Assisting at-risk students in preparing for NCLEX-RN.

The graduate who fails the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first attempt is psychologically, socially, and financially devastated. It is humiliating for the graduate to inform family, friends, and potential employers of the failure. It is also devastating for the graduate to have to wait until the 91st day following the NCLEX-RN failure to retake the computer adapted test (CAT). This length of time between examinations may increase the graduate's risk for failing the NCLEX-RN a subsequent time, because the graduate is not authorized to function as a graduate nurse in the clinical setting; there is no ongoing reinforcement of nursing knowledge, nursing process, critical thinking, or clinical performance skills. The graduate's NCLEX-RN performance also impacts the school of nursing's annual NCLEX-RN pass rate.

Computerized NCLEX-RN preparation programs. A comparative review.

Nursing faculty and students, as well as schools of nursing, are concerned about maintaining or improving pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This article offers a comparative review of eight computerized NCLEX-RN preparation programs: Compass RN; Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Assess Test; NLN-CAT-RN Pharmacology Test; Meds, incorporated Comprehensive Q & A; Mosby's NCLEX Review; Medi-Sim Computer-Assisted Preparation for NCLEX-RN; Preparing for NCLEX-RN CAT; and NLN-CAT Practice RN. Criteria for evaluating these programs include program design features, types of questions and feedback, performance reports, screen design, ease of use, technical support and documentation, warranty and upgrade policy, and price. Issues associated with using NCLEX-RN preparation programs also are discussed.

Design and development of an expert system for student use in a school of nursing.

Use of the expert system as a tool for clinical decision support for students and practitioners of nursing is a subject of much discussion and developmental activity. A prototype of a nursing expert system was designed for use in a simulated laboratory environment to provide nursing students with decision support in identifying and managing common postoperative complications. Formative evaluation of the system with associate and baccalaureate nursing students elicited positive response and formed the basis for ongoing program refinement. The practicing nurse of the future must understand expert system use in order to consider the implications and potential of such a clinical tool in nursing practice.