'It is the situation that makes it difficult': experiences of nursing students faced with a high-stakes drug calculation test.
Test anxiety affects the learning, performance and well-being of students, and it increases as the stakes get higher. Norwegian nursing students must pass a drug calculation test with a flawless performance if they are to qualify as nurses. The aim of the current study was to investigate the test anxiety experiences of students faced with such a high-stakes test. We used a mixed methods approach where the data were collected using a survey questionnaire and a focus group interview. In total, 203 freshman nursing students completed the questionnaire, six of whom also participated in the focus group interview. The survey results showed that 44.3% of the students reported high mathematics test anxiety in the months before the drug calculation test. More than 12% of the high-anxiety students reported a low mathematics self-concept. High and medium self-concept students also experienced high test anxiety. Our analysis of the focus group interview data confirmed that the high stakes of the test increased the test anxiety dramatically.
Betanien University College, Vestlundveien 19, 5145 Fyllingsdalen, Norway. Electronic address: Kari.Roykenes@betanien.no.
Kari
K
Røykenes
Faculty of Psychology, Department of Education, University of Bergen, Postboks 7807, 5020 Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: Kari.Smith@iuh.uib.no.
Kari
K
Smith
Faculty of Psychology, Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Postboks 7807, 5020 Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: Torill.Larsen@iuh.uib.no.
Torill M B
TM
Larsen
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D054796:Drug Dosage Calculations; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009664:Norway; D012649:Self Concept; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Drug calculation test; High-stakes tests; Nursing students; Self-concept; Test anxiety