UWorld Faculty Assessments vs. HESI

As nursing education evolves, so must the tools used to measure student readiness for the NCLEX®. Academic leaders—including Program Directors, Deans, and Faculty Chairs—are re-evaluating high-stakes exit assessments to ensure accuracy, security, and instructional value.

While the HESI Exit Exam has long been a traditional choice, a growing number of programs are adopting UWorld’s Faculty Assessments—secure, proctored exams that are part of a broader, NCLEX-aligned assessment suite. These tools offer more accurate data, stronger exam integrity, and actionable remediation pathways.

Built for the Final Semester—But Part of a Larger Strategy

UWorld’s Faculty Assessments are designed for use during the final semester of nursing school and serve as secure, summative evaluations. But their value increases exponentially when used within UWorld’s full NCLEX readiness ecosystem:

• Formative Assessment: Assign practice questions from the QBank to track student comprehension during instruction.
• Faculty Assessments (2x per term): Deliver secure, 115-item proctored exams using never-before-seen questions. Built for benchmarking and at-risk student identification.
• NCLEX-RN Benchmark Exam: Close the loop with a full-length summative simulation that mirrors the NCLEX format and interface.

This tiered approach allows programs to monitor readiness, measure growth, and remediate before students sit for the real NCLEX.

Why Many Academic Leaders Are Replacing HESI with UWorld

Here’s how UWorld’s Faculty Assessments compare to the HESI Exit Exam across the criteria that matter most to academic leaders:

For many educators, exam security is no longer a theoretical concern—it’s a pressing reality.

In 2023, a document titled “LEAKED 2023 HESI Pediatrics PEDS Exit Exam Version 1” surfaced online. 

The uploader admitted:

“All test questions are test questions I typed up from screen-shots of the actual Version 1 exam!”

Another listing on Studocu advertises “Actual Exam Questions & Fully Verified Correct Answers” for HESI exams, promising guaranteed high scores.

For leadership concerned with compliance, academic integrity, and licensure outcomes, these breaches highlight the need for secure, faculty-controlled testing options.