Certification and Licensure Examination Accommodations

Requests for Modifications for the ANCC Certification Examinations

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and its testing vendor make every effort to reasonably accommodate candidates with documented disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you have a disability as defined under the ADA, you must notify ANCC by submitting the following information with your application:

A report regarding your request from your physician or a qualified healthcare professional is required. The information must be on the physician’s or other qualified healthcare professional’s letterhead, typed, dated, and signed by the health care professional. The report must document the following information in order to be considered:

• A specific diagnosis and date of your diagnosis

• Specific and current findings that support your diagnosis (relevant medical history, tests administered, date of the most current evaluation, within the last 3 years)

• A description of your substantial day-to-day functional limitations resulting from your stated disabilities

• Specific recommendations for your testing accommodation(s) including a detailed explanation of why the accommodation is needed. If the accommodation includes extra time, please indicate the amount of time requested.

Important Note: Additional information may be requested after a review of your information.

Requests for Modifications for the NCLEX-RN Examination

In accordance with requirements of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (Council), the Ohio Board of Nursing (Board) has developed a procedure for maintaining the psychometric integrity of the examination while responding to the special needs of applicants with disabilities who are eligible for admission to the NCLEX-RN examination. Accommodation requests may include assistance such as extra time, a separate room or reading assistance. All accommodation requests must be made in advance so that the necessary arrangements can be made.

To allow sufficient time to secure the required documentation, it is recommended that you notify the Board, in writing, six months prior to the date you wish to take the NCLEX® examination. Documentation required must include the following letters/documentation:

• • • A letter from the applicant that includes information regarding the specific type of disability involved, the specific type of accommodations requested, and the applicant’s contact information.

    • A letter from the applicant’s nursing education program administrator stating that accommodations of the same type that the applicant is requesting were provided to the applicant during the nursing education program, unless the disability occurred after the completion of the program.

    • Documentation submitted to the Board directly from a qualified professional with expertise in the area of the diagnosed disability, on the professional’s letterhead including:

      • Recent reports, diagnostic test results, interpretations of test results, evaluations and assessments of the applicant demonstrating the need for accommodations due to a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities; and

      • Information regarding the history of the disability, its impact on the applicant’s ability to function, and past accommodations granted to the applicant, if any.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing may grant accommodations for the examination related to the applicant’s disability. Your request will be forwarded to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing for review and approval. You will be notified whether your request is approved, along with your authorization to test (ATT). If you have questions about accommodations, please contact the Licensure Unit at (614) 466-3947 or by e-mail at licensure@nursing.ohio.gov. Click here for the policy from the Ohio Board of Nursing.

Learning Disabilities

The diagnosis must be based on a comprehensive assessment battery with the resulting diagnostic report to include a diagnostic interview, an assessment of aptitude/cognitive ability, academic achievement, and information processing. Actual test scores (stated as graded equivalents, standard scores, and percentiles) from identified, formalized evaluation instruments must be provided.

The practitioner must provide an interpretative diagnostic summary which includes:

• Evidence that the evaluator ruled out any other explanations for academic problems;

• A description of how the learning disability was determined (i.e., use of patterns in cognitive ability, achievement, and information processing);

• A description of the limitation to learning caused by the disability and the degree to which the applicant’s NCLEX-RN performance may be affected; and

• An explanation as to why specific accommodations are needed and how the accommodations will mediate the specific disability.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

The diagnosis must be consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV, or subsequent editions) and be indicated by documented evidence of both early and persistent patterns of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity. The practitioner providing documentation to the Board must confirm the diagnosis in accordance with these criteria and provide clear evidence that:

• Actual test scores (stated as grade equivalents, standard scores, and percentiles);

• An interpretative diagnostic summary indicating other diagnoses or explanations for the symptoms or behaviors have been ruled out;

• A description as to how patterns of behaviors across the lifespan and across settings are used to determine the presence of ADHD;

• A statement as to whether the application was evaluated while on medication and whether the prescribed treatment produced a positive response;

• A statement regarding the substantial limitation to learning that results from ADHD and the degree to which the applicant’s NCLEX-RN performance may be affected; and

• A statement as to why specific accommodations are needed and how the accommodations will mediate the ADHD.

After reviewing the request for modifications, along with supporting documents, the Board, in consultation with Council, will make a determination on the request. The Board’s determination is then subject to final approval by Council. The applicant will be notified in writing of the final disposition of the request and of any specific procedures which must be followed for the examination.

If the applicant becomes disabled within the six month period prior to the date the applicant wishes to take the examination, the applicant should contact the Board immediately to ascertain the procedure to follow.

All correspondence and inquiries should be addressed to the Ohio Board of Nursing, 17 S. High Street, Ste. 400, Columbus, Ohio 43215-7410, 614-466-3947, or visit the website at www.nursing.ohio.gov.