Some Advice For Students From An Instructor Regarding Tests

I have been a nursing school teacher for 13 years. And I have been a nursing student in three different programs (Associate, BSN, & MSN). As a student you have the right to know what material you are going to be tested on.

I have read that as students you have talked with the Program Director or Dean trying to get resolution with this problem - try your State Board of Nursing! The curriculum and learning objectives for every nursing program are approved by the Board.

Alot of times what happens is the teacher doesn't understand the objectives and tries to teach every word out of the book! If you don't have a copy of your schools curriculum ask for one so you can see what you are suppose to be learning.

After an exam if there are questions over material that was not covered by lecture or assigned reading/film/.... ask the teacher to tell you specifically what objective that question refers to and to tell you EXACTLY where the material is that the contains the answer.

You are PAYING someone to teach you - make them be accountable to you! Puggymae

Good advice thanks alot! We sometimes have things on our test we were told not to worry about. I don't expect my instructor to tell me whats going to be on the test but when your told not to worry about it & then it shows up ....... I do have a good instructor & after every test we have a chance to look it over with rationales for each answer.By the curriculum would that the syllabus they give you for each class? By the way what part of Ky are you from?

At the school that I attend, for each teaching/learning module they give us a list of objectives, what chapters to what book are covered, etc. But the problem then is you read, research the answers to all the objectives, study from that and your lecture notes and still they come up with stuff that was not covered in class, is not in the reading material and is no where to be found and then get tested on this. When asked, all we are told is they will take it under advisement and review the question on the test. Normall nothing is ever done. We've gone to the Dean of the Nursing Dept., the VP of the school and zilch!

Then we find out that some of the material that is showing up on the tests are from the old Med-Surg book they used two years ago! They were told of this, questioned about the problem and we haven't seen any real progress since! It's so aggravating. It's like they are setting up everyone to fail. We had a retention rate of 60% for 2003-04 but all they are concerned about it the past history of 100% passing rates on the NCLEX boards.

Sorry, I know I'm venting but it's frustrating. :angryfire

How does anyone remember the questions on the tests? We are not allowed to see the test after it is taken unless you fail it. You then make an appointment with the Prof. Even then, you have about 5 minutes to review it with her. We certainly are not allowed to copy down any of the questions in order to research them.

We have test reviews. All your personal belongings, purses, coats, etc. are dropped inside the door of the classroom. They then pass back to us our test and the scantron. We go question by question over the test. It's usually about half an hour long and is scheduled right before class time.

I can not believe that they will not let you see your tests! "Legally" they have to! Anything that is considered part of your student file can be seen by you whenever you request it. Sounds like they are trying to either make it difficult or hiding something....???

Our teachers like to use the same test questions they used last semester (hmm less work?) and most of the questions seem to be EXACTLY the same as the NCLEX books that most students have.

I know making up a new test every semester is a lot of work but isn't that a teacher's JOB!?!?!??!?!?!

The objectives found on the syllabus should come from the curriculum. The curriculum is a document that is approved by the Board of Nursing. It states what the learning objectives are as well as the clinical objectives. There is NO reason for outdated questions from old texts to be on a test - you pay big bucks for text books - you should be tested from the most current information. And as for not being allowed to see your test that is a bunch of bull you know what! How do you know what you missed even if you passed? (Can you tell I wasn't a very popular student with the faculty? HaHa) (and I am from Central KY)

That's terrible that you can't see your tests! So what happens if you pass, but just above the passing grade? Shouldn't you be allowed to see where you have to focus your studying for the next test or final?

We go over the test a week or so after we take it, while in class. We must hand them back though, but we are told repeatedly that we are welcome to see our tests at any time, and spend as much time as we want with them (must make appt. through the prof though). We can even copy down questions and answers from them (but only after all students have taken them, even though those absent on exam day get a much different exam).

I think it's terrible that students can't see their test, or spend any quality time with it. We're here to LEARN, and what better way than to see and examine our mistakes?

Puggymae, I am also from central Ky. & I was wondering how is the pass rate & retention rate where you teach? I am in my first semester of the nursing program & I am an older student. I am a little worried about the school I chose I thought it was a really good program, but in the senoir class there is only app. 10/12 student left out of app. 25. I work really hard to make good grades & to learn & I am kinda worried that I might have not made a good choice. I know I will learn because I want to but I also want to give myself every advantage possible. Any advice on ways to judge a program would be welcomed. I will say they have bent over backwards to help, but I just find it troubling that so many were cut at the same time.Thanks