The Need to Cultivate Critical Thinking in NCLEX Prep
Nursing students at the University of Michigan-Flint faced significant hurdles in preparing for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam before UWorld was fully integrated into the curriculum. They struggled with developing critical thinking and clinical judgment skills and grappled with test anxiety - especially when confronting complex Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) item types such as matrix/grid questions.
"They'd been doing this singular level of thinking for so long," said Dr. Katie Beres, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing at UM-Flint. "It really takes one more layer of thinking before they can kind of go, 'Oh, now I see the big picture.'" She emphasized the importance of moving beyond surface understanding to "next-level thinking," where students integrate various aspects of their education.
Recognizing these challenges, Dr. Beres sought a way to fully implement UWorld to help students confidently apply their knowledge in exam settings and real-world nursing scenarios. Addressing these issues head-on became a priority to enhance student preparedness and success.
Implementing UWorld's NCLEX Prep for Enhanced Learning
To better equip students for the NCLEX-RN exam, Dr. Beres implemented UWorld's NCLEX-prep resources as a cornerstone of her synthesis course. The process began with a comprehensive self-assessment, where students analyzed their strengths and weaknesses to craft a personalized strategic study plan.
"I have them cross-analyze, look at their strengths and weaknesses, then put it into the self-study questions at UWorld. They then design their own quizzes," Dr. Beres said.
This method empowered students to focus on targeted areas and reinforce their understanding through intentional practice.
Over the semester, students aimed to complete 1,000 QBank practice questions, creating custom quizzes that honed in on their most challenging topics. Dr. Beres advised them to answer 10 to 15 questions daily to build consistency and prevent "dumping," or tackling too many questions at once. Initially, she provided weekly topic guides to help students get started, transitioning to a more self-directed approach as they progressed.
To further deepen understanding, Dr. Beres integrated UWorld's lecture videos into the course. "If you're getting that question wrong all the time, stop for 2 to 8 minutes and watch a video real quick just to reinforce things," she said. These resources offered students additional support, enhancing their grasp of complex concepts and preparing them for the exam and clinical practice.
For assessment and remediation, Dr. Beres used UWorld's self-assessments and platform reporting to track student progress, assigning 3 assessments during the course and leaving 3 for independent practice after graduation. "I use the course performance, class performance, individual [reporting views] - I use all of those numbers as we go through to see where we're doing well," she said.
By combining UWorld's resources with strategic planning, Dr. Beres created a student-centered approach for the NCLEX. "It's all about adult learning and holding yourself accountable," she said.
Notable Improvements in NCLEX Pass Rates and Student Confidence
Since integrating UWorld into the nursing curriculum, the university's nursing program has significantly improved NCLEX-RN exam performance in the last year. "The biggest quantifiable achievement that I'm proud of is the fact that we went from an 88% to a 93% pass rate with our last NCLEX report," Dr. Beres said.
She credits much of this success to the structured use of UWorld's resources in her synthesis course. "I believe that all the changes I made boosted our rates because they really got these students engaged in that repetitive cycle of learning how to answer test questions."
Students have gained confidence and improved test-taking strategies, notably ceasing to second-guess themselves during exams. Dr. Beres said, "Their scores started going up because they stopped changing their answers. I did see their confidence growing, absolutely."
She said students find UWorld very user-friendly and accessible. "My students loved it because I got more feedback saying, 'I'm using the mobile app when I'm standing at the grocery store, when I'm waiting for my kids in the pickup line,'" Dr. Beres said.
Dr. Beres remains hopeful that her students' NCLEX performance will continue to improve. UWorld is proud of its
Looking Ahead: Expanding UWorld's Role in Nursing Education
UWorld's comprehensive question bank, detailed answer rationales, and Dr. Beres's strategic implementation have led to many quantitative and qualitative improvements. Dr. Beres plans to expand the use of UWorld in the School of Nursing. She recognizes her students' desire to access UWorld earlier and aims to introduce it during their second-to-last semester.
Dr. Beres consistently encourages other nurse educators to consider UWorld, too. She emphasizes that to get new and improved NCLEX scores, "you must try something new."
She envisions UWorld as integral to the University of Michigan-Flint's nursing curriculum, improving student outcomes and NCLEX pass rates.
