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The Use of the American College Testing Proficiency Examination for Advanced Upper Division Placement of Nursing Students Graduated from Hospital-Based (Diploma) Nursing Programs: A Validation Study of Retention

At an upper-division university, students entering the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program were graduated from Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs or graduated from hospital-based (diploma) programs. The admissions criteria for both groups of students were identical with one exception. Diploma nurses were required to pass three ACT Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) tests with a standard score of at least 45. Thus, the hospital-based graduates, although awarded credit to increment their transfer hour credential, had also validated their prerequisite for some of the advanced nursing curriculum. Past research was confirmed by this inquiry; the ensuing academic success of the diploma nurses was significantly higher than that of their ADN peers. Regarding retention, the rate for hospital-based graduates was significantly higher than that for those graduated from junior and community colleges. Thus, the PEP credit-by-examination testing program to place diploma nurses into the BSN program at an upper division university was found to be successful by two criteria: academic success and retention.