Information Bulletin

Transcription

1 Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (ACE) I Information Bulletin OTACHI000P1B Copyright protected by the NLN 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor New York, NY

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3 TABLES OF CONTENTS Contents Page Introduction... 2 Availability... 3 Services Provided... 3 Test Administration... 3 Scoring Tests and Reporting Results... 4 Limitations of Tests... 4 Content Outlines Book One: Foundations of Nursing... 4 Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process... 6 Book Two, Section I: Nursing Care During Childbearing... 7 Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process... 9 Book Two, Section II: Nursing Care of the Child Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process Item Writers/Reviewers Item Reviewers Experimental Administration Participants... 15

4 Acceleration Challenge Exam I Information Bulletin INTRODUCTION

5 AVAILABILITY Faculty within a nursing program are responsible for determining the appropriateness of one or more of the ACE I tests for the specific program. The content outline and sample questions included in this bulletin can be useful to you in making this decision. Each program also determines the credit to be given for acceptable performance on a ACE I test. NLN does not establish a "passing" or "failing" mark on these tests. Each nursing program is encouraged to set its own standards by matching a test with a specific course or course sequence and to determine acceptable test performance commensurate with acceptable performance of students already enrolled in the program. A technical manual is available for assistance in making proper use of ACE I test results. SERVICES PROVIDED Users of this test will be provided with test booklets, answer sheets, and directions for administration. NLN Assessment and Evaluation also provides the scoring of answer sheets and reporting of test results with interpretive materials to the authorized program and the examinee. TEST ADMINISTRATION ACE I is administered by faculty at individual schools of nursing. Any official representative of the school or program may be designated as examiner and authorized to administer the tests. It is suggested that the tests be administered in a one-day session or two half-day sessions at participating schools of nursing at a time that fits their schedule. Session #1: 3½ hours Book One, Foundations of Nursing Session #2: 3½ hours Book Two, Nursing Care During Childbearing and Nursing Care of the Child ACE I Information Bulletin OTACHI000P1B 3

6 SCORING TESTS AND REPORTING RESULTS All answer sheets must be returned for scoring. It is customary for scores to be reported within two business days following receipt of answer sheets, unless overnight priority scoring was requested. Two copies of the performance report are sent to the nursing program that administered the test; one copy is for the examinee. Priority scoring is available for an additional fee. Contact NLN Customer Support Center at (800) for details. ACE I uses a criterion-referenced approach. A total score on a 0-to-l00 scale, a decision score, is reported for each of the three content areas reflecting the percentage of questions answered correctly. In addition to reporting decision scores, diagnostic subscores are reported as percentages of questions correct. Median percentages correct for a reference group of registered nursing students completing the relevant courses are provided as well. These are based on content areas in the individual tests. This information is intended to supplement faculty evaluation of students and students' own self-assessments of strengths and weaknesses. ACE I tests were administered to national samples of nursing students in nursing programs completing courses for which ACE I could be used as a challenge examination. These data provide the basis for the advisory scores reported for use in placement decisions. Test scores are the property of NLN and are retained on file in electronic form for a period of three years following the date of examination. Duplicate copies of test reports are available during that period upon written request of the examinee for a fee of $25 per test report. LIMITATIONS OF TESTS Like any test, the Acceleration Challenge Exam (ACE) is not a perfect measurement of achievement. Even comprehensive tests can only sample knowledge in a given field. Because of this, questions on a specific test may be more favorable to some examinees than to others. Errors in measurement may also be introduced by examinees. Individuals who are ill or extremely tired or nervous may not perform to the best of their ability. The ACE is not designed to point out health or personal factors that impinge upon educational success. These limitations should not be forgotten by those reviewing test performance whether for challenge or for other purposes. CONTENT OUTLINES Book One: Foundations of Nursing Foundations of Nursing has 184 scored individual questions involving clients who have common health problems. The nursing process assessing, analyzing, planning, implementing, and evaluating is applied in items throughout the test. The questions include a sampling of situations involving clients in health care settings with one or more of the following conditions. Pain Fluid and electrolyte imbalance Incontinence Infectious disease Loss of consciousness Chronic illness Death and dying Preoperative care Postoperative care Stress ACE I Information Bulletin OTACHI000P1B 4

7 CONTENT OUTLINES Book One: Foundations of Nursing

8 Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process

9 Book Two, Section I

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11 Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process

12 Book Two, Section II

13 Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process

14 ITEM WRITERS / REVIEWERS

15 ITEM REVIEWERS

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17 PROGRAMS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEST

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