Do baccalaureate students possess basic mathematics proficiency?

Since 1979, over 700 junior level baccalaureate nursing students at the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education (ICNE) in Spokane, Washington, have had their basic mathematical skills tested, using a teacher constructed examination. The "Mathematics Proficiency Exam" utilized evaluates the nursing student's ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages. Ratios, proportions, and problems are also included in the exam. The results of the testing have been surprising. From 9% to 38% of each student group tested have been unable to pass all parts of the examination at the 70% level. These findings have led the ICNE to require basic mathematical proficiency via the "Mathematics Proficiency Exam," developed by the authors, as a criterion for admission to the upper division nursing major. Subsequently, competence in medication calculation skills has been required within the first clinical course at the ICNE via a second teacher-constructed examination.