Health Education Systems, Inc (HESI) is pleased to sponsor the second printing of the supplement to CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing and Nurse Educator, which contains published research articles focused on HESI testing. Two recently published, peer-reviewed research articles expand the selection of articles provided in the original supplement and offer additional support for the use of HESI examinations throughout the curriculum.
The evidence-based research provided in these articles describe HESI examinations as psychometrically sound measures, useful in preparing students for the NCLEX-RN, as well as evaluating student performance from program entry to exit in traditional and accelerated nursing curricula. The authors of these articles describe HESI examinations as reliable and valid measures for benchmarking program outcomes, measuring student achievement, and guiding remediation prior to licensure candidacy.
The ongoing nature of such research exemplifies HESI's commitment to supporting excellence in nursing education and practice. That commitment was strengthened by the company's recent acquisition in January 2006 by Elsevier, a leading publisher of content and remediation resources for nursing. The full array of quality HESI testing products-custom, specialty, and exit examinations, now labeled as Evolve REACH powered by HESI-are enhanced by Elsevier's remediation resources. This combination of resources contributes to the goal of HESI and Elsevier-to provide excellent products for nursing education.
Ainslie T. Nibert PhD, RN
Vice President, eProducts Review and Testing, Nursing and Health Sciences, Elsevier/Health Education Systems, Inc (HESI)
FROM THE EDITORIAL OFFICE, CIN
In nursing, we like to talk about the "body of nursing knowledge" and the research that is undertaken in an effort to create that knowledge. This supplement reflects an emerging body of knowledge around predicting NCLEX success and benchmarking student progress. It is exciting, as the Editor-in-Chief of CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, to be able to bring this information to you.
I received the first article in this series1 in late 1998. At that time, I knew very little about HESI testing, something that was to change over the years. As the articles continued to flow in, it became apparent to me that important research was being done. I remember very well the comments of one reviewer on the fourth validity study:4 "The latest in this series-well done, important work. A good contribution to the literature."
We have assembled this collection of articles and letters, originally published in CIN and Nurse Educator, with the intent to bring value to those in education who use, or are considering the use, of tools such as this. I have asked Ainslie T. Nibert, PhD, RN, Director of Research at Health Education Systems, Inc, to prepare a brief introduction to provide context for you, the reader.
This supplement represents a defining moment in the development of this particular body of knowledge, but it is not the end. Continue to look in the pages of CIN and Nurse Educator for ongoing research and scholarly dialog about this important work.
Leslie H. Nicoll, PhD, MBA, RN, BC, Editor-in-Chief
FROM THE EDITORIAL OFFICE, Nurse Educator
As Editor-in-Chief of Nurse Educator, I am pleased to include the 4 HESI-related manuscripts in this supplement that have been published in Nurse Educator since 2002. This compilation of peer-reviewed articles nicely showcases an evolving body of research supporting HESI's testing exams. I am always concerned with duplicate publication when I start to see multiple articles on one topic. As I saw more HESI-related papers, the peer review panel and I were vigilant in assuring that the each paper's content added to our knowledge and did not repeat it. To date, I have been impressed with the level of scholarship, research rigor, and new knowledge that I see in HESI articles. Faculty are well served with HESI exams as tools to assess and improve approaches to evaluation, testing, and benchmarking.
Suzanne P. Smith, EdD, RN, FAAN, Editor-in-Chief
FROM HEALTH EDUCATION SYSTEMS, INC, SPONSOR OF THIS SUPPLEMENT
Health Education Systems, Inc (HESI) assists nursing faculty in the evaluation component of curriculum design. Since 1989, HESI's mission has focused on providing excellent evaluation measures, specifically, computerized exams that measure the examinee's ability to apply nursing concepts in clinical practice. The contents of the supplement are the result of nearly a decade of interest and investigation by faculty regarding the use of HESI testing as a mainstay in curriculum evaluation for all types of nursing education programs. Below is a brief summary of the articles included in this supplement:
* The authors of four validity studies that were conducted over four academic years with a composite sample of 19,554 RN and PN students' scores concluded that the HESI Exit Exam was 96.49% to 98.46% accurate in predicting NCLEX success.1-4
* Because of its high degree of predictive accuracy, the HESI Exit Exam (E2) was used as a benchmark for remediation and progression. Schools that implemented the use of E2 scores as benchmarks for progression improved their NCLEX-RN pass rates by 9-41% within two years.5
* A follow-up study described progression policies, identified the most frequently selected benchmark scores, and explored remediation strategies.6
* Remediation sessions developed by faculty were used to help students improve their HESI Mid-curricular Exam scores.7
* To evaluate program outcomes and provide evidence-based rationale for curricular development and modification, the methods used to measure the reliability and validity of HESI exams were described.8
* Best practices were described for preparing students for NCLEX-RN success using HESI testing products throughout the nursing curriculum.9
* HESI examinations were used to compare traditional students with accelerated students.10
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