HESI from Elsevier
Tables obtained from:
Mee, C., Hallenbeck, V. (2012). Selecting Standardized Tests in Nursing Education. Journal of Professional Nursing.
Table 1. Test Statistics, Uses, and Interpretation of the Data; Table 2. Criteria Checklist for Selecting a Standardized Examination
Criterion
HESI
Examinations ability to predict student success
Is there statistical analysis such as a
Kuder-Richardson 20 score for each
exam?
 HESI exam reliability is determined by conducting item analyses on each exam and statistically calculating
reliability. HESI Exit Exams range in the highest categories for estimated reliability coefficients using KuderRichardson Formula 20 (KR-20) and range from 0.90 to 0.94.
Are the exams piloted to ensure
validity and reliability of questions?
 Test items are continuously evaluated in real testing conditions to ensure that our statistical analysis is valid
and reliable.
What research is available to prove
your exams are valid and reliable?
 More than 30 research articles on HESI exams have been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals:
 Journal of Professional Nursing – HESI Supplement
 CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing
 All 10 HESI RN Exit Exam validity studies were found to be consistently accurate at predicting NCLEX success
among students scoring 900 or above. RN predictive accuracy ranges from 96%-99%.
 All 6 HESI PN Exit Exam validity studies were found to be consistently accurate at predicting NCLEX success
among students scoring 900 or above. PN predictive accuracy ranges between 97%-100%.
Predictive?
Test and item development
Are the items & exams based off
the most recent NCLEX® blueprint?
 All HESI exams are based on the latest NCLEX® blueprint.
How quickly are the exams
changed to align with NCLEX
blueprint changes?
 All HESI exams are updated as soon as the blueprint is made available, typically 5-6 months prior to the actual
change in NCLEX exams.
Criterion
HESI
Do the exams offer assessment on
all desired content areas?
 HESI Specialty Exams are available for all core content areas including:
 Community Health
 Critical Care
 Dosage Calculations
 Fundamentals
 Gerontology
 Health Assessment
 Management
 Maternity
 Medical-Surgical
 Nutrition
 Pathophysiology
 Pediatrics
 Pharmacology
 Psychiatric/Mental Health
 Research
What are the qualifications of the
item writers constructing our
exams?
 All HESI test items are written by industry-experienced writers to ensure currency of topics and data.
 Writers undergo extensive 1-on-1 training to write questions according to the HESI critical thinking model
(mirrors the NCLEX item writing process).
 Test items are then reviewed by an expert panel with each test item psychometrically evaluated for
consistency, readability, and style and piloted by students in real exam settings.
Criterion
HESI
Do the exams include a variety of
item types?
 HESI exams include all alternate-item format type questions including multiple-response, fill-in-the-blank, hot
spot, chart/exhibit, ordered response, audio item format, graphic option, and video.
Criterion
HESI
Reports and Data
How easy is it to use and collate
data for groups and individual
students?
 Individual student, aggregate, and national comparison data
is available with all HESI exams in our Summary Reports.
 These invaluable, in-depth reports not only provide insight
into individual student exam performance, but also overall
program performance. This data can be used to identify
content gaps in curriculum’s, support and guide curriculum
revisions, document achievement of program goals, and
gather program statistics for accreditation visits.
 HESI Report Builder can be used to quickly and easily create
customized reports to track program and cohort trends.
Criterion
HESI
Is there national norm exam data?
 National comparison data is available in all HESI Exam Summary Reports.
Criterion
HESI
Is there item specific national data?  National comparison data is available at the item level in all
HESI Exam Summary Reports.
Criterion
HESI
Can we easily analyze item content
categories (NCLEX, AACN, NLN,
QSEN, etc)?
 Item level comparison data is available for NCLEX, AACN, QSEN, NLN, etc.
Criterion
HESI
Security
How is the security of the exams
ensured?
 All HESI exam sessions must be in a proctored environment.
 IP addresses are required allowing students to connect to the exam only from computers within a testing lab
(or specified computers).
 Students must accept the terms and conditions of the Confidentiality Agreement provided with each exam.
 HESI exams contain numerous functionalities, including the downloading of a secure browser each time an
exam is administered, that provides enhanced security of the test content.
How often are test questions
changed?
 1/3 of the items on HESI proctored exams are replaced each semester.
How are security breaches
investigated? What actions are
taken?
 Security breaches are immediately escalated to Elsevier’s legal team for further investigation.
Student Perspective
Do exams closely resemble the
actual NCLEX examination?
 The HESI Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) Exam, based on the NCLEX blueprint, is designed to simulate the
NCLEX test environment to assess students’ readiness to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.
Criterion
HESI
Remediation content - quality and
format:
What type of online remediation
is available & where does it come
from?
 Elsevier provides the highest quality remediation
content available for students. Remediation content is
tagged directly to the Elsevier’s most reliable, trusted
nursing educational content and integrates multimedia
(including videos, audio, and animations) and links to
HESI Case Studies to further enhances the student’s
remediation experience.
 Targeted specifically to each student’s unique
knowledge deficits as identified on their HESI Individual
Scoring Reports, students receive feedback about
subjects answered incorrectly and detailed analyses to
help them improve performance on subsequent exams
 With all HESI exams, students receive free, customized
electronic remediation that is easily accessible and
automatically delivered online through students’
individual Evolve accounts.
 Students can add remediation content to a
personalized, printable Study Packet for on-the-go
review.
Criterion
HESI
Are there parallel versions of the
exams to test remediation
effectiveness?
 Parallel versions of the HESI Specialty Exams and HESI Exit Exams are available.
Is Adaptive Quizzing available?
 Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing (EAQ) provides a bank of highquality, leveled questions designed to lead students
through the learning process in a way that supports their
individual aptitude level.
 Within the program, students progress through 3
mastery levels in order to assess their mastery of content
through quizzing.
 Faculty can assign quizzes by mastery levels and then,
subsequently, view students’ progress on an ongoing
basis and monitor readiness for course and licensure
exams.
 Provided for each question, remediation content consists
of a detailed rationale and relevant content. In addition,
select questions feature links within the rationales to
applicable illustrations, animations, videos, audio review
content, study tips, and tabular summary content.
Criterion
HESI
Are Case Studies available?
 HESI Case Studies provide realistic patient scenarios designed to challenge students to apply key concepts to
manage complex patient conditions and
assess their abilities to make sound clinical
judgments.
 Research has shown that those schools using
HESI Case Studies in their curriculum have
improved HESI Exit Scores and NCLEX-RN pass
rates.
Criterion
HESI
Are Practice Tests available?
 HESI Practice Tests are non- proctored, pre-built tests
designed to assess knowledge and concepts and begin
to prepare students for standardized testing with NCLEX
examination-style practice questions written at the
application level.
 Practice and Assignment versions available.