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Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (ACE) I Information Bulletin OTACHI000P1B Copyright protected by the NLN 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor New York, NY 10006 www.nln.org
NursingAcceleration Challenge Exam
(ACE) I
Information Bulletin
OTACHI000P1B
Copyright protected by the NLN
61 Broadway, 33rd FloorNew York, NY 10006
www.nln.org
TABLES OF CONTENTS
Contents Page
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 2
Availability .................................................................................................................................. 3
Services Provided ...................................................................................................................... 3
Test Administration .................................................................................................................... 3
Scoring Tests and Reporting Results ........................................................................................ 4
Limitations of Tests ..................................................................................................................... 4
Content Outlines Book One: Foundations of Nursing ................................................................................. 4
Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process ............................................. 6
Book Two, Section I: Nursing Care During Childbearing ................................................. 7 Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process ............................................. 9
Book Two, Section II: Nursing Care of the Child ............................................................ 10 Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process ............................................. 11
Item Writers/Reviewers ............................................................................................................. 12
Item Reviewers ........................................................................................................................... 13
Experimental Administration Participants .................................................................................. 15
Acceleration Challenge Exam I
Information Bulletin
INTRODUCTION
ACE I Information BulletinOTACHI000P1B 3
AVAILABILITY
Faculty within a nursing program are responsible for determining the appropriateness of one or more of theACE I tests for the specific program. The content outline and sample questions included in this bulletin can beuseful to you in making this decision.
Each program also determines the credit to be given for acceptable performance on a ACE I test. NLNdoes not establish a "passing" or "failing" mark on these tests. Each nursing program is encouraged to set its ownstandards by matching a test with a specific course or course sequence and to determine acceptable testperformance commensurate with acceptable performance of students already enrolled in the program. A technicalmanual is available for assistance in making proper use of ACE I test results.
SERVICES PROVIDED
Users of this test will be provided with test booklets, answer sheets, and directions for administration. NLNAssessment and Evaluation also provides the scoring of answer sheets and reporting of test results with interpretivematerials to the authorized program and the examinee.
TEST ADMINISTRATION
ACE I is administered by faculty at individual schools of nursing. Any official representative of the schoolor program may be designated as examiner and authorized to administer the tests.
It is suggested that the tests be administered in a one-day session or two half-day sessions at participating schools ofnursing at a time that fits their schedule. Session #1: 3½ hours – Book One, Foundations of Nursing Session #2: 3½ hours – Book Two, Nursing Care During Childbearing and
Nursing Care of the Child
ACE I Information BulletinOTACHI000P1B 4
SCORING TESTS AND REPORTING RESULTS
All answer sheets must be returned for scoring. It is customary for scores to be reported within twobusiness days following receipt of answer sheets, unless overnight priority scoring was requested. Two copies of theperformance report are sent to the nursing program that administered the test; one copy is for the examinee.Priority scoring is available for an additional fee. Contact NLN Customer Support Center at (800) 669-9656 fordetails.
ACE I uses a criterion-referenced approach. A total score on a 0-to-l00 scale, a decision score, is reportedfor each of the three content areas reflecting the percentage of questions answered correctly. In addition toreporting decision scores, diagnostic subscores are reported as percentages of questions correct. Median percentagescorrect for a reference group of registered nursing students completing the relevant courses are provided as well.These are based on content areas in the individual tests. This information is intended to supplement facultyevaluation of students and students' own self-assessments of strengths and weaknesses.
ACE I tests were administered to national samples of nursing students in nursing programs completingcourses for which ACE I could be used as a challenge examination. These data provide the basis for the advisoryscores reported for use in placement decisions.
Test scores are the property of NLN and are retained on file in electronic form for a period of three yearsfollowing the date of examination. Duplicate copies of test reports are available during that period upon writtenrequest of the examinee for a fee of $25 per test report.
LIMITATIONS OF TESTS
Like any test, the Acceleration Challenge Exam (ACE) is not a perfect measurement of achievement. Even“comprehensive” tests can only sample knowledge in a given field. Because of this, questions on a specific test maybe more favorable to some examinees than to others. Errors in measurement may also be introduced by examinees.Individuals who are ill or extremely tired or nervous may not perform to the best of their ability. The ACE is notdesigned to point out health or personal factors that impinge upon educational success. These limitations shouldnot be forgotten by those reviewing test performance whether for challenge or for other purposes.
CONTENT OUTLINES
Book One: Foundations of Nursing
Foundations of Nursing has 184 scored individual questions involving clients who have common health problems. Thenursing process – assessing, analyzing, planning, implementing, and evaluating – is applied in items throughout thetest. The questions include a sampling of situations involving clients in health care settings with one or more of thefollowing conditions.
Pain Chronic illnessFluid and electrolyte imbalance Death and dyingIncontinence Preoperative careInfectious disease Postoperative careLoss of consciousness Stress
CONTENT OUTLINES
Book One: Foundations of Nursing
Distribution of Questions by Content and Nursing Process
Book Two, Section I
Distribution of Questions by Contentand Nursing Process
Book Two, Section II
Distribution of Questions by Contentand Nursing Process
ITEM WRITERS / REVIEWERS
ITEM REVIEWERS
PROGRAMS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THEEXPERIMENTAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEST
