ATI test

Jenzee · May 20, 2007

Hey everyody,
I was curious to know if anyody had to take ATI tests in their school of nursing especially to move forward in the last semester.I mean did you have to pass the ATI test before doing preceptorship in the last semester?If yes, how did you study for that exam.What happens if you cannot pass the exam?

We had to take it but not to move forward. Basically my school used it to point out our weaknesses so that we could work on them. Aside form reading our ATI book, I went online and did the practice tests.

heartanimal · May 20, 2007

I had the ATI at my school and we were able to take it again if you did not pass. If you failed that time you had to take to the dean of nursing department. I just took the practice exam and looked at the areas I was weaker in and reviewed that material.

bjssk · May 20, 2007

so did you get the same exam when you took it the second time?was it paper and pencil or computer.how do you practice ati tests online?do you have to pay them and uy their packet?

gt4everpn, BSN, RN · May 20, 2007

The ATI is only an assessment test. I doesn't affect your grades. But pay very close attn to it, as it will indicate to you the areas you need to work on! Your final ATI will be a predictor test, it will tell you your chances of passing NCLEX, it is very accurate so let it be your right hand man. It predicted a 98- 99% chance of passing for me and the computer shut off early and I passed so I know the predictor is accurate. Good Luck!

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 20, 2007

I was in the first class of a new LPN program, and we used ATI, but it didn't hold us from graduation if we 'failed' it. It was used as a predictor exam, and it told me that I was in the 98th precentile of passing. I didn't believe it, but I did pass NCLEX the first time. In all honesty, nothing can really predict whether one will pass or fail. It depends on what your NCLEX focuses on and your strength in that area. I was poor in pediatrics and was fortunate enough not to have more than one pediatric question on my exam. If they had focused on the milestones or cardiac conditions, I would have been a goner. I found that their test bank of questions was not enough for me, and once you answered questions in that area, there were no new or rephrased questions to work with.

medchick · May 20, 2007

We used ATI in our school and had to pass it for the particular class we were taking it for to move on to the next semester. Usually we had to take 2 per semester (ex: OB and Peds). If you failed it you were able to retake it and it was the exact same exam. I would suggest taking the practice exams (your instructors should give you the info to access it) and reading the book in the areas you need additional practice in. If we did not pass the comprehensive predictor after 2 tries then we would not have been allowed to graduate.

bjssk · May 20, 2007

not allowed to graduate? I mean what should a person do if they cannot pass the comprehensive predictor test twice?

We had to take the predictor test and then the students who could not pass it the first time had to take it the second time which was the hardest test ever and completely different from the first one so many students couldnt pass that one too. how does it work now?Does anybody have a similar experience?

medchick · May 20, 2007

Well, bjssk, since it is the same test when you retake it for us I don't know of anyone who failed it the second time. You get a print out of the areas you got the questions wrong so you were able to study that. Then you retook it and could figure out what you got right, answer those questions the same way, and then answer the ones you got wrong correctly the second time.

heartanimal · May 22, 2007

The ATI comps was a different test for us. The first one was mocked after the NCLEX with pictures and pick all that apply answers. The second one did not have any of that it was all multiple choice questions. If you did not pass the second time you had to speak to the dean. That was it and you were able to still graduate. She just wanted to make sure that you were going to take an NCLEX review class.

TNUp2Jen · May 23, 2007

My ADN program in NC required that we purchase the ATI program.

We used the program each semester, testing in the beginning and then at the end of the semester to see how much we have improved. These tests were proctored computer exams that we took together as a class online. However, we were given passwords to go online at www.atitesting.com and practice non-proctored exams as needed.

Our ATI results were not counted towards a grade. If we failed, we had to review the material that we were weak in, re-study, and re-test - rinse and repeat until we pass.

I'm not sure ATI helped me...it seems like in my program, the instructors were "CYA" because of a few years of really low pass rates. A way of saying, "we did everything we could".

I did appreciate that ATI tells you what sorts of questions you missed. I took the comprehensive predictor test twice - once mid-way through my final semester and again at the end. It is supposed to give you your probability of passing the NCLEX. I got a 99% each time, but even so it showed me that I was most weak in the area of OB (for example), so I know to focus my energy on that when I study these next few weeks.

If you have questions regarding ATI I'd suggest checking out their website.

Best of luck

Jen

nadjjaa · Dec 6, 2007

Hey everyody,
I was curious to know if anyody had to take ATI tests in their school of nursing especially to move forward in the last semester.I mean did you have to pass the ATI test before doing preceptorship in the last semester?If yes, how did you study for that exam.What happens if you cannot pass the exam?

Sounds like you guys have a different - and better - experience with ATI than we do in our school. We are in our last semester of RN, actually, in our last week of school and have to take 3 ATI tests. We have done this all thorughout the program and had to get a 60% to pass, which wasn't too hard if you studied. This year, with no warning, our school decides to bump the minimum passing score to 70%. We fail it once, we retake it. We fail it twice - WE ARE OUT OF THE PROGRAM AND HAVE TO RETAKE NURSING 7.

Yeah, you heard me....we fail nursing school, just DAYS before graduation. I have wondered if this was standard practice for nursing schools, or abuse of the program, now i know it is abuse and am wondering if there is anything I can do about it. All of us acheived close to a 70 - 64,65,68.....and all of us are passing the class and clinicals, however, we can still fail because of these ASSESSMENT tests.

I already failed the pharm test and retake it today. I got a 65, which before they decided to change things, would have been passing.

(last year they had several people not pass boards, so they are trying to prevent people from graduating and taking boards this year, because it looks bad for the school if people don't pass).

Anyway, thought I would rant about my experience.

nadj