:uhoh21:Hey gang,
I need some suggestions. Here's the story. I'm attending a small state school that has an accelerated program for people who already have a bachelors degree. The program used to be year round, no breaks and they broke it up into like quarters with so there were only a few classes per quarter. There was ATI testing for many of the classes, but they had a three strikes and you were out policy. If you didn't pass it the first two times there were chances for remediation working one on one with an instructor. This school was very warm and supportive and just felt like a good fit. I applied to this school and two others and got accept to it and one other. I decided to go to the state school and everything was fine until I actually started attending. First, they changed the quarters to semesters with about 20+ credits each semester including summer for one year. Then they said that they changed the ATI testing to pass it the first time or you fail your entire semester (and get kicked out of school). Alot of us are extremely distressed about this. We have a huge credit load and none of this was made known to us before entering this program. I myself would have chosen the other program that I got accepted into. We think its because of low pass rates that they are doing this. And in the student handbook that we received it does say we need to pass the ATI's,but does not say how many times we can take it (same wording as last years class who could take it three times). We are meeting with our dean to try to get them to change this. Any suggestions as to the arguments we can use? BTW no other school here does this. They all use ATI but have a three strikes and you're out policy. HELP!!! Please any suggestions would be great. Do you any of you know any schools where they did this and it backfired? (like a graduating class of 5 or something like that).
Dee
Sep 13, '07
I have heard that this is becoming the norm in our area. We need to pass with 85%. We do get a second chance though. I see how it is meant to prepare you for NCLEX, but to pass in order to graduate is a bit steep if you ask me. Good luck!
Sep 13, '07
do you mean the ATI NCLEX predictor or the individual tests?
We have to take the individual tests every quarter and "pass". But seriously, what percentile or whatever required for us to pass is really low. It hasn't been an issue.
I do believe they are making us pass the predictor test with an 85% or something, but I haven't put much into it as I don't graduate until the spring.
I've never had too hard of a time with ATI tests. I just make sure to do the online practice tests (the ones you need codes for). There are 2 for every topic. So make sure you do those, and read the rationale. Also NCLEX books are your best friend.
I would find out what your pass rate is before you panic too much.
Last edit by shock-me-sane on Sep 13, '07
Sep 13, '07
what school do you go to dee? i hope you got things worked out w/ the dean? you are in my prayers, it will work out. you can do this my dear. keep me posted.
Sep 15, '07
Update:
Well, both good and bad news here. First the bad news. Our DON never showed up to talk to us. No explanation. Nothing. Just no showed. We all felt like we were just little pee ons who meant absolutely nothing to her or the school. Very demoralizing. The good news is that some of our instructors are actually decent and took the time to address some of our concerns but the ATI test decision is written in stone (its the individual tests as well as a predictor at the end of the program). Oh, and some of us heard that the ATI score for the individual tests only needs to be a 65%. Not sure if that is true. Will ask next week. Big lack of communication around here. If its only 65% to pass one of these tests I can stop freaking out so much and I know the majority of my classmates will be relieved also. At this point we are all of the opinion that we are going to study like crazy, pass these damned tests, and get the heck outta here.
D
Sep 15, '07
We don't do ATI, but do take HESIs in each of our main nursing classes (Pharm already, Fundamentals this semester, Med-Surg, etc.). We don't have to pass the individual HESIs to advance, but they are worth 20-40% of your grade - if you don't pass, you probably won't pass the class (need a 75) and therefore won't advance. In order to graduate, we are required to pass the "big" exit HESI with a score of 850 or higher. We have up to three attempts to pass, at our own expense. The only reason is that these HESIs are supposed to be predictive of NCLEX passage on the first attempt, and my school wants to keep its 95-100% rating. They aren't required to report a "percentage of entering students who graduated on time AND passed NCLEX on their first try" score to the board. That being said, despite the fact that I finished the pharm HESI positive that I had failed, I scored a 1200 and something. At least for that test, as long as you follow the nursing process and don't kill patients you pass. Most of my classmates felt similarly and scored above the 90th percentile. Don't stress too much, get as much study material as you possible can, and use the critical thinking that you're learning throughout.
Sep 15, '07
Here's something for the ATI...
Did they give you the ATI books?
READ THEM!!!!!! Don't just rely on what you learn in school but read the books that ATI provides!!!!!!
Sep 15, '07
Thanks all. I ordered the ATI books and DVDs. I think I'll be ok now that it looks like the % you need on the tests is low.
Dee
Sep 15, '07
They don't give you the books? We got them as part of school. We don't need them for class but we get them because we take the ATI test.
Sep 16, '07
No, we have to buy them ourselves if we want them. I ordered them though so I'll be studying like crazy.
D
Sep 17, '07
we did (NEW grad) ATI, but the only test they made us pass was the predictor, although they did say that was gonna change for the upcoming class. The DVDs really did help. we got the books and dvds as part of the class. Good Luck
Sep 19, '07
I go to a nursing school that requires us to pass the ati with a 68% which means a 90% chance of passing on NCLEX I have taken the practice exams they provide, and my scores are all over the place. My whole class is freaking out, because we have two days left to study. Can someone tell me how representative is that blueprint that we get of the comprehensive predictive ATI?, because that is mostly what ive been studying. I have looked at so many questions, I have started getting things wrong that I already know...can someone tell me how bad is that comprehensive exam? If we dont pass, we dont graduate.
Sep 19, '07
I know I did fine on the practice test that we took. ATI provided a practice test to the school that we could do online. I did fine in that one. I bombed the ATI that counted. Now this ATI was done in the first semester or so. Well there were a lot of things on it that we never learned. Now had I read the ATI books it would have been different.
Other students who did well have flat out said that all the answers were in the ATI book.
So I think it's hard to say how accurate they are. It will vary based on when you take it, what you learned and probably if you had their books. Taking it at the end I'm sure ups your chances of passing.
Sep 13, '07Occupation: Urgent Care Joined: Feb '04; Posts: 1,740; Likes: 49I have heard that this is becoming the norm in our area. We need to pass with 85%. We do get a second chance though. I see how it is meant to prepare you for NCLEX, but to pass in order to graduate is a bit steep if you ask me. Good luck!
Sep 13, '07Occupation: RN Specialty: ob/gyn med /surg ; From: US ; Joined: Mar '07; Posts: 2,399; Likes: 1,754what school do you go to dee? i hope you got things worked out w/ the dean? you are in my prayers, it will work out. you can do this my dear. keep me posted.
Sep 15, '07Joined: Oct '04; Posts: 612; Likes: 261Update:
Sep 15, '07Occupation: MSN, CPNP-PC, IBCLC, RLC Specialty: Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L ; From: US ; Joined: Jul '06; Posts: 1,395; Likes: 1,379Here's something for the ATI...
Sep 17, '07Occupation: RN, Synagis coordinator Specialty: 2 year(s) of experience in I'm a peds nurse now ; From: US ; Joined: Jan '07; Posts: 96; Likes: 23we did (NEW grad) ATI, but the only test they made us pass was the predictor, although they did say that was gonna change for the upcoming class. The DVDs really did help. we got the books and dvds as part of the class. Good Luck
