by Cheyenne Schoen |
Rumors floating around the Nursing School spread like an epidemic over the past two months, sending senior nursing students into a state of panic and anxiety over whether or not they would graduate. The expectation to get every question right on the final exam of their last semester left them concerned, worried and frustrated.
Senior nursing students Anna Barlow and Clare Akers saw the concerns of their classmates and took them to the School of Nursing administration.
The administration heard the pleas of its seniors and has taken steps to alleviate some of the pressures students were feeling.
Undergraduate School of Nursing Associate Dean Casey Shillam addressed senior nursing students at a forum Feb. 25, where she began by clearing up misinformation that had been circulating about threats to the school’s accreditation.
“We have no idea how this rumor got started that we are at risk of losing our accreditation,” Shillam said at the forum. “We are nowhere near at risk for losing accreditation. You all are graduating from a strong program that has accreditation through 2024.”
Shillam also addressed four main areas of concern she gathered from her meeting with Barlow and Akers.
Students asked to be allowed a six-hour time slot to take the PassPoint test, the comprehensive predictor exam that prepares students for the nursing licensure exam. Three- and four-hour time slots had been offered previously. They also asked for a third attempt if they did not get an eight out of eight on the first two PassPoint exams. The Nursing School administration agreed to both requests.
Additionally, students asked for more interaction with faculty to debrief and prepare for the exams. The instructor of the test prep course, Kaye Wilson-Anderson, will now hold open sessions and act as a resource for those who would like further guidance.
Lastly, they asked that their graduation not be delayed if they do not get a score of eight on any of the three exam attempts.
Shillam said that if a student has scored at least a seven by the third attempt and has completed all other coursework, they will graduate, but must enroll for a one-credit, online course that must be completed before receiving their transcripts.
“It is going to be offered as a self-paced course, so there will be further fine-tuning and support of where you need to focus and (allow us to) come up with a learning plan that meets your needs,” Shillam said at the forum. “And as soon as you get through all the requirements of the course, then your transcripts will be released.”
The cost of the course has not been determined.
Barlow said she appreciates how flexible the Nursing School has been throughout this process.
“They totally listened to us and they were able to make more changes in terms of additional resources and guidance in order to pass,” Barlow said. “I think that the faculty knows things we don’t about education and how to best prepare us for the NCLEX, and we have to trust that they know and that they are here to support us.”
While happy with the results of the most recent forum, Barlow said she wishes there had been a better avenue of communication for students to voice their concerns in the beginning. She said some sort of leadership council in each graduating class would be a helpful way to discuss class issues and possible resolutions.
“I think it worked out really well; however, I do think that a venue like that would have been more beneficial to get the perspectives of staff and faculty right away,” Barlow said.
School of Nursing Dean Joane Moceri said she was impressed with the students’ willingness to express their concerns and hopes they continue to do so in their professional careers.
“I’m happy that students were willing to advocate for themselves, and that’s something we hope they’ll do as nurses - be good advocates for their patients,” Moceri said.
Tests nurses have to take:
PassPoint: An exam that prepares nursing students to pass the NCLEX.
NCLEX: A national exam nurses must take in order to get their nursing license.
The Nursing School: Rumor vs. Fact
Rumor: The Nursing School is at risk of losing its accreditation.
Fact: The Nursing School is fully accredited until 2024.
Rumor: A score of eight out of eight on PassPoint means every question must be answered correctly.
Fact: An eight demonstrates a level of competence at which a student can feel confident in passing the NCLEX. Because it is an adaptive test, students may answer a number of questions incorrectly on PassPoint and still get an eight.
Rumor: The NRS 436 curriculum has not changed, yet they require students to score higher on PassPoint than last year.
Fact: The School of Nursing said it has made changes to the course curriculum, including practice quizzes and more availability of instructors to students.
Changes related to nursing license prep test:
- Six-hour time slots are now an option for students who want more time on PassPoint, in addition to the three and four hour time slots offered originally.
- Three attempts at scoring an eight will be allowed, rather than two.
- The course instructor will be available for students to debrief and plan for further test preparation.
- If a score of seven or higher is attained by the third attempt, and all other course requirements are completed, the student will graduate with their class. They must still complete the one-credit online course in order to receive their transcripts.
