Standardized Testing Policy (ADNP)

Purpose:

To outline standardized testing requirements in the associate degree nursing program (ADNP) curriculum for individuals enrolled in the ADNP.

Requirements:

Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) examinations are nationally standardized examinations that are content-specific and based on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Testing Blueprint. HESI’s online exams test students on their skills in clinical application and critical thinking which are cornerstones of ADNP student preparation. HESI provides institutional and student diagnostic reports that include an item-by-item topic comparison between Morehead State University’s ADNP group’s percentage answered correctly and the national group norm answered correctly. Additionally, HESI provides an individualized detailed remediation plan for the students regarding their specific areas of weakness.

Scoring of the HESI examination:

The scores range from 0 to over 1,000, and can be as high as 1,500 (depending on the difficulty level of the exam). An acceptable level of performance is 850. However, the recommended level of performance is 900 and above for all scores provided. Each school is responsible for establishing their specific standards related to outcome measures of acceptable scores. Many schools choose a certain overall score as a benchmark for progression, and such benchmarks are set at the discretion of the school’s faculty and administrators. However, when preparing for the NCLEX-RN, it is recommended that students seriously remediate any subject area category in which they obtained a score of less than 850. All test items are weighted according to their difficulty level. Each individual student score reflects application of the HESI Predictability Model (HPM) to the overall score and each subject area score. Research studies have found the HPM to be highly accurate in predicting NCLEX-RN success. The conversion score is a weighted percentage score that considers the average difficulty of the exam and the average difficulty of the test items answered. The HESI score is a better predictor of NCLEX-RN success than the conversion score because it reflects application of the HPM in its calculation, whereas the conversion score does not.

HESI exams are used throughout the curriculum within MSU’s ADNP from admission through the capstone course. The rationale for utilizing the HESI series of examinations is to prepare the student for eventual NCLEX-RN ("Boards") success. The individual exams offered throughout the curriculum are provided as stepping stones which culminate in taking the HESI Exit Exam, which is a course requirement in the NURA 209: Nursing IV course. Therefore, preparation, completion and remediation, as indicated on all of the HESI exams, are essential elements throughout the curriculum and are performed in order to prepare the student for success. HESI exams are utilized in the following courses: NURA 103 - Nursing I, NURA 107 - Nursing II, NURA 201 - Nursing III and NURA 209 - Nursing IV.

Use of Standardized Testing Across the ADNP Curriculum

*NOTE: NURA 209 - Any student scoring less than 850 on the exam will be assigned a faculty mentor in the NURA 209 course. Students will be required to meet on a weekly basis to document their remediation plan and progress. Failure to participate in mentor meetings or complete a plan of remediation may negatively impact the student's success in the NURA 209 course.

Remediation

In regard to remediation, following the completion of any HESI standardized examination; students who have not successfully met the course guidelines for the exam are required to be accountable for their remediation by accessing their individual HESI remediation plan via the Evolve website within two weeks of the availability of the exam score. Students that progress to the subsequent nursing course will meet prior to the first exam of the beginning of the following semester with assigned faculty. Students are recommended to contact and schedule a remediation meeting to document action toward their remediation plan based upon the students’ individual, identified deficiencies of the specific HESI exam. The Evolve remediation should be completed prior to attendance at the remediation meeting. Failure to schedule a meeting or complete a plan of remediation may negatively impact the students’ success in courses throughout the ADNP curriculum, success on the HESI course requirement housed within NURA 209 in the final semester of the ADNP, as well as success on the NCLEX-RN (licensure exam).

Note: Policy Subject to Change

7/13/12 ADNP Faculty

Fees and Expenses

There are fees and expenses specific to the Department of Nursing in addition to those required by the University. These fees are subject to change without prior notification. See Tuition and Fee Information for general university fees and expenses.