Review the Unjust HESI practice @ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing

We are the Nursing Students of the ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing, united we will stand and fight for our rights as students and for our dreams to become licensed registered nurses.

We the Nursing Students are not against ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing. We are also not against the HESI exit examination. We are against implementation of an unjust academic policy by ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing in the last quarter of our nursing program.

We the nursing students are against how ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing is using the HESI (Health Education System, Inc.) exit examination to hold our nursing degree although we have completed and successfully passed all other academic requirements. We the Nursing Students believe that the HESI Exit Examination should only be used as an assessment tool to evaluate the competency of nursing students, to help us gain strength in our areas of weakness, and to prepare us for the NCLEX-RN.

ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing is trying to bolster their NCLEX pass rates by eliminating students that did not reach an 850 from the test pool. They are using the HESI exit exam as a means to protect their own pass rates as they seek accreditation. ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing implemented this exam only as an obstacle to prevent qualified classmates from taking the NCLEX-RN exam. This change was implemented in the last quarter of the second graduating class’s program. ITT’s nursing program has a pass rate of 100% as it stands, because not all of the students were allowed to sit for boards. The program does not incorporate the HESI style questions in it's curriculum nor does the HESI website provide a test plan, yet we are required to pass this style of testing in order to graduate. The HESI exam is not a competency exam; NCLEX-RN is the only nationally recognized competency exam. The HESI exit exam measures your readiness for the NCLEX-RN examination. Although the HESI is reliable predictor of NCLEX-RN success, schools that allow only students who have passed the HESI Exit Exam to take the NCLEX-RN exam receive an artificially inflated pass rate. This in turn will attract new students to ITT’s nursing program at an already inflated $500+ a credit hour. This strategy shows but one objective, that ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing lacks concern for the success of their students, and is only concern in protecting their own pass rates. We are not arguing the importance or appropriateness of relevant testing, but the manner in which the tests are being used. It all boils down to ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing not having confidence in their own academic program. Using this exam to deny students who have successfully completed the academic program, students with GPA’s above 3.5, the opportunity to graduate and sit for boards is disgraceful!

The material on HESI is not the material studied in school, and the review course is geared for the NCLEX not the HESI. ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing teaches its students ADPIE, which is the nursing process. Assess, Diagnosis, Plan, Implement, and Evaluate. ITT should utilize this process in their own curriculum, as there are students from the previous class that have been abandoned because they have yet to score an 850 on the exit exam. Assess the problem, why have not all students passed this exit exam? Diagnosis the problem, ITT’s Breckinridge School of Nursing failure to properly prepare ALL students seeking licensure from Illinois Department of Professional Regulation in attaining NCLEX (National Council Licensure Exam) passage. Planning of/for the problem, instead of using the Hesi as a tool to augment, and increase revenue, redesign or create a class in which actual remediation of material will take place. Implementation of the plan, create a review course for actual proctored remediation, a structured comprehensive approach to strengthen student knowledge in weak areas.

Evaluation of the plan, evaluation of ITT’s nursing program remediation plan at this juncture has been ineffective. Forcing students to retake classes that have already been passed, and limiting the number of attempts at the HESI is no plan at all. Grades that where awarded to a student indicates mastery of their nursing program, so why are we not allowed to graduate?

We are the Nursing Students of the ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing, united we will stand and fight for our Rights as students and for our dreams. We the Nursing Students seek a resolution to this egregious situation.

We purpose the restructuring of the remediation plan already in place and/or unlimited attempts at the HESI. We also seek for those students who have already SUCCESSFULLY completed the academic program the opportunity to graduate and sit for the NCLEX-RN.

By allowing students to self remediate and allowing lower preceding HESI scores, not only impedes students but also is a disservice to subsequent students. We would like to find a medium for all students here and thereafter. We the Nursing Students of ITT Technical Institute Breckinridge School of Nursing, have been left to re-pay loans forged by an institutes unjust policies and procedures. Just as the institute requires payment in full at the end of the program, we require the same and the means to do so.

We the Nursing Students ITT Technical Institute are calling for support in the change of academic policies in the nursing program.

We are calling the attention and support of:

United States of America:
President -Pres. Barack Obama
Vice President – Vice Pres. Joseph Biden
Secretary Department of Education - Sec. Arne Duncan

State of Illinois:
US Senators(2)
Sen. Richard Durbin
Sen. Mark Kirk

US House Representatives
Congressman Bobby Rush
Congresswoman Kelly Robin
Congressman Daniel Lipinski
Congressman Luis Gutierrez
Congressman Mike Quigley
Congressman Peter Roskam
Congressman Danny Davis
Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
Congressman Brad Schneider
Congressman Bill Foster
Congressman William Enyart
Congressman Rodney Davis
Congressman Randy Hultgren
Congressman John Shimkus
Congressman Adam Kinzinger
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos
Congressman Aaron Schock

Governor-Pat Quinn

Daniel J. McLaughlin
Village President/Mayor of Orland Park

ITT Technical Institute
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Kevin Modany

Media(19):
Channel 2(CBS), Channel 5(NBC), Channel 7(ABC), Channel 9(WGN), Channel 10(CLTV), Channel 11(WTTW), Channel 12(Fox Chicago), Channel 19(CAN TV), Channel 23,(Windy City TV), CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Polish Network, Telemundo,
Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News , AM and FM radio stations.

Organization:

NAACP
American Nurses Association
National Black Nurses Association
National Association of Hispanic Nurses
Polish Nurses Association
Philippine Nurses Associations
National Alaska Native American Indian Nurse Association
National Coalition of Ethnic Minority
National Student Nurses Association, Inc
Black Star Project
Rainbow Push Coalition
FAFSA
WIA
United Way
National Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (NALNC)

Others:
Your signature represents your agreement to change this policy to reflect the original plan of the HESI (Health Education System Inc.) exam as an Assessment not a Determination.

On behalf of all past, present, and future Breckinridge Nursing students.

Thank you
Athena Smith

email: zionsma@me.com

Nancy Smith

azet60619@yahoo.com