| The following information is from the Oklahoma | | | | selected most often as a negative factor. |
| Board of Nursing Task Force, that investigated the | | | | Respondents with an NCLEX pass rate below the |
| pass and fail rate of nursing students that have | | | | national average were more likely to identify that |
| taken the NCLEX. The scores for the state of | | | | administration has pressured the program to maintain |
| Oklahoma were lower than most of the states in the | | | | capacity enrollment and that faculty spend |
| Union, prompting the formation of a task force and | | | | inadequate time evaluating NCLEX result data and |
| investigation of possible reasons for the low scores. | | | | planning program changes based on the data. |
| What all perspective nursing students can gain from | | | | The majority of respondents believe that their |
| this report is how crucial it is to sit for the boards as | | | | administrations have been supportive of maintaining |
| soon as possible after graduation and to take | | | | high academic standards. |
| advantage of all the help available in preparing for the | | | | - Most respondents report that faculty have received |
| NCLEX. The nurses efforts in putting this wealth of | | | | training on test development and instructional |
| knowledge together has been a monumental task | | | | techniques. |
| and all nursing schools across the country are grateful | | | | *_Recommendations _* |
| for the information that they have been able to | | | | *Recommendations for the Oklahoma Board of |
| provide after many long hours of research. | | | | Nursing * |
| *Summary of Information from Pass Rate Reports * | | | | 1. Clearly articulate and enforce regulations requiring |
| In reports submitted by nursing education programs | | | | programs to use a systematic program evaluation |
| with NCLEX pass rates ten percentage points or | | | | process to analyze student outcomes on the NCLEX |
| more below the national average, the following | | | | examination and develop appropriate actions based |
| commonalities were noted:o Some programs do not | | | | on the analysis. |
| regularly use accessible sources of data to evaluate | | | | 2. Continue to evaluate full-time faculty to student |
| the correlation between admission scores, grade | | | | ratios in the classroom and clinical area to determine |
| point average, NCLEX predictor examination scores, | | | | the relationship between such ratios and student |
| and NCLEX pass rate. This impacts the ability of the | | | | outcomes. |
| program to make informed decisions about changes | | | | 3. Ensure that pass rate reports include a thorough |
| likely to result in an improvement of their NCLEX pass | | | | analysis of student and program factors impacting |
| rate.o Many programs have only recently begun the | | | | success on the NCLEX exam. |
| use of NCLEX predictor examinations as a | | | | 4. Hold nursing education programs accountable for |
| requirement of the program. Data on the efficacy of | | | | their NCLEX pass rates. Utilize focus survey visits, |
| these examinations and on appropriate follow-up | | | | warnings and conditional approval status when there |
| plans is limited.o Grade inflation is a factor leading to a | | | | is evidence of continued low pass rate and failure to |
| low NCLEX pass rate in some nursing education | | | | meet educational standards. |
| programs, particularly in programs that allow | | | | 5. Develop a mechanism to communicate and |
| significant point credit in theory courses for | | | | encourage the use of best practices that promote |
| attendance, participation, and completion of | | | | NCLEX success. |
| assignments.o Some programs do not identify | | | | 6. Utilize the annual report for ongoing evaluation of |
| minimum academic requirements for admission to the | | | | factors influencing each program's NCLEX results. |
| program. Instead, a point system may be used to | | | | 7. Provide opportunities for faculty development |
| select those who are deemed to be better qualified. | | | | related to the NCLEX examination and curricular |
| While the use of point systems in admission decisions | | | | resource sharing. |
| may be appropriate, point systems fail when applicant | | | | 8. Require that every program whose pass rate is |
| numbers drop. In cases in which there is a small | | | | below the standard provide a pass rate report to the |
| applicant pool, identifying minimum academic | | | | Board, regardless of its size. |
| requirements (such as minimum scores on | | | | 9. Institute regulations requiring the NCLEX candidate |
| standardized pre-entrance examinations) may be | | | | (excluding foreign-educated and other endorsement |
| necessary to ensure that students admitted have a | | | | candidates required to take the exam) to pass the |
| reasonable chance of success in the program and on | | | | examination within one year of graduation from the |
| the NCLEX examination.o Student characteristics | | | | program. If the candidate does not take the exam or |
| identified by programs as leading to NCLEX failure | | | | pass within this time period, the candidate would be |
| include a high number of work hours, family | | | | required to complete additional education prior to |
| commitments, English as a second language, and low | | | | re-testing. |
| admission points.o In some cases, problems within the | | | | *Recommendations for Nursing Education Programs * |
| program, such as resignation of the program director, | | | | 1. Identify requirements for English language |
| faculty turnover, inexperienced faculty, lack of | | | | proficiency and develop a plan for continued support |
| knowledge regarding the NCLEX examination and/or | | | | of students for whom English is a second language. |
| test development, and increased use of adjunct | | | | 2. Consider providing part-time program options to |
| faculty were noted as having an impact on the | | | | allow students to complete their nursing education at |
| NCLEX pass rate. | | | | a slower pace. |
| Nursing education programs tend to take similar | | | | 3. Use the systematic program evaluation plan to |
| actions to address NCLEX pass rate concerns. | | | | track the correlation of such factors as admission |
