Nursing proficiency tests: characteristics of examinees who succeed

Proficiency examinations used for course credit or exemption allow nurses and nursing students to complete educational objectives economically and quickly. Understanding the work and educational experience of examinees who pass these tests can assist other examinees in deciding whether to take such a test and in preparing for one. Analyses of eight commonly used proficiency examinations in nursing revealed demographic, work, and education variables related to successful performance. For many of the tests, current work experience or an RN certification predicted better performance. The results are useful for educational planning and counseling, and also support the content validity of the tests.