HESI/NCLEX
I am not allowed to talk about the actual test so this post is all going to be how-tos.
At the end of school, when you are concentrating on passing the class and that darn HESI, they start to tell you about how to take the NCLEX and the steps you need to follow to register. One of the big things they teach in nursing school is assessing your client's 'readiness to learn'. They do not assess nursing students' readiness to learn when they start telling us all this stuff. It's a COMPLICATED process and we're in a state of terror.
STEP 1
First you DO have to pass that exit HESI and I cannot say THIS enough:
WORRY ABOUT PASSING THE CLASS, THEN WORRY ABOUT PASSING THE HESI!!!!!
I failed the first time. Got 850 and was terrified that I was so far Below the 950 that I'd never make it. But remember, you have a review class between the first and second and at least a week to study. The second time I got 1122.
HESI is really the best prep there is for NCLEX. The questions are HESI level. They are not practice book level. Practice books are useful in helping you gauge what kind of topics may come up, but those darn HESIs they made us take were given for a reason. More about test prep later.
This is from the official EVOLVE website:
Q: What are progression policies and do they help or hinder success?
A: Progression policies require a student to achieve a certain score on one test, before they are allowed to take another one. We believe progression policies help better prepare and educate students for success.
A: Progression policies require a student to achieve a certain score on one test, before they are allowed to take another one. We believe progression policies help better prepare and educate students for success.
It's important to note that we do not contend that students who do not achieve a recommended score will fail the NCLEX. In fact HESI has never attempted to predict NCLEX failure with the Exit Exam. It only offers predictive accuracy for NCLEX success. Students who fail The HESI test may indeed pass the NCLEX- particularly if they study and remediate prior to sitting for the NCLEX exam. That is precisely the purpose of the Exit Exam's diagnostic analysis because it allows students to hone in on areas of identified weakness so that they can bolster their understanding and pass the NCLEX examination.
We believe that faculty should focus on helping students achieve success in passing their licensure exams. This can be done by offering students guidance on strengths and weaknesses which they can shore up using our online remediation resources taken directly from authoritative Elsevier textbook sources. Students should then be able to pass a re-test using an alternate version of the Exit Exam, and ultimately, become more prepared for success on the NCLEX.
Research shows that the HESI Test is indeed a predictor of licensure exam success. Of the more than 35,000 students who were predicted to pass the licensure exam, up to 98.3% (over 7 years studied) passed the NCLEX exam in their first sitting.
STEP 2
You will be given a packet that guides you through the process but you need to go get fingerprinted. I was too nervous to do this before I passed the HESI, but that was silly. Do it ASAP, so you can get your authorization to test (henceforth ATT) quicker.
Here are locations:
Fill out the declaration of citizenship and application to the state board of nursing. Page #3 on the application, do not fill out the top portion (except for name and school name). That top part is Vines portion to fill out. DO NOT SIGN EITHER UNTIL IN FRONT OF A NOTARY!!! Get a money order or cashier check for $100 made out to Tennessee Board of Nursing. Take the documents to Ms. Deb. She has the passport size pictures that need to be attached to the application. She will also need to photo copy your drivers license which will be attached to the declaration of citizenship form.
WHERE TO GET A MONEY ORDER OR CASHIER'S CHECK:
Don't forget you will probably need to pay with cash. You can use your bank, Walmart, convenience stores, some gas stations and the post office. The charge is around $10 or less.
NOTARIES IN MEMPHIS:
Again, sometimes you can do this at your bank, but if not here is a list of notaries in Memphis
STEP 3
Wait and wait and wait some more for Nashville to send you your ATT
Then you can schedule your test date. The official HESI site recommends not waiting too long to take the test. I was too scared to heed that advice and waited about a month. I wish I had done it sooner. It drags on and on if you wait too long.
When you get the ATT by email, then you can register for a test:
It costs $200-another incentive to pass the first time.
Other ways to schedule:
STEP 4
TEST PREPARATION
SIMPLFY- use one or two sources. That's it. I used Saunder's and the official HESI prep book:
I did use the Hurst review. It was very helpful. It costs $300. Worth it to get your licence sooner and pass the first time. If you are employed, your hospital will pay. I bought it BEFORE I was employed and my hospital later reimbursed me, anyway. The Hurst people are real Mississippians. They say 'y'all' about 900 times and at one point I thought one of them said, "Avoid incest" instead of "Avoid NSAIDs."
I did use PrepU NCLEX 10,000 as you can see:
It was helpful in its way, but the questions are not NCLEX level by any means and you get gems like the one below:
A nurse is preparing a client for bronchoscopy. Which instruction should the nurse give to the client?
a) Don't talk for 4 hours prior or 4 hours following the procedure.
b) Don't eat for 6 hours prior to the procedure.
c) Don't ambulate for 2 hours prior to the procedure.
d) Don't the day of the procedure.
a) Don't talk for 4 hours prior or 4 hours following the procedure.
b) Don't eat for 6 hours prior to the procedure.
c) Don't ambulate for 2 hours prior to the procedure.
d) Don't the day of the procedure.
Just, don't-ok?
Here is a wonderful study schedule from the University of North Carolina School of Nursing. It tells you how to prepare for the NCLEX 2-3 months in advance to the day of the exam:
Here is a wonderful study schedule from the University of North Carolina School of Nursing. It tells you how to prepare for the NCLEX 2-3 months in advance to the day of the exam:
STEP 5
The day before the exam- don't study. Do yourself a favor. There's nothing you can learn that day before you don't already know. You're ready for this exam- believe it. I had both my teachers and all my friends telling me this. For once, I did actually listen. I watched comedy shows and napped all day. Other friends got massages and pedicures. Go to sleep on time. You'll be fine.
The day OF the exam I was calmer than I expected. I had done all I could to prepare. The odds are overwhelmingly in our favor, just remember that 93% of ALL Tennessee nursing students pass the first time and for a long time, it's been 100% of SW grads.
Tips For Exam Day:
Make sure you have your PRINTED ATT letter and a form of ID (passport, driver's licence) that EXACTLY matches the name on the ATT letter (I had to use my passport because my driver's licence does not show my middle name).
STEP 6
AFTER THE TEST
You can do the Pearson Vue trick:
No guarantees here. It worked for all my class, but then again, nobody failed.
After 48 hours (exactly to the time you started your test), you can pay $7.95 and get your results early via the website:
or via telephone: 1.900.776.2539- cost for telephone results is $9.95
It will be the best $8 you spend all week.
About 5 days after the test, you will show up on the TN BON as licenced:
Licensure Verification
And look where you are actually licensed:
Compact States
And look where you are actually licensed:
Compact States
Right after you take the NCLEX, they make you do a survey. This is how I did it:
"I don't care." CLICK, "Can I go now?" CLICK, "GET ME OUTTA HERE." CLICK
But, I get to say it officially:
Janice Silbermann, RN
Janice Silbermann, RN
I am so proud of you. You will be terrific!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information and congratulations��
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