| Actions commonly taken by programs include:o | | | | ACT scores, high school or college GPA, nursing |
| Initiating the use of an NCLEX predictor examination | | | | course GPA, other selected student characteristics, |
| as a requirement in the programo Requiring students | | | | repeats of coursework, scores on NCLEX predictor |
| to complete NCLEX review, tutoring, or other actions | | | | examinations, with results on NCLEX examination. |
| if the predictor examination score is lowo Increasing | | | | 4. Perform a cross-analysis of the curriculum with the |
| the minimum passing gradeo Providing faculty | | | | detailed NCLEX test plan, in order to ensure essential |
| education in the areas of the NCLEX examination and | | | | elements are covered adequately. |
| test development skillso Changing or increasing | | | | 5. Utilize consultants, including Board staff consultants, |
| admission requirements | | | | as needed in program evaluation and curriculum |
| *Results of Survey of Nursing Education Programs * | | | | development. |
| In December 2002, a survey was sent to all state | | | | 6. Provide continuing education for faculty members |
| nursing education programs to identify the directors' | | | | on test development and analysis skills. |
| perceptions of factors impacting the NCLEX pass | | | | 7. Assess students for at-risk status upon admission |
| rate and the actions taken by programs to address | | | | or early in the program. Implement a plan to assist |
| pass rate. Based on the data obtained from 50 | | | | at-risk students with success in the program and on |
| respondents (an 86.2% return rate), the task force | | | | the NCLEX. |
| noted the following: | | | | 8. Develop and publicize scholarship programs in order |
| The majority of programs have minimum academic | | | | to facilitate minimal employment during the time the |
| requirements for admission; generally based on | | | | student is in the nursing education program |
| minimum scores on standardized assessment tests | | | | *Recommendations for Students and NCLEX |
| and/or a minimum required grade point average on | | | | Candidates * |
| high school or college courses. | | | | 1. Accept responsibility for own success in the |
| The minimum grade average to earn a "C" in nursing | | | | program and on the NCLEX examination and become |
| courses tends to be higher than the parent | | | | an active participant in the learning process. |
| institution's requirement. The majority of respondents | | | | 2. Participate in study and test-taking skill workshops |
| require at least a 75% average to pass nursing | | | | early in the program to facilitate the development of |
| courses. | | | | such skills. |
| Most respondents allow students who fail a course to | | | | 3. Seek out all available resources to ensure minimum |
| repeat the course one time, and almost half only | | | | work hours while attending the nursing education |
| allow students to repeat one course in the program. | | | | program. |
| Respondents with a pass rate at or above the | | | | 4. Join a study group early in the program and ensure |
| national average were slightly more likely to allow | | | | that the study group time is used effectively. |
| students to repeat a course only once and to repeat | | | | 5. Use NCLEX review material and study questions |
| only one course in the program. A higher number of | | | | throughout the program to increase own familiarity |
| respondents with a pass rate below the national | | | | with the NCLEX examination. |
| average had no limit on the number of courses that | | | | 6. After graduation, develop a study plan for NCLEX |
| could be repeated. | | | | preparation. Use computerized NCLEX practice exams |
| Most respondents have established a written policy | | | | on a regular basis. Practice taking these exams in a |
| to identify students at risk for failure in the program | | | | campus computer lab to simulate NCLEX testing |
| or on the NCLEX. The indicators most commonly | | | | conditions. |
| used are scores earned on nationally-normed | | | | 7. Take the NCLEX examination as soon as possible |
| examinations designed to predict NCLEX success, | | | | after graduation, as studies show that early |
| grades earned in nursing courses, and repeats of | | | | completion of the NCLEX increases chances of |
| nursing courses. Once the student has been identified | | | | success. |
| as at-risk, the majority of respondents will notify the | | | | *Recommendations for Employers * |
| student and require the student to meet with a | | | | 1. Establish programs that foster success for |
| faculty advisor at least once. | | | | employees attending nursing education programs. |
| Nearly all respondents report using a standardized | | | | Consider options such as providing full-time benefits |
| NCLEX predictor examination, but only 34.8% require | | | | for part-time status during the school year, full-time |
| students to earn a certain score on the exam as a | | | | salary for reduced hours, and tuition reimbursement. |
| requirement for course completion or graduation. | | | | 2. Encourage new graduates employed as nurse |
| Student and graduate issues most often identified as | | | | technicians/nursing assistants to adequately prepare |
| negatively impacting pass rate are the number of | | | | for the NCLEX exam, through options such as |
| hours of employment, a limited number of hours | | | | allowing specified work hours for planned study |
| spent studying, more family responsibilities, being less | | | | sessions, reimbursement for review courses, and |
| academically qualified, and an inadequate amount of | | | | reimbursement for the examination. |
| time spent preparing for the NCLEX. Respondents | | | | 3. Provide special recognition for employees who pass |
| with a pass rate below the national average were | | | | the NCLEX examination, such as restaurant and |
| more likely to note that students spend less time | | | | movie coupons, employee newsletter notice, or other |
| studying. | | | | options. |
| No single faculty/program issue was identified by the | | | | Learn more about nursing education at The NET |
| majority of programs as having a negative impact on | | | | Study Guide. |
| the pass rate. Increased faculty turnover was | | | | |