Hey Everyone,
I received another “ask me a question” and this one comes from Tracey and here is what she asked:
“I’m taking the Exit HESI early June. Can you help me with a study guide? Do you still recommend both Saunder’s and the Hesi book I have both of them. I took the HESI 3 times and failed. I’m attempting again along with repeating the semester. But I just need a lot of help. 850 is the score and the each time I’m close but not enough to pass. 831, 836, 844. You are an inspiration but since you’ve been there and done that I’m pretty sure you can help me tweek up what I should study from first.”
Tracey, thanks for your question and I’m very sorry to hear about what you must be going through due to this HESI test. I have said it plenty of times on here and I will say it again: I don’t think the HESI exam should hold a nursing student back from graduating or from progressing to the next semester or hold them back from becoming a Registered Nurse RN. I think it should just be used as a tool to help you prepare for your boards. However, I don’t make the rules (wish I did because everyone would pass lol).
Now with that said lets see if I can give you some advice. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself: How many questions did you practice before you took the HESI exams? (try not to practice the same questions over and over because you are just memorizing the answers and not really learning anything) Did you completely read the rationals of the questions you missed or guessed on? Then afterwards did you read the chapters in the HESI book of the material you missed?
Here is what I think it takes to pass the HESI and I think if you follow what I say and truly follow it, you will pass next time. Okay, you have about a month until your next HESI because you said you take it in early June. So here is what you do and start today! Make sure you have the earliest version of the HESI book. It is green, white, and blue.
The majorly of the material on the HESI is Medical Surgical material which makes sense because you will use med. surgical in almost every field of nursing. Plus its the longest chapter (along with OB) in the HESI book. Since you don’t have much time I suggest you read every HESI hint and the end of the chapter questions in the med. surgical chapter. Then with your Saunders book practice cd select to take questions that cover medical surgical material. Here is how you do it: open the software, click on EXAM MODE, then click CONTENT AREA, then select the following: cardiovascular, ear, endocrine, eye, GI, immune, integumentary, musculoskeletal, neurological, oncology, renal, respiratory. Then take the exam and afterwards it will give you the percentages of how well you did in each area. Any area below 75% study the topic in your HESI book.
The after your done with med. surgical concentrate on OB (I think the next biggest topic tested) and do the same exact thing that you did with the med. surgical material. Then after OB concentrate on Peds and the psych stuff (not much material on that).
Everything I just said to you is how I studied. I took it the first time and passed with a 1002. Overall, just read HESI hints and the end of the chapter questions and practice questions. Also, DO NOT study the day before the test…….trust me you will start stressing and you will freak yourself out. I almost did that on my exit but decided to not study because I would have just ended up cramming and stressing myself out.
Tracey, good luck and please keep me updated! Sorry about the delay in getting to your question….life has been crazy 
Thanks again for your question!
Until next time,
Sarah 
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Posted under Ask A Question, Daily Ramblings
This post was written by RN on May 7, 2009
