How I Prepared for HESI Exams
Taking HESI exams during nursing school was stressful for me. The uncertainty of what would be on the exam made me nervous. In my final year, I had to take two HESI exams: the HESI 1 and the HESI 2 Exit Exam. These exams covered various subjects like adult health, pediatrics, maternity, prioritization/delegation, and med-surg. HESI exams help students get ready for the NCLEX exam after graduation.
Before HESI 1, I wasn’t sure how to study. Though my score wasn’t as high as I wanted, I used it as a chance to learn and make a study plan for the HESI 2 Exit Exam. On the HESI 2 Exit Exam, I scored in the range my school recommended. I felt proud to finish my last undergraduate exam with a great score.
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Here are the strategies I used to study for the HESI exams:
Detailed Scoring Report
After each HESI exam, I got a detailed scoring report showing my performance in each subject. It helped me see where I needed to improve and how much my score differed from the recommended score. This report guided me on how much time to spend on each subject and where to focus more. For instance, my weakest area was Integumentary and Oncology, so I dedicated extra time to those topics.
Study Plans
Using the scoring report, I planned how long to study each topic. Balancing this with other schoolwork can be tricky, but I did my best to stick to the plan. I also set a goal for how many practice questions to tackle each day.
Saunders Comprehensive Review Textbooks
The Saunders Comprehensive Review Textbook was a lifesaver. It gave me practice questions and in-depth information on each topic. After studying a section, I’d use the practice questions to test myself. I found this method helped me retain the material better than just doing all the practice questions at once.
Comprehensive Tests
After going through the textbook, I used various sources for practice questions. The comprehensive test at the end of the textbook summarized all subjects. Reading the explanations for each question was crucial to understand the reasoning.
The Saunders’ Q&A Textbook was packed with practice questions. I aimed to do 50-100 questions daily and noted down explanations for the ones I didn’t know. I also marked questions I struggled with, so I could revisit those topics.
The textbook had a code for the Evolve/Elsevier website, offering more practice questions in the HESI test format. This extra practice helped a lot.
In the end, having a solid study plan and holding yourself accountable is key to acing HESI exams. These tests cover all you’ve learned in nursing school and more. The more effort you put into HESI, the smoother your NCLEX prep will be. Believe in yourself and your goals!
I hope my insights help you tackle your HESI exams. Good luck, and I’m sure you’ll do great!
How I Studied for HESI Exams
As a nursing student, taking HESI exams was nerve-wracking and stressful because I never knew what to expect. In my final year of nursing school, I was expected to take two HESI exams, the HESI 1 and the HESI 2 Exit Exam. These exams test students in all areas including adult health, pediatrics, maternity, prioritization/delegation, and med-surg. Utilizing HESI is one of the methods to prepare students for writing the NCLEX exam following graduation.
Using HESI Analytics to Improve Your Studies
Before taking HESI 1, I was unsure of how to study. Although I did not score as high as I wanted on the first exam, I used it as a learning experience and motivation to develop a study plan for the HESI 2 Exit Exam. On my HESI 2 Exit Exam, I scored in my school’s recommended range! I was happy and proud that I finished my last undergraduate exam with a great score.
These are the tips and tricks that I used to study for the HESI exam:
- Detailed Scoring Report
After taking a HESI exam, HESI generates a detailed scoring report that identifies how well you did in each subject area. Additionally, this report tells you how many numbers of questions you answered correctly and how much your score deviated from the recommended score. This scoring report will help you determine how much time you need for each subject area and will help you identify your areas of weakness. On my first exam, my strongest subject area was mental health, and my weakest subject area was Integumentary and Oncology, therefore, I knew which areas to spend extra studying time on!
- Study Plans
After utilizing the detailed scoring report, plan how long you will spend on each topic. Planning out your time can be tricky with placement and other schoolwork but do your best to plan and stick to it! Also, do not forget to indicate how many practice questions you aim to go through during each day.
The Saunders Comprehensive Review Textbook is a LIFESAVER! Not only does it provide you with practice questions, but it also provides you with thorough information related to each topic. When studying, I went through each area of the textbook, and at the end of each subject, I would test myself using the practice questions. I found that when I tested myself after studying each subject, I was able to retain my knowledge better versus only doing practice questions after studying all the subjects.
- Comprehensive Tests
When I finished studying from the Saunders Comprehensive Review Textbook, I used various methods to test my knowledge with practice questions. At the end of the Comprehensive Textbook, there is a comprehensive test that summarizes all subject areas in the textbook. This was a great refresher. Reading through the rationales for each question was extremely helpful when I did not understand why the answer was the way it was.
Additionally, the Saunders’ Q&A Textbook is a textbook filled with practice questions. My goal was to go through 50-100 questions daily and to write down the rationales to the questions that I did not know. In addition to that, I would make note of the questions that I did not know so that I could go back and refresh my memory on that specific topic!
Lastly, inside the textbook, there is a code that I put in on the Evolve/Elsevier website that gave me access to more practice questions which I found extremely useful as it mimicked the HESI test format.
Overall, I believe that developing a study plan and holding yourself accountable is the way to achieve success on these HESI exams. These exams are designed to test your knowledge of all the information that you learned in nursing school and more. The harder you study for these HESI exams, the easier the material will come to you when you are studying for the NCLEX! Once you put your mind to something, you can always achieve it!
I hope my tips and tricks helped you with studying for your HESI. I wish you the best of luck and I know you will all kill the exam!
Written by: Monique Nguyen
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