HESI Compass bridges the gap between graduation and the NCLEX®. Now more than ever, students will need support to prepare for the changes coming to the NCLEX and to make sure they cannot only pass the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), but have the clinical judgment skills necessary to be a successful nurse. Timely reinforcement through review solutions like HESI Live Review helps students refine their critical thinking, lock in essential nursing knowledge, and give them the confidence they need going into test day.
Here are the recommendations, best practices, and tips for using HESI Compass and Live Review to help your students prepare for the NGN:
Getting To The Finish Line
- Your students should be fully prepared for the NGN by the time graduation comes around. HESI Compass serves as an “exclamation point” that rounds out their education and should be introduced during the capstone and/or post-graduation support.
- Because these resources are the most valuable later in their education journey, students should at the very least have exposure to the new NGN item types and unfolding case studies that test important cognitive skills before using this digital tool.
- If your students are not prepared by the end of your program, we recommend a systematic approach of integrating NGN concepts and content into your program through our rollout guide.
Modules and HESI Exams
- According to the NCSBN, the test plan framework regarding Client Needs and any subcategories is expected to remain the same. Having the core knowledge around nursing skills and concepts will be important in addition to clinical judgment application.
- HESI Compass intentionally leans on the NCLEX test plan with Client Needs, with deep content review aligned to these categories. This guides case study and module content.
- Because HESI Compass takes a performance-based approach, students will be able to work on and improve their lowest-performing area aligned to Client Needs first so they have plenty of time to strengthen those areas before taking the NCLEX.
- In addition to reliable content steeped in the NCLEX test plan, students in both HESI Compass and HESI Live Review will see new NGN items types. See our piece on NGN and HESI Exams to prepare students on what they’ll see in a standardized exam environment with NGN in mind (linked when available)
Compass Coach and Live Review Educator Support
- HESI Compass coaches and HESI Live Review educators are tenured nurse educators who have a passion for helping students succeed on the NCLEX. They communicate directly with students with timely tips and support to boost their confidence and make sure they’re fully prepared for the exam.
- Coaches and live review educators will receive a full NGN curriculum so they have the highest comprehension of NGN possible. This will feed into new activities for students to practice the cognitive skills in Layer 3 of the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM) and clinical judgment.
- Faculty should lean on coaches and live review educators for NGN prep where possible to help reduce their workload and make the most out of the tools provided. Faculty should also be aware of these specific activities related to NGN that will be used:
- Coaches will encourage students to utilize new item types as teasers in their regular Slack communication and test their knowledge in small ways in addition to their HESI Compass coursework and exams.
- At the beginning of the week, coaches will introduce a case and manage it as an unfolding case study as the course unfolds as a “coach a case” activity.
- For both Live Review and HESI Compass, students will receive an unfolding case study where they have to “solve the mystery” of the patient.
- Students will try their hand at creating an NGN item based on a clinical experience they’ve had to test their clinical judgment.
