HESI Testing & Remediation Policy (BSN Pre-licensure)


Purpose

To outline HESI testing and remediation requirements in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program curriculum for individuals enrolled.

Requirements

Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) examinations are nationally standardized and/or custom examinations that are content-specific and are based on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Testing Blueprint. Customized examinations are based on BSN course outcomes and end of program outcomes. HESI’s online examinations test students on their skills in clinical application and clinical judgement; both of which are cornerstones of BSN student preparation. HESI examinations are utilized throughout the curriculum within the BSN program, from admission through the capstone course.  HESI provides an individualized detailed remediation plan for the students regarding their specific areas of weakness. Remediation is the process of identifying the need to take action to help remedy a situation, that if left unresolved, may result in unfavorable outcomes. Whereas implementing intervention strategies may help to successfully address the situation and improve outcomes (Culleiton, 2009).

Following the administration of a HESI custom/specialty and/or exit examination, students are required to remediate based on their individual HESI examination score. Students with lower HESI scores require more intense remediation, whereas students with higher HESI scores require less remediation. HESI examination scores are indicative of a student’s success in the program and on their NCLEX examination for licensure. 

Students who perform below 900 on any custom or nationally normed standardized examination, must complete a HESI Remediation Plan of Action (as listed in the HESI Testing & Remediation Policy) based on their individual HESI exam score(s). 

The HESI Remediation Plan of Action must be developed, initiated, and completed successfully by the last official day of the semester in order to progress to the next nursing course. Students will also complete a HESI Remediation Plan of Action Contract (contract template will be made available to the student) that will outline their individual plan. This document will be signed by both the student and the course faculty. 

If a student scores less than 900 on any HESI exam, it is a progression requirement (see Academic Standards & Progression Policy) that they perform the identified remediation activities and/or assignments as outlined in the HESI Testing & Remediation Policy and HESI Remediation Plan of Action. HESI Remediation Plans of Action are graded as Pass/Fail. Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to provide evidence of successful completion of remediation and to schedule a conference with the course faculty. If the student does not take these steps or does not complete the HESI Remediation Plan of Action as outlined, their lack of action will result in the grade of an “E” for the course. This will impact the student’s ability to progress and may result in not only course failure, but dismissal from the BSN program depending on the number of course failures the student has obtained.

Reference: Culleiton, A.L. (2009). Remediation: A closer look in an educational context. Teaching & Learning in Nursing, 4, 22-27. 

Use of HESI Testing & Remediation across the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Curriculum

Course

HESI Exam

How HESI Exam is Utilized

Requirement for Remediation

NURB 262

Admission HESI 

Identify areas of weakness on prerequisite content. 

Admission HESI: Any student scoring below 76% or below in any content area.

  Custom Fundamentals Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 264

Peds/OB

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 266

Community Community

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 318

Custom Pharmacology

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 320

Custom Mid-curricular

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 322

Custom Mental Health

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 324

Custom Adult Med-Surg.

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 420

Comprehensive Comprehensive Med-Surg.

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 422

Custom Chronic

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 461

Custom Leadership/ Management

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 498

Custom Pharmacology

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

NURB 499C

Custom HESI Exit Exam(s), along with any and/or all standardized HESI exams

Exam grade based upon conversion percentage score

Any student scoring less than 900 on any HESI exam.

    Standardized HESI exams will be utilized for development of remediation plans  

Additional Information Concerning HESI Testing & Remediation

Following the completion of any HESI examination, students who have not successfully met the course guidelines for the exam are required to be accountable for their remediation by accessing their individual HESI remediation plan via the Evolve website within two weeks of the availability of the results of their performance on the exam. Within one week of the beginning of the following semester, students are required to contact and schedule a remediation meeting with the course leader/designee of the course in which the HESI was housed. A proposed remediation plan of action based upon the student's individual identified deficiencies of the specific HESI exam should be completed prior to attendance at the remediation meeting. Failure to schedule a meeting or complete a plan of remediation may negatively impact the student's success in courses throughout the BSN curriculum as well as success on the NCLEX-RN (licensure exam). Students may be required to complete additional remediation as deemed necessary by the course faculty.

HESI Remediation Plan of Action

HESI Score    
900 or above 
  1. Remediation is encouraged, but optional. Consider completing at least on packet to reinforce your learning of content in a particular area.
  2. You are required to complete the HESI Remediation Contract Form.

800-899

  1. You are required to complete your top ten (10) Essential packets in full (total=10 packets). Minimum of five (5) hours of study is required. HESI Dashboard reporting student activity will be reviewed.
  2. PrepU Quizzing: Create ten (10) ten item quizzes based on content from your top ten (10) Essential packets and obtain required mastery score (See Note Section for Mastery Score Breakdown). You will need to continue to take quizzes until mastery score is obtained.
  3. Select one (1) Evolve HESI Case Study in a content area of weakness based on your HESI Exam Student Report and obtain 100%.
  4. Other as recommended by faculty (as applicable).
700-799
  1. You are required to complete your top ten (10) Essential packets in full, and another five (5) packets from your Recommended category (Total = 15 packets). Minimum of six (6) hours of study required. HESI Dashboard reporting student activity will be reviewed.
  2. PrepU Quizzing: Create ten (10) ten item quizzes based on content from your top ten (10) Essential packets and two (2) 10 question quizzes from your Recommended category. obtain required mastery score (See Note Section for Mastery Score Breakdown). You will need to continue to take quizzes until mastery score is obtained.
  3. Select two (2) Evolve HESI Case Studies in a content area of weakness based on your HESI Exam Student Report and obtain 100%.
  4. Complete correlating HESI Practice Exam (time spent on exam will be reviewed); see course faculty for further details. Practice exam test scores will not be added to the grade book.
  5. Other as recommended by faculty (as applicable).
Below 700
  1. You are required to complete ALL Essential and Recommended packets provided in your remediation (Total could be as many as 35, or more). Minimum of 8 hours of study is required. HESI Dashboard reporting student activity will be reviewed.
  2. PrepU Quizzing: Create fifteen (15) ten item quizzes based on content from your top (15) Essential packets and obtain required mastery score (See Note Section for Mastery Score Breakdown). You will need to continue to take quizzes until mastery score is obtained.
  3. Select three (3) Evolve HESI Case Study in a content area of weakness based on your HESI Exam Student Report and obtain 100%.
  4. Complete correlating HESI Practice Exam (time spent on exam will be reviewed); see course faculty for further details. Practice exam test scores will not be added to the grade book.
  5. Other as recommended by faculty (as applicable).
Note:

HESI Student Access

Students must be logged into their HESI Student Access account and the online test specific remediation content for the number of hours specified. Do not print and log out of HESI remediation to study. Time spent in remediation content will be monitored. Creating and printing study packets will not count as completing remediation. Students must spend time studying the material as directed. Only the time spent under the online remediation will count towards the required remediation hours. Students may break up the required remediation into multiple sessions.

Students are required to access all their Essential & Recommended packets according to the description above; access and review the online remediation; review specialty/sub specialty areas, quick book review; in depth book review; view and submit practice questions in each area that is in the HESI remediation packet if applicable; view and submit case studies if applicable (within HESI Remediation); view multimedia if applicable.

PrepU

PrepU quizzing is developed based on a student’s content areas of weakness and their current levels of mastery. Required PrepU mastery level per quiz is as follows:

NURB 262 = Mastery Level 5

NURB 264 = Mastery Level 6

NURB 266 = Mastery Level 6

NURB 318 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 320 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 322 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 324 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 420 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 422 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 461 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 498 = Mastery Level 8

NURB 499 = Mastery Level 8

*Note: Policy subject to change.

8/12/20 BSN Faculty/kc; May 2019 BSN Faculty/kc; 5/9/14/ BSN Faculty/kc; 1/7/14 BSN Faculty/kc; 6/26/12 BSN Faculty/kc