Efficacy of a progression policy: Implementing an exit exam benchmark score as a predictor for success on NCLEX-RNRTM

Today's nursing educators and health care delivery systems are experiencing a crisis as evidenced by a nursing shortage and a decrease in the number of graduates passing the nursing licensing examination. Consumers are demanding that graduate nurses be prepared with higher technical and critical thinking skills and that a larger number of graduates be available to meet the needs of the nursing workforce shortage. Nursing programs are implementing standardized exam scores as benchmarks for progression and curriculum outcomes.;The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive efficacy of the standardized Exit Exam (E2) produced by Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) as a performance predictor on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLX-RNRTM) provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Specifically, the study described the relationship between a sample of nursing students at a community college LVN-ADN nursing program in the southwestern part of the United States who were mandated to achieve a standardized benchmark score of 850 or greater on the HESI E2 to progress to graduation and those who attended the nursing program between January 2004 through December 2007 prior to the implementation of a progression policy.;A descriptive correlation design was used to examine a sample of 94 students' scores of 850 or greater on the first attempt from each exit exam, as well as a percentage of graduates who were successful on the NCLEX-RNRTM on the first attempt. Chi squared statistics, t test, and Pearson r correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation with the progression policy and increased pass rate on the NCLEX-RNRTM first-time attempt. This study, however, did not provide support for the notion that the HESI E2 was an accurate predictor of NCLEX-RNRTM pass rates on the first attempt, or that a progression policy fostered higher average HESI E 2 scores among participants. The study findings supported the implementation of progression policies into nursing program curriculums that could serve as potential strategies to alleviate the nursing shortage crisis, as well as to evaluate program effectiveness. A replication study and design were addressed.