ATI graduation test

Nursing Students General Students

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Specializes in LTC.

Hi All!

Just finished my LPN course and passed all of the criteria set down by the California Board of Vocational Nurses.

Unfortunately, NOW our instructor says we need to take AND pass this ATI exam with a score of 90% or better or we won't be able to graduate and sit for the NCLEX! I spoke to the DON, and she said it was "part of the curriculum...you signed the papers at the beginning..." :angryfire

We signed a TON of papers at the beginning...none of which I can remember now, 11 months later.

My question to you, especially if you're married to a lawyer (lol) - is this even legal? I pass the course work, but if I don't pass this predictor test, then all is for naught? I don't even get to TRY to pass the NCLEX?

At this point, I'm so mad I could scream. We've already taken a "pre-test" for this ATI monstrosity, and half the class bombed it.

I am SO ready to go down to the Board myself and ask them if there is some way I can bypass this craziness or talk to my lawyer about forcing Unitek to forward my PASSING scores in AP, Med Surg, and clinical/lecture to the board for consideration.

This ATI seems to me a great tool for padding your school's passing rate. [sorry...I'm on a rant here....] :D

I spoke to a couple of previous students who did badly on the ATI, but passed the NCLEX-PN the first time; and a few who scored really well on the ATI and are taking the NCLEX-PN for the second and third times. Also, Unitek has "adjusted" the passing rate several times over the four previous classes. The passing rate for the first class was several points LOWER than the passing rate for my class. Bloody convenient for them...

Your thoughts on my predicament (and my options, should I not attain the score they want?) Can I challenge this in any way? I feel I've robbed of the "touchdown" here at the very end.

Regards,

Mike

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Specializes in Critical Care-Neuro/Trauma ICU.

My school also requires a pass on the ATI to pass and graduate. We are required to take AND pass the ATI to pass EACH semester (both LPN and RN programs). We also have to retake ALL of them with 90% or higher to graduate...it's really a nightmare!

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Wow, you guys are lucky! We have to pass ours with 97% or better.

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Our school just adopted the ATI program and the nursing board of our college is working it into the curriculum so that at the end of our schooling, if we do not score 85% or higher, we are not able to take the boards. This does sound a horrid nightmare. We have our first exam On May 1st on the medical-surgical A unit. However, it does not affect our grade. If we score high, we get additional points added to our final but it cannot hurt us because there is a lot of stuff we have not covered yet because we are still in our first year and in medical-surgical I. I took the practice medical-surgical A exam and scored 41%. How lovely.

:redpinkhe Sarah Hay, SN

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Our school does ATI as well (it's a BSN program, not PN though). The tests really aren't as bad as they sound. We just have to get a level 2 or 3 on them.

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Ours does the ATI as well.

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My program used to have the HESI, yes the nightmare! Thank god, they cut that out and now we are using the ATI. We must have a 90% for the predictor which is possible. Good Luck

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.
Our school does ATI as well (it's a BSN program, not PN though). The tests really aren't as bad as they sound. We just have to get a level 2 or 3 on them.

My school requires Level 2 proficiency on all applicable ATIs. If its part of the curriculum and students were notified of it, the school has sufficiently covered their asses. No sane lawyer would take on the OP's case.

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we have to have level 2 proficency to pass the ATI, if you don't pass the first time, you have to do remediation and the you have to pass with a 90% bleh...glad we all passed, don't have time for remediation.

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It's not impossible. Everyone has a different learning style. For myself, when I would remediate I could not bare to watch the ATI DVD's, it's too slow and monotone. I would just use the topics to review and go back through to remediate.

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Specializes in Trauma & Emergency.

Technically yes, the school can require whatever they want. They have to sign you off to take your state boards so if they say you require a 90% on the predictor..well, then you won't get your paperwork submitted until you have that 90%.

To be perfectly honest, I took the Predictor last February. I'm telling you I thought I bombed it but because its a curved score theres really no way to say the point value of each question. You get a raw score and they translate it through statisical analysis to an accurate percentage. I ended up scoring a 99%.

I am trying to rationalize the reasoning for the increase in points necessary to pass. I know that the NCLEX-RN passing score was raised as of April 1st, 2010 but that has nothing to do with NCLEX-PN..but it's a thought.

In any case..study. STUDY STUDY STUDY. Don't focus on all the things that you don't want to have to do. Just do them. You'll pass your boards in no time at all.

GOOD LUCK!

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Specializes in Med-Surg/ ER/ homecare.

90% is not that high. My RN program required us to pass it with a 99%. Out of 94 people, i was one of the SIX(yes, only six) that passed it the first time. If they had you sign a paper(which I am assuming was your student handbook) , it is legal. It was/is your responsibility to read through it, although I know, who actually really does it? Our school actually changed the requirements for the passing grade 3/4 of the way into the semester.

It is not impossible. Study review books, and you should be fine.

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