The NLN's Fair Testing Imperative and Implications for Faculty Development

Abstract

IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS, THOUSANDS OF NURSING STUDENTS WILL BE TAKING THEIR FINAL EXAMS AND PREPARING FOR GRADUATION. Many nursing programs use standardized tests to help predict their students' likelihood of being successful on the licensure examination. In approximately 20 percent of all nursing programs, students are required to achieve a minimum score on standardized tests to graduate from the program and take the licensure examination, regardless of how well they mastered their required nursing courses. Such high-stakes testing is frequently used by programs as one means by which to ensure high first-time-taker pass rates on the NCLEX-RN[R]. The negative outcomes for students can be significant, and it is for this reason that the NLN undertook a process to write a Vision Statement, Testing Imperative in Nursing Education, and develop Fair Testing Guidelines. The NLN's guidelines recognize the importance of the faculty role in evaluating student outcomes. In part, they state: * Faculty are ethically obligated to ensure that tests and decisions based on tests are valid, evidence-based, consistent, and fair to all test takers regardless of the learner's personal characteristics. * Faculty have the responsibility to assess students' abilities to practice nursing while recognizing that strategies used to assess learning are limited and imperfect. * Multiple approaches for assessing student knowledge and clinical abilities are particularly critical when high-stakes decisions, such as student progression or graduation, are based on the assessment. * Tests and other evaluative measures are to be used to evaluate student achievement, as well as support student learning, improve teaching, and guide program improvements. * Faculty must have access to comprehensive testing, administration, and evaluation information before they administer or write policies regarding the use of standardized tests. Faculty have the responsibility to inform students about the purpose of standardized testing and its consequences. It is clear from these guidelines that the evaluation of student outcomes is complex and multifaceted. I encourage you to review these documents (online at www.nln.org/aboutnln/livingdocuments/pdf/ nlnvision_4.pdf and www.nln.org/facultyprograms/facultyresources/ fairtestingguidelines) and begin a series of conversations among your faculty that addresses the recommendations and how they apply to your nursing program. I feel such faculty conversations are absolutely essential to raise the quality of evaluation processes currently in use in our nursing programs. …