but I truly do appreciate your input anything I can do want hurt. The Hesi style questions are so limited to the disc I have and can't afford to buy anymore and different books, disc, and no free resources that I have found useful on the web. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
The questions, skill, and strategies are what I have been doing since I started nursing school. I have never been one for test anxiety because you can only do one of two things, Pass or Fail, and niether one will kill you. The NCLEX style questions seem so much easier to me than the Hesi, I have no trouble breaking those questions down and figuring out what they want, but Hesi is a booger bear. This really sux but I truly do appreciate your input anything I can do want hurt. The Hesi style questions are so limited to the disc I have and can't afford to buy anymore and different books, disc, and no free resources that I have found useful on the web. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

Grayhunter18, I totally hear ya but you can't afford not to purchase more HESI resources if you can't find them from for free. I'd check all local libraries including other colleges where you could probably couldn't take them out but could sit there and study. Possibly pitch in with a group of friends and share the materials? Look on amazon.com for older editions that are really cheap etc. Not passing this stinking exam isn't an option!

Keep us posted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Here is a resource for finding books in libraries nearby.

http://www.worldcat.org/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

Grayhunter-

Check out the following link from Elsevier (makers of the Hesi):

https://evolve.elsevier.com/EvolveWeb/services.link?uri=/SearchProduct&userType=Student&searchBy=DS&searchCriteria=1_74

There is an "Evolve Practice test 2009" that you can purchase access to with something like 1200 questions for additional practice. They also have a live tutor option and a live review course ($$$). I bought access to the practice test and use it in addition to the hesi rn book they sell. The cd that comes w/ the book just doesn't have enough questions for me, so I use the website too. We have to take a hesi during every rotation that counts as an exam grade. I have one Monday in OB that I am dreading. We also have to take an exit hesi at the end of the program to graduate. It blows, but at this point, we have to do whatever it takes. Keep trying---you've come too far and worked too hard!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just want to inform all about the Hesi. Some fellow students and I petitioned our nursing program to retake the HESI exam so we could have the option of graduating with our class. We all succeeded in our third try at the exam and are nurse graduates. We all studied skills and strategies for this one. No knowledge was studied between this test and the previous. So that will show you hesi is based on how you take a test not what you know. Good Luck to all and thank you for your assistance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion