Testing and Examination Procedure
Purpose
The ASN Program maintains a structured, secure and standardized testing process to ensure fairness, academic integrity, and alignment with the 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan. All examinations are designed to measure clinical judgment, application of knowledge, and safe entry-level nursing practice competencies.
All testing policies apply to unit exams, final exams, standardized assessments and comprehensive exams.
Alignment with NCLEX-RN 2026 Test Plan
All ASN examinations are developed using the program’s official Testing Blueprint aligned with the 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan (Effective April 2026)
Exams are proportionally distributed across NCLEX Client Needs categories:
●Safe and Effective Care Environment
●Health Promotion and Maintenance
●Psychosocial Integrity
●Physiological Integrity
Subcategories and item distribution follow NCLEX percentage ranges. Clinical judgment is integrated through Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) item types and case studies.
All major examinations:
●Include application- and analysis-level questions
●Incorporate clinical judgment case studies
●Reflect the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM)
The number of questions on any exam may vary. However, each exam is constructed according to the ASN Testing Blueprint to ensure content validity and NCLEX alignment.
ASN Program Testing Blueprint
Examination Structure and Timing
Exams are timed according to NCLEX testing standards. Students will be allotted approximately 1.5-2 minutes per question. Total exam time will be calculated based on the number of questions. Students are responsible for managing time appropriately during the examination. If a student runs out of time, all unanswered questions will be scored as zero (0) points.
Dress Code During Examinations
Professional conduct extends to the testing environment.
Students must:
●Wear appropriate classroom attire.
●Remove hats, hooded garments, and sunglasses.
●Remove smartwatches and electronic wearable devices. Exceptions can be made for extenuating circumstances (i.e. blood glucose monitoring, etc.)
●Store all personal items in designated areas.
Students may not wear:
●Earbuds, headphones, or Bluetooth devices
●Smart glasses
●Any electronic communication device
●No personal calculators are permitted during testing. A calculator will be provided to the student.
Faculty reserve the right to inspect items brought into the testing area. Failure to comply with exam dress requirements may result in removal from the testing environment.
Tardiness
Students must arrive on time for scheduled examinations. A student arriving more than 10 minutes of the exam start time will not be permitted to test. This could result in a grade of a zero (0). Test make-ups are at the end of the semester. Repeated tardiness may result in progression review. If personal accommodations need to be made regarding test start-time, this must be discussed and approved by the course instructor.
Missed Examinations
Exams are mandatory. If a student must miss an exam the student must notify the course faculty prior to the exam start time when possible. Documentation may be required. Make up examinations will be scheduled at the end of the semester.
Failure to notify faculty prior to the start time of the exam may result in a zero (0) for the examination.
Make-Up Examination Policy
Make-up exams may differ in format from the original exam. Make-up exams may include:
●Essay questions
●Short answer
●Case study format
●Alternate item types
Make-up exams may be scheduled at a time determined by faculty and will occur at the end of each semester for that respective course. Only one make-up exam per course may be permitted without progression review.
Examination Integrity and Academic Honesty
The ASN Program enforces strict academic integrity standards consistent with professional nursing ethics.
During examinations, students may not:
●Access unauthorized materials.
●Use electronic devices.
●Communicate with others.
●Copy or attempt to view another student’s exam.
●Photograph, record or reproduce exam content.
●Remove or distribute exam content in any format.
Testing software may include remote monitoring or lockdown features.
Any violation of exam integrity will result in:
●Immediate removal from the testing environment
●A grade of zero (0) for the examination with no make-up option
●Referral to the Dean for Health Sciences or the Vice President for Academic Affairs
●Possible dismissal from the ASN Program
Academic dishonesty is considered a breach of professional standards and may impact licensure eligibility.
Post-Exam Review Process
All examinations undergo statistical item analysis following administration. Faculty evaluate difficulty index, discrimination index and point-biserial correlation. Items demonstrating poor psychometric performance may be reviewed, revised, removed or awarded credit if appropriate. Final grades are determined after exam analysis is completed. Faculty decisions regarding item analysis are final.
Exam Review Sessions
Faculty may provide structured exam review sessions. Students may not copy, photograph, or transcribe exam content during review. Review sessions are instructional, not adversarial.