Articles Appraisal and Recommendation Essay

Articles Appraisal and Recommendation Essay

Standardized testing in undergraduate nursing programs are tests that have been set whereby the students are required to answer similar questions. The questions from standardized tests have similar answers for all inquiries. Testing in undergraduate nursing programs is imperative in ensuring that the students grasp the concepts taught. Identifying their weak areas and working on them through standardized tests ideally prepares the students for licensure examinations. However, there is an argument on whether standardized testing increases first-time pass rates on licensure examinations. This paper summarizes three articles on the influence of standardized testing in undergraduate nursing programs on first-time pass rates on licensure examinations.

The first article is “Instituting evidence-based changes to improve first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates” (Czekanski, Hoerst & Kurz, 2018). The article outlines the importance of pass rates in evaluating the effectiveness of pre-licensure nursing programs. It describes how evidence-based changes in nursing programs can be used to increase first-time pass rates, using a case of a three years decline in pass rates in a baccalaureate nursing program. Standardized testing is also an evidence-based practice for increasing first-time passing rates.

The authors emphasize the importance of first-time pass rates for the nurses’ NCLEX examinations in maintaining their reputation and viability as they enter the field. Also, the board of nursing benchmarks using the first-time pass rates to determine the effectiveness of pre-licensure programs. Since standardized testing in undergraduate nursing programs is ideally meant to prepare the students for the licensure examinations, more effectively than non-standardized testing, they increase first-time rates.

The second article is “Improving NCLEX-RN first time pass rates with a balanced curriculum” by Koestler (2015). In this article, she explores the challenges that nursing programs have experienced through the changes in the nursing curriculum in the past four years and how the faculty and students have used them to achieve increased first-time pass rates. The increased first-time pass rates resulted from adopting best practices, which included changes in the academic policy, assessment of learning outcomes, and changes in curriculum and teaching approaches.

The academic policy change included introducing mid-curricular standardized exams, which required students to meet higher expectations (Koestler, 2015). The minimum passing score for these tests was also raised. After the exams, students would identify their strengths and weaknesses and design a plan of action with the help of academic advisors. The first-time pass rates increased significantly, indicating that standardized tests in nursing programs increase first-time pass rates.

The third article is a national study on “The Influence of Nursing School Characteristics on NCLEX-RN Pass Rates” by Odon-Maryon, Bailey & Amiri (2018). Their study emphasized the impact of institutional characteristics on NCLEX first-time pass rates. Institutions that applied evidence-based regulatory policies and strategies recorded higher first-time pass rates. However, the study found that schools that did not require standardized tests as part of their admission criteria were associated with high first-time pass rates. The findings contradict the preceding studies on the impact of standardized testing on NCLEX first-time pass rates. However, the study revealed that over-reliance on standardized testing without considering other important factors such as faculty qualifications and institutional curriculum would not prepare students adequately for licensure exams, thus low first-time pass rates.

Recommendation

The use of standardized testing in nursing programs increases first-time pass rates in licensure examinations. They are effective evidence-based practice strategies in preparing students for first-time licensure examinations. Since standardized testing in nursing programs expects the students to have higher achievements, they adequately prepare them for licensure examinations. Students are able to identify their strengths and weaknesses and work on them before sitting for the licensure examinations. However, it is essential to consider other factors such as faculty qualifications and institutional characteristics when preparing students for the licensure examinations.

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References

Czekanski, K., Hoerst, B. J., & Kurz, J. (2018). Instituting evidence-based changes to improve first-time NCLEX-RN® pass rates. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(1), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(18)30049-8

Koestler, D. L. (2015). Improving NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates with a balanced curriculum. Nursing Education Perspectives, 36(1), 55-57. https://doi.org/10.5480/11-591.1

Odom-Maryon, T., Bailey, L. A., & Amiri, S. (2018). The influences of nursing school characteristics on NCLEX-RN® pass rates: A national study. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(3), 59-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(18)30154-6

Please summarize these three articles on below topic: 2 pages.
TOPIC: Does use of standardized testing in undergraduate nursing programs increase first-time pass rates on licensure examinations?”

 

Reference.

Czekanski, K., Hoerst, B. J., & Kurz, J. (2018). Instituting evidence-based changes to improve first-time NCLEX-RN® pass rates. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(1), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(18)30049-8

Koestler, D. L. (2015). Improving NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates with a balanced curriculum. Nursing Education Perspectives, 36(1), 55-57. doi: 10.5480/11-591.1

Odom-Maryon, T., Bailey, L. A., & Amiri, S. (2018). The influences of nursing school characteristics on NCLEX-RN® pass rates: A national study. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(3), 59-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(18)30154-6