Test-Taking Strategies
Every nursing course provides opportunities for students to improve their test-taking strategies. Faculty members meet with students during office hours and in the Nursing Clinical Resource Laboratory to review test-taking strategies. During NURS 485: Synthesis of Nursing Knowledge, students have the opportunity to complete a self evaluation of their test-taking abilities developed throughout the nursing major.
NCLEX Prep in Each Course
Faculty design test questions so that they are similar to the NCLEX-RN questions. Students practice this style of testing throughout the nursing curriculum.
Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI)
Nursing students are not created equally. Some are young. Some are middle-aged. Some are moms. Some are dads. Some are morning people. Some are night owls. Some learn by the book. Others learn best online. Intuitively, ATI’s learning systems are designed to teach the way individuals learn. Students begin working with ATI learning resources in their fundamentals nursing course and continue throughout the curriculum.
The ATI Skills modules give students the opportunity to apply their critical-thinking skills to patient care. This assessment-driven, online, self-study learning package is continually updated and includes how-to videos of nursing skills, practice challenges, evidence-based research summaries and much more.
ATI RN Practice Test
ATI’s Comprehensive Assessment and Review Program (CARP) is a focused remediation resource that follows students throughout the nursing program. This comprehensive learning solution goes beyond testing by offering remediation on each test, whether it’s practice or proctored. It is tied directly back to the NCLEX-RN®. To address diverse learning styles, this program offers multiple remediation tools, including traditional and online reading materials, videos, practice assessments and Internet sources.
ATI Comprehensive Predictor
Comprehensive Predictor® Assessments are proctored assessments comprised of multiple-choice questions to help determine student’s preparedness for the NCLEX. Students complete the comprehensive predictor examination during NURS 485: Synthesis of Nursing Knowledge.
ATI On-Line Resources
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide an organization through which boards of nursing act and counsel together on matters of common interest and concern affecting the public health, safety and welfare, including the development of licensing examinations in nursing.
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing
The State Board of Nursing establishes rules and regulations for the licensure and practice of professional and practical nursing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and provides for the examination of all applicants. The Board examines all applicants for licensure and issues licenses for professional nursing and practical nursing to persons passing such examinations and meeting other qualifications for licensure. The Board establishes standards for the approval and operation of nursing education programs for the preparation of professional nurses (RNs) and prepares and distributes an annual list of all approved programs. In addition, the Board annually prepares and distributes a list of all Board-approved schools and institutions for the education of practical nurses (LPNs). The Board regulates certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs) and approves programs for their education. In addition, Act 99 of 2002 (effective 9/29/02) amended the Professional Nursing Law to include licensing of dietitian-nutritionists.
Citation: The Professional Nursing Law, 63 P.S. §§ 211-226; The Practical Nurse Law, 63 P.S. §§ 651-667.8.
Regulations of the State Board of Nursing, 49 PA. CODE § 21.1-21.607.
NCLEX-RN pass rates of all nursing schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are available on the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing website.
