States Who Have Banned HESI

Nursing Students HESI

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what do we know about the states that have banned HESI? I know New York is one...any others?

Specializes in Oncology.

I went to school in NY and took a HESI exit exam. I don't get what the big deal with HESI is.

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Do you have to pay to take the HESI exams, and if so, how much money is involved? If it's much at at all I'd feel irritated that I as a student have to pay for something that might be a nice review but is essentially being used by the school as a gatekeeper to ensure high NCLEX pass rates for them. And I'd REALLY be mad if it was used to prevent my graduating, even though I'd passed all my classes. I never took any sort of "outside" exams when I was in nursing school.

A 10-day review course was offered to graduates if they wanted to pay for it, but it was in no way mandatory. A few people took it, most didn't, and the school had a 98-99% pass rate anyway. Of course, that was back in the day when NCLEX was a two day paper and pencil exam!

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Yes, but it sounds like a huge waste of time and energy. Wouldn't taking the NCLEX for the first time give you a good idea where you stood?

Just seems pretty redundant for a mandatory item. If it was used just for practice for the NCLEX I would understand.

IIRC (this was 5 years ago, so bear with me), our school used the HESI as an exit exam. If you could pass with a minimum score, you were exempted from the otherwise mandatory NCLEX prep course that the school offered. So this was the school's way of determining which students needed a little more help to pass the NCLEX. And of course, every school has a huge stake in their students passing.

Also, our school used your HESI score, in part, to determine your grade in your 4th semester nursing class. So it wasn't a "pass the HESI or you can't graduate" type thing, but it definitely played a part.

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Specializes in Psych.
Do you have to pay to take the HESI exams, and if so, how much money is involved?

The school purchases access to the tests. It's part of our tuition. I like the way our school handles HESI exams. They are required at the end of each class, but they don't affect your grade. If you score below 850, you have to do 50 remediation NCLEX questions with a minimum score (but I don't know what that is). I think it's useful for students who are still working out how to answer those pesky questions.

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Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

We had to pay. My exit HESI was something like $50, plus $20 to use the testing center. End-of-semester HESIs were around $25. My class complained a lot to the administration, though, and I think for the classes behind us they've changed the way HESI payment is handled - it is included in a packet purchased as part of the tuition, or something.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
If you get a student that can complete a nursing program with a high GPA and can't pass the NCLEX, then there is a problem with the nursing program, NOT the student.
I see it as a problem with the nursing program AND the student.
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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

My school doesn't use HESI not at least in the last few years, not sure about prior. We do NLN testing every semester that is required but not used against it. It doesn't effect our grades or us graduating.

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Hm. This is really surprising news to me. We had to take the HESI once in our last semester. Our teachers told us we didn't really need to study for it or worry about it. I don't blame schools for trying to use it to raise standards though. Nursing should be difficult.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Telemetry, SICU.

Interesting...my nursing program makes us take a HESI exam at the end of every nursing class, but it counts for little or none of the final grade. The exams are primarily just for practicing for NCLEX. I just took the comprehensive HESI since I'm in my final semester and didn't find it too terribly hard, but several of my very intelligent classmates scored poorly on it. There was no punishment for failing it, our program just "recommends" that you take an NCLEX review course. I cannot imagine the HESI being required as an exit exam, I think the NCLEX is enough stress to prepare for! I am glad I have taken so many HESI exams because I feel they are good practice. I don't know why they should be banned..but just my opinion. :)

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Specializes in LTC, Acute care.

In my school, we take the HESI exam as a final for every nursing course at the end of the semester. Then there is this 'mother-of-all-HESI' (HESI exit exam)that is taken at the end of the third semester which you have to have a 900 to pass but if you don't pass you have two more chances to have at it before you can't graduate. I really don't know how the HESI exit gained its power to terrorize but it was something that freaked a lot of people out and that was all people talked about during that semester.

I don't think it should be banned, but I think it should not be used to determine who can or cannot take the NCLEX. I do think that if a student has passed all her nursing exams throughout nursing school, then that student has a good shot at passing the NCLEX. It's not fair at all that after the hefty tuition and years of nursing school people should be left stranded because they didn't pass the HESI exit which is just but one exam. That is what needs changing, IMHO.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
It's not fair at all that after the hefty tuition and years of nursing school people should be left stranded because they didn't pass the HESI exit which is just but one exam.
Of course it's fair... the same rules apply to everybody in the program. If someone doesn't want to be subject to those conditions then they shouldn't choose to attend that program.

In many countries, the high-stakes exams begin in primary school and continue all the way along.

I'm completely in favor of rigorous standards.

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Specializes in LDRP, Wound Care, SANE, CLNC.
Would be a good thing. HESI is garbage. Problems we encountered were Poorly constructed questions, questions that are directly contradicted by the study guide that HESI itself puts out, answers to questions directly contradicted by the explanations or the explanations supporting a wrong answer, the study guide material on the website for questions missed not addressing the question or giving information that contradicts the answer, Case studies were somewhat better but still had major website problems such as disconnections or refusing to acknowledge submittals, content problems such as obviously wrong answers or questions whose answers contradict each other or answer a later question. If you're gonna put out an education product, don't have the questions written by drunken interns. It caused a huge amount of anxiety and confusion in our class.

No wonder I was pulling my hair out on the first practice exam! I was ready to chuck my computer out the door, it was so stupid. Some questions are so blatenly wrong it just kills me. I have to take it on Thursday! I must say after taking all the practice exams and reading the rationals, it is pretty much crap.

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