Effect of a Commercial NCLEX-RN Preparation Product on First Time Pass Rates.

Introduction: Passing the National Council Licensure Exam-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) is the entry into the profession for nurses, and rates of passing the exam on the first attempt are used as an important outcome measure for schools, students, and accrediting agencies. Objective: This study was conducted in order to investigate if a commercial NCLEX-RN test preparation product impacted first time pass rates. Methods: Data were collected from 688 students from six institutions who were taking the NCLEX-RN for the first time. The intervention group (n = 396) received a 6-month subscription to a commercial product with which to prepare for the NCLEX-RN, and was compared to the control group (n = 292) to test for differences in demographics and test pass rates. Results: The intervention group was more likely to be younger than 25 years of age (n = 160, 55.8% vs. n = 76, 34.6%; p < .001) when compared with the control group. No other significant differences in demographics or NCLEX-RN pass rates were observed between the groups. Conclusion and Recommendations: This study failed to demonstrate a change in the likelihood of passing NCLEX-RN on the first attempt in a group of students who used a commercial test preparation product. We recommend that instructor-guided use of a test-preparation product, along with other interventions to support test success, be considered in creating an individualized plan for nursing students preparing for NCLEX-RN.

A National Study of Progression Policies and Course Repetition in Prelicensure Registered Nursing Programs.

BACKGROUND: The literature lacks description of the incidence of nursing students failing and repeating courses. Nursing student repeaters delay graduation and entry into the workforce; they are also at risk for attrition. AIM: The aim of the study was to describe the incidence of nursing student repeaters and progression policies in the United States. METHOD: A national survey of prelicensure nursing program deans and directors was conducted. RESULTS: Invitations were sent to 2,055 nursing programs; the response rate was 32 percent. The annual incidence of nursing student course repetition was found to be 11.5 percent. Progression policies varied widely. CONCLUSION: Nursing student repeaters are a significant population, and examination of progression policies is warranted.

Consensus for the General Use of Equine Water Treadmills for Healthy Horses.

Water treadmill exercise has become popular in recent years for the training and rehabilitation of equine athletes. In 2019, an equine hydrotherapy working group was formed to establish what was commonly considered to be best practice in the use of the modality. This article describes the process by which general guidelines for the application of water treadmill exercise in training and rehabilitation programmes were produced by the working group. The guidelines describe the consensus reached to date on (1) the potential benefits of water treadmill exercise, (2) general good practice in water treadmill exercise, (3) introduction of horses to the exercise, (4) factors influencing selection of belt speed, water depth and duration of exercise, and (5) monitoring movement on the water treadmill. The long-term goal is to reach a consensus on the optimal use of the modality within a training or rehabilitation programme. Collaboration between clinicians, researchers and experienced users is needed to develop research programmes and further guidelines regarding the most appropriate application of the modality for specific veterinary conditions.