New Pre-Admission Exam (PAX) for RN and PN Applicants

NLN Successfully Concludes Piloting of New Pre-Admission Exam (PAX) for RN and PN Applicants

Washington, DC, March 11, 2016 - Schools of nursing and applicants to RN and PN programs alike will soon find significant enhancements in pre-admissions testing in nursing, as the National League for Nursing makes its new Pre-Admissions Exam (PAX) widely available this spring. The PAX innovations, developed by NLN Testing Services under the auspices of the NLN Center for Assessment and Evaluation, not only ease the process for nursing school candidates, but also provide admissions officers with a more valid and reliable predictor of student success.

In addition to the NLN’s PAX test innovations, NLN Testing Services has reviewed and revised all its exams to utilize an ever-growing and state-of-the-art item bank and alternative-style test items in the new NLN Testing portal, powered by Questionmark®.

For example, end-of-course achievement exams have been updated to include alternative item types and norm data from 2015. The NLN NCLEX Readiness Series matches the most current NCLEX blueprints (RN-2016 and PN-2014). Participants in the newly revised (fall 2015) RN Live Reviews have reported a 95 percent pass rate. The NLN Live Review is now available in one, two, and three-day formats. Additionally, Nursing Achievement Exams, both PN to RN and RN to BSN, have been revised with new analytic and norm data.

“The NLN recognizes that access to quality health and mental health care for the nation’s growing frail elderly and other vulnerable populations is a vital priority,” added NLN CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Improving instructional quality in this area couldn’t be easier or more practical with ACESXPRESS, and I urge all nurse educators to utilize it.”

The new PAX exam offers the following attractive features:
bullet Multi-level Exam Blueprint – The NLN provides norm data for both RN and PN candidates who test. This means applicants only need to test once for a school to determine admission into their program of choice.

bullet Item Banking – More than 1,000 items are available in an item bank to maximize test security. The NLN is taking advantage of the more secure test features available through the new portal, powered by Questionmark. Such security features will help ensure the highest reliability and validity for which NLN Testing is widely known and respected.

bullet New Reporting Analytics – Detailed reporting will provide applicant performance, with sub-scores in each of the three areas: Verbal, Math, and Science

More information on the new NLN PAX is available in the testing catalog or contact customer service: 800-732-8656; lfurby@nln.org .

About the National League for Nursing
Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its more than 40,000 individual and more than 1,200 institutional members, comprising nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education and health care organizations.
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