A Cognitive Behavioral Course for At-risk Senior Nursing Students Preparing to Take the NCLEX

Abstract

For some nursing students, the stress of preparing for and taking the NCLEX can lead to maladaptive behaviors such as poor test performance and inadequate preparation. A different approach to NCLEX preparation for at-risk seniors is described. A 3-credit course that combines cognitive behavioral techniques, metacognitive strategies, test-taking strategies, and simulated NCLEX experience with practice questions is presented. Students also develop an individualized plan of preparation from graduation until they take the NCLEX.

Building on the evidence: Interventions promoting NCLEX success

“…The student participants had an overall pass rate of 92%. In the next year the overall pass rate was 100% [11].…”

“…Poorman, Mastorovich, Liberto, and Gerwick instituted a 3-credit cognitive behavioral course for at-risk senior nursing students [11]. Self assessment, test questions, test-taking strategies, test anxiety issues, and individualized study plans were included.…”

“Why Can’t I Pass These Exams?”: Providing Individualized Feedback for Nursing Students

“…Students identifi ed that faculty interaction was key to success and stated that the faculty member initiating or requiring the contact made students more likely to participate. Other literature was dated or focused on NCLEX-RN success and remediation, rather than on the course examinations taken by students throughout the curriculum (Daley, Kirkpatrick, Frazier, Chung, & Moser, 2003;Frith, Sewell, & Clark, 2005;Higgins, 2005;Nibert, Young, & Britt, 2003;Poorman, Mastorovich, Liberto, & Gerwick, 2010;Poorman & Webb, 2000;Poorman et al, 2002). Students deemed at risk for NCLEX-RN failure have likely shown poor examination performance long before graduation and licensure testing, and dissemination of successful remediation strategies is minimal in the nursing literature.…”

A Proactive Curriculum With Remediation Intervention Tool for Nursing Education Success

“…Students not achieving a passing score on two or more course exams were less likely to pass the course or complete the nursing program. Poorman et al (2015) found that faculty-guided exam reviews to determine patterns of incorrectly answered test items, test-taking strategy workshops, and tutoring were effective interventions for increasing retention in students with exam scores of less than 80 percent.…”

“…Analysis of the literature pointed to interventions implemented throughout the curriculum that were positively associated with nursing student and program success; these included tutoring, learning support seminars, semester-length remediation courses, integration of active learning strategies produced by publishers of nursing texts, adoption of standardized exams, and use of in-class and high-fidelity simulation (Fenske & Price, 2016;Kaddoura et al, 2017;Pence, 2016;Walker, 2016). Nursing program orientation courses were also found to increase retention (Fagan & Coffey, 2019;Walker, 2016), and NCLEX ® -RN preparation courses raised pass rates for at-risk students (Poorman et al, 2015;Serumbus, 2016). Custer (2018) and Serumbus (2016) investigated successful programs and found no specific intervention to be the foundation for decreasing attrition.…”