PROGRAM EVALUATION
Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI)
Effective with the academic year 2007-2008, faculty endorsed the use of ATI
products as the assessment vendor for the nursing program. Students are
required to purchase ATI products as mandated by the nursing faculty or they will
be unable to progress in the curriculum.
Standardized Assessments in the Nursing Curriculum*
Effective Academic Year 2007 - 2008
Fall
NURS 110: Critical Thinking Assessment
(CTA)
Fall
NURS 210.2
NU 211.2
Fall
NURS 310
NURS 311: Fundamentals
Med-surg focused reviews available
Fall
NURS 313: Mental Health & Medical
Surgical Nursing
NURS 315: Community Health Nursing
First Year
Spring
Second Year
Spring
NURS 212: Basic Skills videos available to
students; Nutrition review available
Third Year
Spring
NURS 312: Nursing of Children &
Maternal / Newborn Nursing
NURS 314: Pharmacology
Fourth Year
Spring
NURS 316: Comprehensive Predictor Exam
NURS 317: Leadership & Critical Thinking
(CTA); Prof. Nurse Values (PNVS)
Standardized Assessments in the New Nursing Curriculum*
Effective Academic Year 2009-2010
First Year
Fall
Spring
NURS 115: Critical Thinking Assessment
(CTA)
Second Year
Fall
Spring
NURS212: Basic Skills videos available to
NURS 311: Fundamentals
students; Nutrition review
Med-surg focused reviews**
Third Year
Fall
Spring
NURS 310:
NURS 314: Community Health
NURS 312: Maternal -Newborn Nursing and
Nursing of Children
NURS 309:
NURS 302.2 Pharmacology
NURS 301.2 Pharmacology
Fall
NURS 313: Medical Surgical Nursing
NURS 315: Mental Health
Fourth Year
Spring
NURS 316: Comprehensive Predictor Exam
NURS 317: Leadership; Critical Thinking
(CTA); Prof. Nurse Values (PNVS)
*Only courses in the major appear in these tables
**Med Surg focused reviews are used in the spring semester of second year and each semester
thereafter.
Bolded titles = proctored content examinations
ATI Assessment Policy
The nursing department has incorporated a comprehensive assessment
and review program into the curriculum in order to systematically strengthen the
knowledge base of nursing students which may result in a more competent,
successful practitioner. This program consists of a variety of review materials,
DVDs, online practice assessments as well as proctored assessments. All of
these materials are designed to promote learning throughout the course of study.
For example, students entering the first nursing course will be required to
purchase the critical thinking assessment. Students entering their first clinical
nursing course will receive review materials appropriate to the content in that
course.
Proctored assessments are placed within specific nursing courses. For
example, the nursing care of children proctored assessment is placed within
Nursing 312: The Dynamic Family because the majority of concepts related to the
nursing of children is found within this course (see standardized assessments in
the curriculum, Nursing Student Handbook). Students are encouraged to prepare
for this proctored assessment by reviewing printed materials, appropriate DVDs
and by taking online practice assessments. By so doing, students should be
successful on the proctored assessment offered toward the end of the course.
The proctored assessments are scored in a variety of ways. Students will
receive an individual score, a percentile rank and a proficiency level. Proficiency
level 2 is the benchmark set by the nursing faculty. Proficiency levels are
explained in the following table.
Proficiency Level 1
Demonstrates minimum level of knowledge in this content
area required to support academic readiness for
subsequent curricular content.
Proficiency Level 2
Demonstrates a level of knowledge in this content area
(MC Benchmark)
that more than adequately supports academic readiness
for subsequent curricular content.
Proficiency Level 3
Demonstrates a higher than expected level of knowledge
in this content area that confidently supports academic
readiness for subsequent curricular content.
Proficiency Level 2 is the established Benchmark set by the faculty for the
nursing program.
As an incentive, extra credit will be offered for the successful completion of the
proctored assessments as follows:
Extra Credit
Completion of ATI Online Practice
Assessment [name of test] at 90% or
1%
better prior to the proctored
assessment test date
Completion of ATI Proctored
Assessment [name of test]
Level 1 Proficiency Met
2.5%
Level 2 Proficiency Met (Benchmark)
5%
Level 3 Proficiency Met
7.5%
Performance Below Level 1 Proficiency
Demonstration of successful focused
review*
It will be up to the discretion of the course faculty to determine how to
incorporate this extra credit into the course grade. Faculty may decide to add the
extra credit to the final exam grade or to a lower grade earned on a previous
examination. For example, if the student earns a score of 85% (Level 2) on a
content examination, 4.25 points (85% x 5% = 4.25) may be added to another
student test score.
*Students will be required to show proof of successful review /remediation in low
performing areas. This may include reviewing content in modules or completion
of case studies in review modules or through other strategies. In any case,
students will be required to earn a score of 95% or better on the online practice
assessment. The student may take the online practice assessment as many
times as needed to achieve this outcome. However, 24 hours must pass before
the student re-takes the same practice assessment. For all students earning less
than a Level 1 proficiency on any proctored assessment, the student is required
to earn a grade of 95% or better on the online practice assessment in order to
fulfill program and graduation requirements.
The Comprehensive Predictor Examination is offered at the start of the second
semester senior year. This examination consists of 180 questions on all content
areas of nursing. It is helpful in predicting success on the licensure examination
in nursing. The nursing faculty has set a benchmark of 90% probability of
passing the licensure examination for its students. If this benchmark is not
achieved, the student will perform a focused review over the semester and retake the practice assessment in order to satisfy course requirements; thereby,
completing graduation requirements.
Reviewed:4/29/09
Revised: 5/18/09
Approved by Faculty Org: 5/8/09