RN Pre-Employment Tests =(

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Hello fellow nurses, I am a new grad, passed NCLEX and now I'm off to start and well find my first job. I have an interview with a Pediatric facility that requires pre-employment testing before the interview. They are using Prophecy Health testing for the exam. I am nervous because this is my dream job and of course tests make everyone nervous. I will be testing in Pharmacology (I'm pretty confident with math) and then a PICU test. Can anyone recommend any good sites or resources with PICU nursing questions or study guides? I appreciate your help! =)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I am philosophically opposed to any sort of pre-employment testing.... especially for new grads. No one in their right mind would expect a new grad to "pass" any sort of specialty test such as PICU because US nursing education is designed to produce generalists. I would hope that this employer would use the test results to identify gaps in your knowledge that should be addressed in orientation. If not, they are essentially 'weeding out' any possibility of hiring a new grad.

Prophecy is an online, multiple choice testing service. There is one 'right' answer, and results are immediate. Their tests are reliable and valid for assessing knowledge level - very similar to tests used by academic programs, such as Kaplan. I am unaware of any test prep products for Prophecy, but you could review any PICU reference book for a refresher on all the 'factoids' that may be included.

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Thank you for your input. Actually they are making me take the test and if I pass then I go for the interview. I thought it was strange that I would take the test before the interview but that is how they coordinate tests and interviews. I am going to just review any PICU material that I can find. I know it's 38 questions but I am unaware of what the passing score is. However, if I do not pass the test I do not get to be interviewed.

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Specializes in LTC, medsurg.

Think positive. I bet you'll do great!!!!!!

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I took the same test for a hospital. Clinically, I did great on the test. However, I failed the personality exam. There was no right or wrong answer. I did not get to interview because I failed the personality part of the exam. The recruiter was upset they wouldn't even interview a nurse that was clinically competent because of a personality exam. And I thought I answered all the questions as I should have. Very disappointing.

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Yeah, those personality tests are bologna, and in fact, there IS a right answer, but they tell you there's not. BS! Once you wise up to the test, you will know what answers they are looking for. Hint: loner is not the answer they are looking for in a nurse. I've had to take Prophecy's Med-Surg and Pharm; both were fine. The site does provide an "outline" of materials covered in the knowledge tests. They want you to be able to answer the content without studying.

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Thanks for all the input I appreciate it. The minute I hear test I cringe haha here's to hoping for the best! =)

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Welcome to the new world of nurse hiring. *LOL*

Facilities told nursing programs years ago they were getting tired of accepting whatever sort of graduate local schools were putting out, and now they've begun putting into place ways to "screen" out what they consider unsuitable candidates.

Maybe it's time for someone to make a complaint to the EEOC and or file a lawsuit about all these pre-hiring exams. Would love to know if at least on paper if places are getting any better sort of new hires (experienced or new grad) or is it just another "they hate mbe because I'm too pretty" sort of thing.

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Specializes in Public Health Nurse.

Wow, that is what they are doing? How can one really pass a specialty exam fresh out of school? Sounds to me like is another ploy of not hiring new graduates.....makes me wonder if hospitals get any sort of funding, must they need to hire new graduates?

Also, I just took a personality test for Cleveland Clinic, I have no clue how I did because of course I do not know the results...I tried to be as honest as possible, but something tells me is best not to be.

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Another clue to those personality tests is to answer as if you are a doe-eyed 14 year old raised in a very conservative family - in other words, it's not in you to make your own decisions or to be confident or to be personable with patients or coworkers. Yours is to do as you are told and be happy with your situation.

*these are big hints for all non-management positions*

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haha, netglow. I must be awful at personality tests. I am not cocky, but I am a free thinker that tries to come up with solutions to problems and considers things from as many angles as I can. It's not that I don't do what I am told; it's just that sometimes going along with something that is not right or doesn't work is not the best thing.

I think one of the worst problems is knowing you (general you, not you as in "netglow") have a problem and do not care enough to fix it.

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I am taking a PICU prophecy test in a week did you find any study material?

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