TITLE:
Impact of Adaptive Quizzing as a Practice and Remediation Strategy to Prepare for the NCLEX-RN
AUTHORS:
Susan Malkemes, Julia C. Phelan
KEYWORDS:
Assessment, Adaptive-Learning, NCLEX-RN
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.7 No.11,
November
21,
2017
ABSTRACT: National Council Licensure Examination-Registered
Nurse (NCLEX-RN) outcomes are extremely important to nursing institutions and
students for myriad reasons. For students, the NCLEX-RN represents one of the
final milestones to conquer before entering a nursing career. Nursing programs
monitor NCLEX-RN
pass rates as an important gauge of program quality and minimum levels
frequently must be met. This
study explored the implementation of an adaptive quizzing and learning system
as part of an NCLEX-RN preparation strategy designed to increase student
engagement and subsequent success on the NCLEX-RN. The adaptive quizzing system
was used as part of an ongoing, proactive strategy to student preparation. This
strategy is in contrast to the practice of using high-stakes exams scores to
try and predict student NCLEX-RN outcomes. In the latter case there is mixed
evidence on how scores relate to remediation and moving students toward success
based on evidence of need. The study school required students (N = 54) to take regular, adaptive
practice quizzes throughout their final year in the nursing program. Students
were also given the HESI E2 in their final semester and all but one
student achieved the target threshold with a range of scores (772 to 1028).
Despite this variability, 90.7% of the students in the study group passed the
NCLEX-RN on their first attempt, with a pass rate of 98% when considering those
who passed on the second attempt. NCLEX-RN pass rates at the study school
increased by 11.55% following the implementation of the system and in the second year of
implementation (the data analyzed for this study) increased an additional 3.95%
from the previous year. With many factors to consider, we cannot say,
unequivocally, that using the AQS resulted in an increase in NCLEX-RN pass
rates at the study school. Findings from this retrospective study do, however,
support the use of an adaptive quizzing system as a component of the NCLEX-RN
preparation strategy. Implications of these findings are discussed.