Ethics in Testing:
A Personal Responsibility
A Guide for Review Course Instructors to Share
Everyone wants to be
successful when taking a
board certification exam.
Those individuals in roles supporting
testers, like review course instructors,
faculty, supervisors, or mentors, want a
passing outcome too.
But do you know what you can and can’t
say about exam content?
Purpose
The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) offers this presentation
for review course instructors to present and clarify what specific
behaviors and practices are allowed or prohibited when it comes to
sharing information about exam content.
You will walk through policies and see specific examples.
This presentation is just one tool in PNCB’s Ethics in Testing: A Personal
Responsibility Toolkit.
Please tell peers and colleagues about PNCB’s toolkit—even if they are
not taking a PNCB exam—since ethics in testing apply to all types of
examinations.
3
After viewing this presentation,
review course attendees will be able to:
4
1. Explain why exam ethics are important
2. Describe acceptable and prohibited behaviors and practices
3. Define brain dumping
4. Access strategies to stop or redirect questionable or prohibited conversations
5. Discuss exam security measures
6. Uphold exam ethics before, during, and after testing
7. Cite ways to report an exam ethics violation
8. Describe consequences for violations
The Importance of Exam Ethics
Certification’s Reach
Extends Beyond
Nursing Professionals
Each of us has a personal commitment
to uphold exam ethics.
Employers, patients, and their families
count on the integrity of nursing care
and the credentials that validate
specialized practice knowledge.
Exam ethics violations impact the
certification board, you, other students,
the profession, and public trust.
6
The Faculty Voice
PNCB surveyed RN and PNP faculty in 2020 and asked:
If you could communicate one statement related to exam ethics
to students, what would you say?
Faculty strongly believe that upholding exam ethics…
• Ensures the integrity of the profession
• Is indicative of an honest, safe, competent clinician
• Ultimately protects patients
• Is a personal responsibility
7
Acceptable and Prohibited
Behaviors and Practices
Understand PNCB’s
Code of Ethics
All exam applications, and each annual recertification application, require an attestation to uphold
PNCB’s Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics states:
Acting dishonestly or unfairly to personally gain advantage or provide advantage to someone
planning to test is strictly prohibited and can jeopardize certification status or eligibility to test
status for any involved parties.
9
Do Not Disclose
All candidates and certificants attest that they agree not to disclose or communicate
information about exam questions with others.
• It is forbidden under federal copyright law to copy, reproduce, record, distribute, or
display examination questions by any means, in whole or in part. Doing so may
subject you to severe civil and criminal penalties.
• As an exam candidate, you agree not to share information about test questions and
answers in any way.
• This includes talking about questions with your colleagues, review course instructors,
supervisors, mentors, or faculty.
• Violation of this confidentiality agreement can jeopardize your certification or
opportunity to become certified in the future. Protect yourself, your colleagues, and
the credential by not discussing test questions with anyone.
10
The Content Outline
First, it’s important to understand the role of the content outline for your credential’s exam.
• PNCB conducts Job Task Analysis research every 3 to 7 years.
• The study asks nurses with the credential to validate what is most prevalent and/or most important
in practice for the role.
• Study results are then used to develop the content outline, also known as the test blueprint.
11
The Content Outline continued
• Major domains of knowledge are identified from the data and used to
determine the number of questions on the exam by content topic areas.
• Volunteer subject matter experts write questions for the different content
topic areas. For a detailed look at the full process of vetting questions and
creating an exam form, visit PNCB’s exam development webpage.
• Each exam’s content outline is posted on the PNCB website. It’s an essential
part of an exam candidate’s study plan.
12
Did you know? A certification board with 4 exam programs like PNCB must spend
approximately $1.5 million dollars annually for on-going exam development activity as well
as exam delivery and seat fees for candidates. Other associated costs related to ongoing
accreditation, copyright efforts, and PNCB staff time are not included in this number.
Before we explore examples of acceptable and prohibited conversations, keep in mind the
difference between the content outline and the exam itself.
13
The exam represents the specific, targeted questions
to validate your personal knowledge compared to
the content outline.
The content outline represents the big picture
categories of what knowledge is tested. It’s the road
map that provides direction as you study.
Example 1
“Expect a lot of respiratory content. It’s
the number one clinical problem on the
exam content outline.”
Is this acceptable?
14
Example 1 Answer
Yes, this is acceptable.
• This information is clearly noted on a PNCB exam content
outline.
• No specifics are mentioned.
15
Example 2
“What kinds of respiratory issues were
on your exam?”
Is this acceptable?
16
Example 2 Answer
No, this is not acceptable. This conversation is prohibited
because:
• Specifics are being requested.
• Someone is asking for exact exam question content.
17
Example 3
“Make sure you brush up on
growth and development since
you work in a hospital now.”
Is this acceptable?
18
Example 3 Answer
Yes, this is acceptable.
• This information is clearly noted on a PNCB exam content
outline.
• No specifics are mentioned.
19
Example 4
“Make sure you remember when
a baby starts pointing at objects.”
