Nursing students unsure if they will walk in May graduation

Landry Barbieri
Staff Writer
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008
Without a score of 900 or above on the upcoming Health Education Services Inc. exam on April 28, nearly half of the senior nursing class at Delta State University will not graduate on May 10.Controversy over the issue lead to a suit filed against the institution in the Hinds County Chancery Court by nine senior nursing students. The suit was recently settled out of court. “Because our main key objective was met by the settlement provided by the Attorney General Jim Hood’s office on behalf of Delta State, we chose to accept,” said Steve Gardner, attorney for the students and father of two of the plaintiffs. “The arbitrary score of 900 on the HESI exam will not be a hindrance in these qualified students taking their nursing state board exams.” The lawsuit was sparked when in January 2008, Delta State implemented a policy in which, to receive credit the Nursing Synthesis class students must score a 900 or above on the HESI exam given three times during the length of the course. Prior to the policy, students were only required to pass the HESI exam and exit the class with a 74 average grade. While many of the 15 students have receive high grades in the Nursing Synthesis class, often passing the HESI exam with B-level marks, without the required score of 900 on the exam an incomplete is recorded on their transcripts. Without a recorded grade for the course, the students will not be eligible for graduation in May.“The HESI was designed as a means of assessment for universities and students to see in what areas improvement was needed,” said Gardner. “It was not until January, five months before graduation, that these students learned that a score of 900 would be a graduation requirement.“Nursing school is different from some programs in that students know what their courses will contain and what will be required of them, semesters in advance,” he continued. “They changed the rules on these students in the middle of the year.”Gardner explained that during a full day of testimony on April 8, in which Nursing School Dean Elisabeth Carlson and IHL Commissioner Dr. Tom Meredith took the stand, facts were revealed as to what may have prompted the new policy. “Last summer, Meredith began urging nursing schools in state institutions to have a 95 percent first time pass rate on the NCLEX state lincensing exam” said the attorney.Students must have graduated from a nursing program prior to taking the state licencing exam. Individuals are able to take NCLEX exam multiple times if needed to pass. “Previously, the first time pass rate in the state was 72 percent on NCLEX,” said Gardner. “Meredith left it up to the schools as to how they would work to make it 95 percent.” Gardner said Delta State chose the 900 score policy on the HESI exam as a means to narrow those graduating and taking the NCLEX, therefore raise the first time pass score. “In a way, they are using this 900 score as an exclusion method,” he explained. “It was said in court that the HESI is designed as a predictor for the NCLEX exam, with those making 900 or more having a 96 percent chance of passing the state boards on the first try.” “However, those that score between 900 and 800 still have a 85 to 90 percent chance of passing the boards on the first try, but under the new Delta State policy, they are kept from even taking the exam becayse they can’t graduate,” said the attorney. Gardner said that during testimony, Meredith said that a 95 percent pass rate was an arbitrary standard he had selected.“There was no reason for that number, which is now driving this 900 score requirement,” said the attorney. While proceedings in the case were originally continued until April 16, Gardner met with the attorney general’s staff in order to review a settlement agreement being offered by the university. “Our goal is to ensure that our students get the most out of their college experience and to realize all that they can be,” said Ann Lovten, vice president of academic affairs at DSU. “We want to serve students and prepare them to pursue their careers.”Under the settlement, students who have not scored a 900 on the HESI exam “will not be eligible to graduate in the May 2008 ceremony and will not be eligible for the NCLEX exam.” Students will be allowed to take part in the Spring 2008 pinning ceremony, a symbolic event in the School of Nursing. Those without the 900 score will be required to undergo 40 hours of remediation to begin on May 12. After completion of those hours, students would receive their diplomas by mail. However after the remediation, the students would not be required to take the HESI again. “We felt like in this situation we had a decision to make, so we accepted,” said Gardner. “The students will still be able to receive their diploma without the arbitrary score of 900 on the HESI.” Gardner said that the students have requested that the 40 hours of required remediation begin immediately after the HESI exam on April 28. This would allow students without the 900 score to complete the hours prior to graduation day. “As of the last time I spoke with the attorney general’s office, there was still conversation over reconsidering letting them walk,” said Gardner. “So we will have to see.”Lovten explained that time was needed to prepare for the remediation course, thus the May 12 launch date. “The students involved with this lawsuit are not marginal students,” said Gardner. “It is rare that you will even see a C on one of their transcripts. “These are A and B students with grade point averages of 3.5 in most cases,” he continued. “To be told that you have worked this long and hard and because of an arbitrary number you cannot graduate. They have lived up to high standards throughout their college careers and now will be denied the ability to walk on that stage and receive a diploma.”