A closer look at first-time pass rates as the primary measure of program quality

Loftin, Collette; Reyes, Helen; Hartin, Vicki; Rice, Louise

doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.09.011

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…High‐stakes testing is central to contemporary public education (Au, 2011; Berliner, 2011), especially in schools identified as “under‐performing” as many of their high schools were. As noted above, first‐time pass rates on the NCLEX were identified as a primary goal of this nursing program as with most others in the United States, as well as an indicator of program quality (Loftin et al, 2020). Similarly, many nursing courses do include a significant focus on definitions and “key points,” listed on PowerPoint slides, evaluated by examinations with “NCLEX‐style questions,” and justified by the authority of textbooks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He is a nice person but his teaching is not helpful and I am a little worried about what he taught in terms of relation to the NCLEX. (Fall, 2016, #18) There have been a few voices raised in concern about the extent to which first-time NCLEX pass rates have come to dominate North American pre-licensure curriculum (Giddens, 2009;Loftin et al, 2020;Noone, 2017), the role of high-stakes testing in nursing education (Hunsicker & Chitwood, 2018), and possible misunderstandings about what tools like the HESI can and cannot do (Spurlock, 2013). Other educators have noted the ways that an over-emphasis on "definite right answers" in pre-professional education may fail to prepare students for the uncertainties of clinical practice (Ilgen et al, 2019;Kalisch & Begeny, 2010) and more diverse communities (Sumpter & Brooks-Carthon, 2011).…”

Section: Nursing Education As a System Level Of Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“He just teaches whatever he thinks is important”: Analysis of comments in student evaluations of teaching

Padgett

2021

Nursing Inquiry

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Student evaluations of teaching are ubiquitous in higher education, widely disliked by faculty, and of uncertain value. The research literature on both their technical validity and their pragmatic utility is unusually polarized, with adamant opponents and defenders.Student evaluations generally consist of two parts: first, a series of questions with Likert-scale type answers (hereafter referred to as the numeric ratings), and second, an unstructured space for comments. Almost all of the existing research has focused on the numeric ratings. Faculty complaints, however, often focus on the comments, perhaps because they can be both vivid and enigmatic (Lindahl & Unger, 2010).In this paper, I will explore a set of comments from student evaluations in a community health nursing class, obtained over the course of four semesters. These comments were strikingly consistent, mostly negative, and initially, deeply puzzling. A preliminary analysis of the comments suggested that the students and the instructor had very different ideas about what the course was for, how learning worked, and what their respective roles should be in that process.Student comments focused on standardized tests as the primary measure of their learning and viewed the faculty role as helping them prepare for those tests. The instructor's efforts to include a critical analysis of social problems, and their links to community health issues, were met with confusion, suspicion, and resistance. In an effort to understand these comments at a deeper level-to take

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Nursing Education As a System Level Of Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“He just teaches whatever he thinks is important”: Analysis of comments in student evaluations of teaching

Padgett

2021

Nursing Inquiry

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“…However, in our study on NCLEX pass rates in Oregon, 95.3% of first-time testers passed within 6 months, and 96.1% passed by the second attempt (Noone et al, 2018). Both studies (Loftin et al, 2020;Noone et al, 2018) recommend a move to consider either pass rates by second attempt or within a given time frame, such as 6 months or 1 year. Again, as a reader and reviewer, I would advocate moving away from supporting scholarly work and responding to accrediting bodies that center on first-time pass rates and instead provide information challenging this paradigm.…”

Section: Paradigm Change #2mentioning

confidence: 67%

“…Unfortunately, most U.S. national nursing education accrediting bodies and state boards of nursing still do focus on this measure. Loftin et al (2020), in a survey of registered nursing programs, found that 75% of respondents who had at least one lower than state-mandated first-time pass rate modified admission policies, and 76% implemented stricter progression policies. Overwhelmingly, first-time pass rates were considered a top factor in influencing program-related decisions in survey respondents.…”

Section: Paradigm Change #2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Transition From Practice to Teaching: The Advice I Wish I Received

Noone

2023

J Nurs Educ

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“…Consequently, in an effort to prevent poor NCLEX-RN outcomes, many pre-licensure programs implement a variety of interventions including stricter progression policies related to course failures. [7] Unintended consequences of efforts to preserve acceptable first-time NCLEX pass rates include declining completion rates. [7] Too often, the necessity to preserve an acceptable pass rate while maintaining a satisfactory program completion rate are at odds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The lived experience of a nursing course failure

Loftin

Devkota²,

Friemel³

et al. 2023

JNEP

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Background and objective: Nursing remains one of the fastest growing occupations according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Factors contributing to the ongoing nursing shortage including too few nursing faculty, limited clinical space, and sluggish growth in nursing program enrollment/capacity. Although most nursing programs are under pressure to accept as many qualified applicants as possible, as recently as 2019, U.S. nursing programs reported turning away over 91,000 qualified applicants due to insufficient faculty and classroom and clinical space. Because each spot in the program is valuable - the ability to help all students from admission through to graduation is critical. The purpose of this study was to identify the lived experience of students who had failed a nursing course. The information gathered from this group of students will enable nursing faculty to develop methods to help decrease failure for future students.Methods: This qualitative descriptive study utilized a phenomenological framework to determine the lived experience of baccalaureate nursing students who failed a nursing course. Semi-structured interviews were conducted during the summer and fall of 2021. Results: Literature reports numerous challenges of nursing school including difficulty maintaining a balance between life and studies. The findings reveal students may need additional help from faculty while navigating that balance. The findings of this study revealed four themes: student academic challenges, personal life events, testing difficulties, and coping with the aftermath of a course failure.Conclusions: Early identification of students at-risk for a nursing course failure and implementation of success strategies may decrease the incidence of nursing course failure. Recommendations are included.

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A closer look at first-time pass rates as the primary measure of program quality

Cited by 16 publications

References 17 publications

“He just teaches whatever he thinks is important”: Analysis of comments in student evaluations of teaching

“He just teaches whatever he thinks is important”: Analysis of comments in student evaluations of teaching

Transition From Practice to Teaching: The Advice I Wish I Received

The lived experience of a nursing course failure

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