Is this acceptable?
20
Example 4 Answer
No, this is not acceptable.
• This information is too specific and goes beyond the broad
exam content outline topic areas and task statements.
21
Example 5
“I had a question about acute
renal failure, potassium levels,
and arrhythmias. Make sure you
look that up.”
Is this acceptable?
22
Example 5 Answer
No, this is not acceptable.
• This information shares details of an actual question. All
exam content must remain confidential.
23
Example 6
“Renal issues are a clinical problem
listed on the content outline. Be
prepared for those since we don’t see
that in our unit.”
Is this acceptable?
24
Example 6 Answer
Yes, this is acceptable.
• This information stays within the safe confines of what is
on an exam content outline.
25
Example 7
“Skin wounds are on the exam content
outline, including burns, so you need to
study that.”
Is this acceptable?
26
Example 7 Answer
Yes, this is acceptable.
• Again, this information stays within the safe confines of
what is on an exam content outline.
27
Example 8
“I didn’t expect a burn question
asking about fluid replacement.
I think the right answer had to
do with capillary refill.”
Is this acceptable?
28
Example 8 Answer
No, this is not acceptable.
• This is a violation because the information intends to reveal
both an actual question and its answer.
29
Brain Dumping Is Prohibited
Brain dumping is usually defined as an intentional effort to record
questions/answers during an exam… or remember questions/answers
and document them afterwards.
The list of questions is then used to gain advantage on future test
attempts. The list might be shared with others, such as
peers/colleagues planning to test or an influencer who supports
others in testing. A group of people may be involved to gather as
many questions as they can.
You may even be approached by others to try to remember questions
and share what you witnessed on the exam.
Brain dumping is a significant ethical violation and must be reported.
30
If in doubt, simply don’t
discuss.
Discussing exam questions can jeopardize your
future exam attempt or lead to revocation of
your credential and other consequences.
But what if you witness others engaging in
prohibited information sharing?
31
Strategies to Stop and Redirect
Conversations
You hear someone talking about specific exam content.
Use PNCB’s infographic to stop or redirect questionable
or prohibited conversations.
It includes red flags to help you recognize unethical
discussions.
Any red flags mean a full stop to the conversation. Tell
those discussing the content that they must stop. At
this point, you are ethically obligated to report this
experience to PNCB. You can choose between calling or
emailing PNCB or using the anonymous tip reporting
form.
Speaking Up Is Hard
There may be times you don’t feel comfortable speaking up. Maybe the person talking is a
friend, supervisor, or person with influence.
In this situation, you may need to remove yourself from the situation unfolding but you still have
a responsibility to act.
You must still report the incident. You can call 1-888-641-2767 or email ex[email protected] or use
the anonymous tip reporting form.
In addition, you can recount the incident to a faculty member, supervisor, or clinical educator.
33
Especially as an exam candidate, be sure to
understand and practice ethical behaviors
throughout the testing process.
34
A Note about Quizlet and
Other Preparation Tools
There are many ways candidates prepare or form study groups for their exam,
such as Quizlets, social media groups, video conferencing, and face-to-face
gatherings.
No matter the format, do not use any PNCB exam materials or content, including
content from our copyrighted practice tests.
You cannot duplicate all or part of any PNCB practice test module or exam.
Content found in PNCB’s practice tests is for single copy, personal use only once
purchased (copying, distributing, or posting publicly to any website is prohibited).
The creator of the Quizlet, for example, is responsible for the content—even if
the content was contributed by others.
If you share information, it’s your responsibility to ensure the information
does not come directly from PNCB exams, practice tests, or other
modules. If information is contributed by others, ask them about the
origin of the content.
35
PNCB Security Measures
PNCB is serious about upholding test security and protecting its
intellectual property.
Exam ethics violations impact the organization, you, other nurses,
the profession, and public trust.
PNCB test security measures include but are not limited to:
• Data forensics consultants
• Web patrols that search for copyrighted exam material
• Anonymous online tip reporting form
36
Don’t Risk the Consequences
If an exam candidate or certificant violates PNCB’s Code of Ethics or
engages in unethical behaviors related to exam content, PNCB may:
• Stop an in-progress exam
• Suspend exams for all testers of that exam type
• Delay release of score results beyond advertised timeframe
• Invalidate exam scores
• Suspend or revoke certification
• Prohibit future exam attempts for the individuals involved
• Take legal action against individuals themselves
• Report lapse of certification to state boards of nursing
37
Thank you!
You chose the pediatric specialty to be able to provide care for one of the
most vulnerable patient populations.
Whether your certification exam is linked to PNP entry-to-practice,
validation of specialized RN or APRN expertise, or RN licensure, you play
an important role in upholding and supporting exam ethics.
Visit www.pncb.org for all Ethics in Testing toolkit resources and PNCB’s
list of study resources for each exam. You can even earn a free accredited
contact hour for our Ethics in Testing CE module.
Contact PNCB with any questions about exam ethics or the application or
recertification process.
We wish you success in testing!
39
